The Rain came and conquered all in the B.C. Derby (G3) at Hastings Racecourse on September 14. Actual rain on Hastings’ biggest race day made the track a sea of slop, but the highly-talented three-year-old AUGUST RAIN didn’t mind one bit.
The BC-bred, owned and bred by Peter Redekop, came from far off the pace under Amadeo Perez, swooped by the leaders turning for home and won by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:51.20. Trained by Barbara Heads, August Rain defeated 15-to-1 shot Moneyshot and J Dutton to win the $100,000 stakes event, the final leg of the Western Triple Crown Series. August Rain won the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Century Mile in his most recent start. The second annual grouping of races was supposed to include Bricklayer’s win Aug. 5 in the 1 1/8-mile Manitoba Derby in Winnipeg; however, that race was removed from the series this summer when Assiniboia Downs was placed under a federal quarantine for equine infectious anemia.
A son of Sungold – Bitatude by Super Saver, August Rain has won four of his last five races and his career record is 11-7-1-2. With Saturday’s first-place prize of US $50,423, his career earnings reached US $259,342.
August Rain tossed his hat in the ring for the Sovereign for Canada’s Champion Three-year-old Male with his second graded stakes win.
Wagering at Hastings on Saturday was $1.1 million.
More Saturday racing highlights (courtesy Horseracing BC):
The fourth race on BC Derby day was the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity and, going gate-to-wire, was Willow Creek Farms and Lorie Henson’s MOUNT DOOM (Bakken) ($4.00), who led from the start (22.11, 45.79) under Antonio Reyes and never gave them a chance as he cruised under the line in 1:17.66 for trainer Steve Henson. Curtis Landry’s PUTTINGONTHEFOIL turned a huge effort on his first start in Vancouver under Dane Nelson and they re-rallied up the inside to claim the runner-up spot for trainer Gonzalo Anderson. Joe and Gloria Russo’s KRIS’S GOLD was very impressive on his debut, racing up close to the swift pace and staying on gamely for third for Patty Leaney .
The fifth race was the $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity and saw Jeff Sengara’s SOMEDAY LADY (Cairo Prince)($10.20) prove best under Kerron Khelawan, the pair settling behind a contested pace before pouncing on the leaders midway on the stretch turn and drawing clear late for a big score in 1:17.66 for conditioner Cindy Krasner. Dallas Nelson’s THEY CALL ME TOM turned in a big performance for trainer Tim Rycroft, chasing the hot pace under Kimal Santo and bravely battling back on the inside to finish a good second. Conrad Rozenek’s BREEZIN BRIANNE set a quick tempo under Brian Boodramsingh (22.14, 45.89) and surprisingly lost the pace battle, ending up third as the heavy favourite for trainer Mel Snow.
The seventh was the $75,000 BC Oaks and, as expected, Peter Redekop’s AVANA (Vino Rosso) ($2.50) made her patented brilliant move from off the pace to just get up for a narrow win in 1:51.03 under Amadeo Perez for trainer Barbara Heads. The Bennett’s VIVA LA DIVA was equally as brilliant, setting a sensible pace (23.91, 49.17, 1:14.17) with Antonio Reyes aboard, and they stayed determinedly to the wire before grudgingly giving way late. Gord Christoff’s EYES OF BEAUTY was part of the slow tempo and held well to be third for trainer Rob Anderson.
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