Dates Proposed for Hastings Racecourse, BC Owners in Zia Derby

Proposals for Hastings Racecourse’s 2023 key dates are being finalized with an earlier start at the Vancouver track. The track set-up date is currently Friday, January 20th, with the move-in day slated for Sunday, January 22nd. If confirmed, the track will open on Tuesday, January 24th. Clockers will be in situ from March 1st and the starting gate will open two weeks later on March 15.

While subject to change, Opening Day is expected to be Sunday, April 30th, a week before the Kentucky Derby.

There are also currently four Friday nights of live action scheduled for July 28th, August 4th, 11th and 18th, respectively. As a result of the annual PNE, there will also be two Monday night meetings and they are currently expected to be August 21st and 28th. Closing Day is currently slated for October 15th.

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Fort Langley Third at Turf Paradise

Joe and Gloria Russo’s popular Hastings’ stalwart FORT LANGLEY (Majestic Warrior) finished third on his Turf Paradise debut on Wednesday for trainer Patty Leaney.

The six-year-old, who was bred and formerly owned and trained by the much-missed Glen Todd, ran on steadily to earn the show by a neck under Lindey Wade in a $10,000 optional claiming contest over a mile.

Fort Langley won three claiming events at Hastings in 2022 and also ran well enough when stepped up to stakes company by Leaney to land a fourth-place finish in the BC Cup Classic. He was also fifth in both the Lieutenant Governors’ Handicap and the S. W. Randall Plate Handicap.

Two More Weanlings Headed for BC

Steen and Cathy Reggleson’s Stride Away Thoroughbreds secured two weanlings at Keeneland’s November Sale this week, with both youngsters heading west and expected to feature at the 2023 CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale in September.

Hip #3223 is a colt by Candy Ride’s Grade 2-winning son, UNIFIED (who currently has his first three-year-olds in action) out of the unraced CREATIVE CAUSE mare LET’S BE CREATIVE. Mum is a half-sister to the G2 winner LETGOMYECHO (Menifee), dam of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner ECHO ZULU (Gun runner), as well as ECHO TOWN (Speightstown), winner of the G1 Allen Jerkins.

Hip #3574 is a filly by recent Ontario stallion recruit TAMARKUZ (Speightstown) and she is the third foal out of the winning Street Sense mare LUCENT LADY.

Lucent Lady is out of the G3-winning and G2-placed mare ELUSIVE LADY (Van Nistelroy), producer of winner ICE WOMAN (Street Sense), dam of stakes-placed performer CORNINGSTONE (Kantharos).

Prominent local owner Peter Redekop takes another swing at an important stakes prize next week when his three-time winning Arrogate colt APPREHEND takes on five rivals in Tuesday’s $250,000 Zia Park Derby. The morning line favourite, who was a $180,000 two-year-old graduate of last year’s Ocala June sale, broke his maiden at Oaklawn last December before winning at Santa Anita on his seasonal reappearance in June. Out of BC Oaks heroine HERO’S AMOR (Street Hero), Apprehend last appeared in October when, again at Santa Anita, he spread-eagled a competitive-looking Allowance Optional claimer by eight-and-a-half lengths.

Also in the Derby field is GREAT ESCAPE, winner of the Canadian Derby (G3) for his BC owners including Clayton and Rick Wiest, Randy Howg, Arnold Bennewith, etc. A contender for Champion 3-Year-Old Colt in Canada, Great Escape was recently fourth in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby.