Here Comes the Sun …. and it was all right. Although it was hot, very hot, 32C°/90°F hot to be exact. However, the low humidity (45%) produced a pleasant although intensely warm heat, which was not overly stressful on the evening’s horse and human competitors.
The racing surface was expertly prepared as usual by the Hastings Track Crew, and while balanced and fair, produced times which were a tick or two slower than normal.
The betting favourites won 5 out of 8 races, although mid-range longshots won the other 3, producing decent payoffs. The overall handle was up over last year, and racing continued without patrons and spectators for the 13th day of the 2020 season.
Highlights
- Jockeys Amadeo Perez and Efrain Hernandez both score doubles.
- Owner Peter Redekop B.C., Ltd. wins a pair.
- Trainer Dino Condilenios, assistant Edgar Mendoza and groom Maurice (Mo) Laing all win two.
- Here’s Hannah takes the feature.
- Sire Harbor the Gold has two winners on the day.
- B.C. breds win 5 out of 8 races.
- The Mutuel handle was $643,063.87.
Atlin Bay Gets the Pay
The second race on the program for two-year-old maiden 35K/40K claimers running the nursery course (3.5 furlongs) was taken down by Peter Redekop B.C., Ltd.’s good-looking dark bay gelding Atlin Bay (4.60, 2.70, 2.50), who put together a dominate gate to wire front running performance. Amadeo Perez was able to get Atlin Bay to a great beginning that saw him quickly establish a clear lead which he kept for the entire journey, increasing his margin of victory to 2 ½ lengths over Simply Smokin, who after a poor break was able to get up to second in a solid debut.
Atlin Bay is trained by veteran conditioner Dino Condilenios, who is assisted by Edgar Mendoza, and he is groomed by Maurice (Mo) Laing. Atlin Bay is by Harbor the Gold out of Daylight Cat by Discreet Cat and was bred in Beautiful British Columbia by James Barry Doud.
The final time was 40.40.
Boundary Bay Has the Winning Edge
North American Thoroughbred Horse Company’s Boundary Bay won in a gutsy performance in the third race (16K/20K claiming) at Hastings.
Boundary Bay was away alertly but had to fight for the lead with Metal Magic the whole way around. Down the stretch he had to dig deep to hold off Slew’s Da Boss who had his eyes set on top prize and almost got there, finishing a close second.
Boundary Bay is trained by the ever-sharp Glen Todd and was ridden to victory by stable rider Efrain Hernandez. The winning groom is Julio Lopez.
Boundary Bay is a five-year-old dark bay gelding by Harbor the Gold out of Flying Memo and was bred in Washington by Bret Christopherson.
The running time for the six and a half furlongs was a very quick 1:18.04.
As the favourite, Boundary Bay returned 5.10, 3.00 and 2.30 across the board.
Kick Up the Dust Leaves Them in the Dust
Is it possible for a seven-length winner on a 32-degree Sunday afternoon to have a better name? The owner Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds seem almost a little omniscient in naming the beautifully turned out three-year-old daughter of Bodemeister and Resonating (by Smart Strike).
Kick Up the Dust was quick into stride and stayed near the pace. On the far turn she made a strong move and assumed command from Dew Tell and drew clear down the lane under the guidance of leading rider Amadeo Perez.
Kick Up the Dust is conditioned by co-leading trainer Christine Ammann, and assisted by Alison Dube, who also doubles as her groom. Kick Up the Dust was bred in Supernatural British Columbia by her owner Tod Mtn. Thoroughbreds.
As a very popular pick, Kick Up the Dust returned a skinny 2.60, 2.10, 2.10 across the board in this maiden 8K/10k claiming event for fillies and mares.
The final time was 1:18.16.
Here’s Hannah Wins with Grace
Previously referred to as “the Queen of Hastings” by the DRF, and Canada’s 2019 Sovereign Award winner Here’s Hannah added another jewel to her crown Sunday afternoon in an allowance optional claiming 50K/62.5K, while facing a tough field of competitors, which included Under Par, winner of the Monashee Stake and Amazonian, winner of the Hastings 2019 100K Oaks.
Patiently ridden by Scott Williams, Here’s Hannah sat slightly off the pace set by Canmor Farms’ Under Par and North American Thoroughbred Horse Company’s Northern Graystar, before rallying three wide through the far turn and fighting determinedly down the stretch to edge Hasting Racing Club’s Warrior’s Promise and longshot Northern Graystar, who finished second and third, respectively, both of whom turned in fantastic performances.
The five-year-old daughter of Numaany and Dreams Start Here (by A Fleet Dancer) is owned B C Stables and conditioned by veteran trainer John Morrison. The winning groom is Jessie Morrison.
As another favourite, Here’s Hannah returned pedestrian blue chip dividends 3.40, 2.40, 2.10 across the board. Here’s Hannah was bred in Beautiful British Columbia by her owner B. C. Stables.
The winning time was 1:17.55, the quickest of the day.
By the way, Hannah is a Hebrew name that means elegance and grace. Befitting.
Raise a Dancer Does the Quickstep
The victory was definitely not in a waltz or a slow ballroom type of move, it was a lot more like a fast moving tango or Cha Cha, but whatever it was, it took a concerted, focused hard-working effort on the part of Blue Willow Dairy, Ltd.’s seven-year-old bay mare Raise a Dancer and rider Jeffery Burningham to best the rest by a short neck at the finish line. The start of this 4K/5K NW’s race for fillies and mares saw Raise a Dancer and Sweet Sixteen (Amadeo Perez) send for the lead and thereafter run the entire journey side by side, giving battle throughout. The final result remained in doubt until the wire, which saw 11-1 longshot Raise a Dancer (23.20, 8.50, 5.80) clear of betting favourite Sweet Sixteen (1.95) by a neck.
Raise a Dancer is trained by David Forster and the assistant trainer/groom is Sam Domingues. Raise a Dancer is by Raise the Bluff out of Crowning Camilla by Formal Dinner and was bred in Washington by Ron McCormack & Ron Hagen.
The final time was 1:18.79
Leaders
After 13 days of racing, the Leader Board looks like this:
Owners: North American Thoroughbred Horse Company, Inc. leads with 9 wins. In second place with 7 wins is Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds and in third position are Russell J. and Lois Bennett with 6 wins.
Jockeys: Amadeo Perez has increased his lead and has 23 wins, five more than Scott Williams in second place with 18 scores. Tied for third are Efrain Hernandez and Silvino Morales with 16 trips to the winner’s circle each.
Trainers: Christine Ammann and Glen Todd continue to be tied for first in the trainers’ standings with 10 wins each. Barbara Heads and Steve Henson are in a dead heat for second with 9 victories each, followed by Mark Cloutier in third with 7 wins.
To read the entire Sunday Wrap-Up, click here.
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