Hastings Handicapper – Brian McGregor-Foxcroft

 

12/ 09/ 99 – Vancouver:  I’m beginning to feel like one of those tiresome “I have some good news and some bad news” jokesters. But there is whack of both to report. So I’ll start with the good news first, based upon the principle that this is the best way to prepare people for the worst possible news. I’ll start with the two big races at Hastings Park on Saturday, September 11^th. In the 4^th running of $100,000 The Sadie Diamond Futurity, which was the 5^th Race of the 9 race live card, the Sid Martin trained, 505 Farms Chelan, with Gerry Olguin in the irons, won. Grovecrest, ridden by Chris Loseth, placed, and Risky Rumour, with Ben Russell, came third. But the race everyone was watching with undivided interest was the $125,000 BC Breeder’s Cup Oaks, which featured Frank Stronach’s Woodbine invader, Touch Dial, with Mickey Walls in the irons. Touch Dial  went off at 1-2 and ran badly throughout the race. It was the Steve Henson trained Lasting Chance that took the day, with Chris Loseth in the irons, and his Spice Girl, with Dave Wilson in the irons, got up for second, giving Henson’s horses the lion’s share of the purse. The Cindy Krasner trained Blue In Green, with Sam Krasner in the irons, got up for third. On Sunday, September 12^th, Gerry Olguin went to the winner’s circle again with Sid Martin trained Astral Thunder, who won the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity. Harold Barroby trained Adanac, with Dave Wilson riding, placed, and the John Terry Marshall trained Y two Kat, with Filipe Valdez riding, came third.

 

I cannot let the news of the weekend’s racing pass without mentioning  Saturday’s 1^st Race, in which Greg and Virginia McKinley’s little colt Stormin To Victory went wire to wire. And, here’s one for the book, he’d won his first race a year ago to the day, September 11^th, 1998.

 

Elsewhere, former Hastings horses have been continuing to perform well. Notable efforts were made by Leading Edge Three who ran second in the 2^nd Race at Assiniboia Downs on September 11^th, and Axe Me, who won the 4^th Race on the same day at the same track. On September 12^th Bobby Buchanan got up for a second in the 3^rd Race at Emerald Downs.

 

Now for the bad news, and it’s heart breaking. On September 9^th 23 year old Mexican jockey J. C. Gonzales was killed in a racing accident at Fairplex,

in California. It was their opening day. Meanwhile, news came through from Woodbine that Woodcarver, winner of the 1999 Queen’s Plate, broke down during a gallop and had to be destroyed. And, Hastings Park was not spared tragedy this weekend when the Jim Brown trained Lonesome Kat shattered a front leg in The Sadie Diamond and had to be destroyed. Our heart-felt sympathies go out to her owner, Lorne Macdougall, and to all in her barn who cared for her. Add to this list the sidelining of Real Quiet, whose career may be over after suffering a training injury at Del Mar, and Parade Ground, who developed a virus which settled in his left hind hock, and you have an ever growing litany of 1999 racing woes. Mention should also be made of Humberto Gomez, who is probably out for the season after suffering a shoulder injury in the starting gate at Hastings Park last week.

 

This causes me to reflect upon the dangers involved in horse racing. Of course, we all understand that accidents happen, but it doesn’t make it any easier when they suddenly descend upon us with a vengeance. Each accident and disaster forces us to do some thinking about the risks our horses and riders take each race day. We, the owners, trainers, backstretch staff and handicapping fans owe them our support and gratitude. With this in mind, we should make an effort to show them some tangible form of our appreciation. One of the ways we can do this is by donating a little money to the jockey’s benevolent fund – each track has one established for the purpose of offering financial aid to injured jockeys, as well as for assistance to the families of jockeys who lose their lives in accidents. It should also be noted that several charitable societies exist for the saving and retraining of race horses. Both of the above are worthy ventures and worth the effort of checking out and supporting.

 

Until my next page, good racing and good luck!