Hastings Handicapper

Brian McGregor-Foxcroft

 

27/ 09/ 99 – Vancouver:  Racing continues to get more exciting at Hastings Park. With only weeks to go before live racing ends, Hastings stakes races continue to surprise and please. One of the biggest events of the racing year, the $200,000 British Columbia Derby, was no exception. With all the money riding on the underlaid favorite, Digital Dan, it was the 4-1 Steve Bryant trained, and Kim Hart owned California claimer Wandering, with Sam Krasner in the irons, who got up for the top money. Wandering got up to the lead group from the gate and hung on through the 1 1/8^th race and overtook Digital Dan on the home turn. There were a few  anxious seconds when the 40-1 Yaletown, with Brian Johnson in the irons, charged up the outside to take on Wandering just yards away from the wire. Without a doubt this race was the greatest upset of the racing year. Wandering paid $10.20/ $5.20/ $ 2.60; Yaletown paid $18.20/ $5.70; and Digital Dan paid $2.30. The Exacta paid $263.10 and the Trifecta paid $484.60.

 

The BC Derby was not the only stakes race run last Saturday. The $37,013, ! 1/8^th mile Sir Winston Churchill, which was the 6^th race on the 9 race card, was won by the Allan Jack trained Mike K, ridden by Gerry Olguin. Second and third were picked up by Victorious Type, with Dave Wilson in the irons, and Artic Son, with Frank Fuentes riding. And while I’m on the subject of Saturday’s races, Greg and Virginia McKinley’s Vying Victor colt, Stormin To Victory demonstrated his steady improvement when he placed at 1 1/8^th in the 7^th race on the live card.

 

On Sunday, September 26^th, Hastings featured two other stakes races, the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Stakes for 2 year old colts, geldings and fillies. Each offered a purse of $107,019. In the boys’ race the Sid Martin trained Astral Thunder, with Gerry Olguin, won; Prodigious, with Chris Loseth riding, and Johnny Ringo, with Ben Russell in the irons, got up for second and third respectively. In the girls’ event it was the Harold Barroby trained Ajmaer, with Ben Russell who charged under the wire first, followed by Grey To Be Free, with Felipe Valdez in the irons, grabbing second, and Win a Feu, with Frank Fuentes getting in for third. This race offered big pay outs, with Ajmaer paying $30.70/ $10.40/ $9.20; Grey To Be Free paying $6.60/ $4.40; and Win a Feu paying $4.40. The Exacta paid $185.50, and the Trifecta paid $892.30. It was a good weekend for Gerry Olguin, as he won 6 races over the two days, two of which were stakes races. At present, Ben Russell stands as top rider, with Olguin and Dave Wilson holding second and third places.

 

In other racing news, Hastings horses and former Hastings horses continue to race south of the border. Notable references must be made of Secret Launch who won the 4^th race at Emerald Downs on Sunday, September 19^th.

On the same day at Emerald Downs, Magic Code got up for first money, with Deputy Sue coming third in the $60,000 Belle Roberts Handicap. While this past weekend, Tabarcia, a horse that did little at Hastings, but was claimed by a California trainer and is now a turf runner, ran a very credible second at Bay Meadows. This is not the first time we have seen what appeared to be lack-luster Hastings horses come to life on US tracks.

 

Elsewhere in racing news, Mazel Trick, a promising runner from California, had a training injury at Del Mar and had to undergo surgery to fuse his right front ankle. If he heals all right he will stand at stud. And, along the same lines, the great filly, Excellent Meeting, has been sidelined for the remainder of the racing season due to a bone chip in one of her ankles. On a more positive note, and a little closer to home, Jeff Sengara’s $50,000 California claimer, Bud Royale, recent winner of the Longacres Mile, has made the nomination list for the upcoming Breeders Cup Classic, due to be run on November 6^th at Gulfstream Park.

 

With the live racing season coming to a close, it is time to focus on some the terrific simulcast racing available to local handicappers. Both Australia and Hong Kong are up. And Santa Anita and Calder Race Course will soon be beamed in to Hastings and other BC Telecenters. And, of course, my all time favorite track, Churchill Downs should be up in a month or so. In coming articles I will be giving you some helpful tips on playing some of these tracks, with an emphasis on handicapping turf races. While many people seem intimidated by turf handicapping, I have a personal preference for the turf, and I have a few tried and true methods to help people pick out the likeliest horses to succeed.

 

Until my next article, I wish you all good handicapping and good health.