Six stakes races including the BC Cup Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial make up a strong eight-race card at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver on holiday Monday, August 5.
The BC Cup, a popular event on the Hastings calendar, has open races for all divisions of horses, each one worth $50,000. First race post time is 2:30 p.m. PST and the BC Cup Debutante for two-year-olds fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs kicks off the card.
Race 7 is the Derby Trial for three-year-olds pointing to the BC Derby (G3) in September. Peter Redekop’s BC-bred AUGUST RAIN (Sungold) has won two consecutive stakes races this season including the July 6 Chris Loseth Stakes. Barbara Heads trains the chestnut sophomore who won three of five starts as a juvenile, all stakes races. Redekop bred the gelding who is 8-to-5 in the morning line for the 1 1/16 mile Trial.
The BC Cup Classic for three-year-olds and upward at 1 1/16 miles has lured the top three older horses on the grounds. AT ATTENTION, SETTECENTO, both stakes winners this year, will meet last year’s Grade 3 winner SUNBIRD and three others. At Attention, owned and bred by Dr. Bryan Anderson and Carol Anderson, won the Lieutenant Governors’ Handicap on July 1 by a nose over Sunbird, who won the BC Premier’s Handicap in 2023. Settecento won the George Royal Stakes on June 8 before finishing fourth in the Governors’.
The BC Cup day races:
BC Cup Nursery ($50,000, 2 Yr Old, 6.5F)
BC Cup Debutante ($50,000, 2 Yr Old Fillies, 6.5F)
Hong Kong Jockey Club ($50,000, 3 Yr Old Fillies, 8.5F)
Sir Winston Churchill ($50,000, 3 Yr Old, 8.5F)
BC Cup Distaff ($50,000, F&M, 8.5F)
BC Cup Classic ($50,000, 3 & Up, 8.5F)
