Hastings Handicapper

Brian McGregor-Foxcroft

 

14/ 05/ 00 Vancouver: Tragedy struck suddenly and fatally in the third race of Friday’s eight race live card at Hastings Park, when the Brian Phillips trained Too Cool For You broke down going into the home turn in the 6 ½ Furlong event. From the looks of things, Too Cool For You, with Ben Russell in the irons, was making a bid for the lead from the outside, when the horse suddenly went down and didn’t move. Ben Russell was hurled into the air over the horse’s head. Early reports claimed that the horse shattered its front  legs, and possibly broke its neck when it went down. Too Cool For You was a perennial favorite with the handicappers at the Park. Our deepest sympathies go out to the horse’s connections. This type of occurrence is deeply upsetting to all of us involved in horse racing. Ben Russell, who escaped injury, finished the evening by winning races five through seven.

 

Two events on Saturday merit attention, the running of the $30,000, 6 ½ Furlong Supernatural Stakes, which went off as the seventh race on the eight race live card. While Make Contact left the gate as the underlain favorite, it was the Brian Johnson ridden Grooms Derby at 11-1 odds who took the event. Make Contact placed, while Chelan got up for third money. Meanwhile, at Pimlico, the 1 3/16 Mile, $750,000 Pimlico Special featured a stellar field of runners, including Lemon Drop Kid, last year’s winner of The Belmont Stakes, Cat Thief, winner of last year’s Breeder’s Classic, K One King, the 9-5 favorite, and Jeff Sengara’s Budroyal, just to name four. Local attention was on Budroyal, but he got caught in a speed dual from the gate and tired coming into the final turn, fading to 7^th in the eight horse field. At the wire it was Golden Missile, ridden by Kentucky Derby winning jockey Kent Desormeaux, who stole the show. Pleasant Breeze, running at 22-1, got the place, while Lemon Drop Kid got up for third after an outstanding stretch rally.

 

Sunday’s racing was under a warm, sunny sky, with a reasonable attendance for Mother’s Day. In the fifth race of the nine race live card, Tuff Waters, ridden by Alan Cuthbertson got up for first, paying $14.40/ $6.30/ $3.50. Readers may recall he was a horse I said to keep an eye on in his next out. In the big seventh event of the day, the $30.000 City of Vancouver, Rampaging Alf swept home to just beat out a tough, front running King Jeremy. Adanac got up for third money. I should mention the run put in by Sara Queen, who came up for a fourth in the eighth race. Watch this horse when she goes long. She has a long stride, and a good closing punch, but she’ll prefer a mile or better to excel.

 

Also on Sunday, The Hastings Park Handicap was run at Emerald Downs. There were three Hastings horses in the $35,000, 6 Furlong event. Hastings’ trainer Sid Martin’s Fair Apache got up for the win, and his Becoming ran third. A good day for Sid Martin and 505 Farms.

 

By now most racing fans will have heard of the 3.5 Million dollar tax break given to BC racing by the provincial government. This is definitely a move in the right direction. This is badly needed funding which will help to prop up the province’s Thoroughbred breeding industry. In other news it is rumored that the introduction of slot machines to the local tracks may be just around the corner. Finally, fans will notice a new claiming level being allowed at Hastings Park in the near future. In a few weeks’ time there will be $2,500 claiming races being offered. It is hoped that this new lower claiming level will draw horses from Washington and Oregon States to help fill the fields.

 

Remember, the next big race in The Triple Crown is coming up this Saturday at Pimlico, when The Preakness takes place. So far the entrants include Fusaichi Pegasus, the winner of The Kentucky Derby, Hal’s Hope, who made a powerful bid in the Derby, High Yield, who might be expected to run better next out, Hugh Hefner, Red Bullet, and Snuck In. On the possibles list are Captain Steve, Impeachment and More Than Ready, who got up for 3^rd and 4^th in the Derby, and Wheelaway, who ran 5^th in the Derby. Now all handicappers have to figure out is, will Fusaichi Pegasus repeat his last run? Will Hal’s Hope or High Yield be the spoilers? And, what about Wheelaway, who many feel will be on the improve in this race?

 

In closing I will leave you with an insider’s tip, watch for jockey Brian Johnson when he rides in the first race of the day at Hastings. The rumor is, he never rides in the opening race unless he’s on a live mount. Until my next column, best of racing luck to you all.