Outstanding Weekend at Hastings

And a fine BC Cup Day it was at Historic Old Hastings Racecourse. A substantial crowd, one of the largest in several years, was on hand to take in the six stakes races offered on a 9 race card. There were some outstanding performances, human and equine. Rico Walcott came down from Northlands in Edmonton to win back-to-back stakes, one of them aboard his reliable meal-ticket Snuggles. Amadeo Perez also rode two winners as he scored in the day’s two most lucrative races, the Pacific Customs Brokers Classic and Distaff, both of which offered $75,000 pots.

Trainer Pat Jarvis opened and closed the card with bookend winners for herself and co-owner Lillian Meehan-Jarvis who had an owner double. Philip Hall scored consecutive stakes wins in the seventh and eighth races with horses he owns or co-owns as well as trains.

It was a day for the upwardly mobile as three of the stakes carded won by horses that had quite recently run in mid-level claiming races. The track was definitely playing to speed. Seven of the nine races were won by horses who were never worse than second at any point in the going, although the Classic was won by a deep closer.

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The investors threw in over $1.3 million (all sources) and 341K on track. Three favorites won but there were 5 winners that paid more than $10 for $2, and for the second time in a row the stakes for older colts and geldings was won by a horse paying more than 26-1. There were opportunities.

Calgary Caper Pulls Off A Vancouver Upset
The $75,000 Pacific Custom Brokers Classic was won by Calgary Caper ($54.60) who was the longest shot on the board at more than 26-1. He was running for a $16,000 tag less than two months ago, but on Monday In the Classic he beat last year’s Horse of the Year in Square Dancer who finished second, and six-time stakes winner Modern who held on to third after setting some tough early fractions. Calgary Caper ran the mile-and-an-eighth in 1:49.66 under rider Amadeo Perez to give Perez his stakes double and provide trainer Philip Hall with back-to-back stakes wins.

Modern got the lead without difficulty and was cruising along unbothered on the front end (although a quarter in a shade over 23 seconds and a half mile in 46.48 when you are going a mile-and-an-eighth might not be every horse’s idea of cruising) when the rider on Sabada Alegre decided it was a good idea to challenge Modern going down the backside. They went three-quarters in 1:10.93 and by the time they hit the head of the lane both horse and jockey had likely realized that going after Modern early is not advisable and Sabada Alegre backed out to last just to emphasize the point.

Meanwhile, Calgary Caper had launched a move from last, getting first jump on Square Dancer who started his move a couple of jumps later. Sabada Alegre’s challenge had no doubt softened Modern up to some extent, but the suddenness with which Calgary Caper got to him in a last to first move was dramatic. Square Dancer was one path wider but he kept grinding only to be a length behind at the wire. Modern once again ran third on his innate class after setting tough fractions, notably a mile in 1:35.51 (the Distaff for older mares went the mile in 1:38.08, or about 12 lengths slower, and they were only going a mile-and-a sixteenth). But when it is all said and done, there is no denying how visually explosive Calgary Capers kick was and how well deserved was his victory.

The Kentucky bred winner is owned by Kim Peacock, Lance Giesbrecht and trainer Philip Hall, none of whom require directions to the Winner’s Circle at Hastings. In fact, Mr. Giesbrecht hung out there quite a bit in years gone by. Calgary Caper is by El Corredor out of a Stephen Got Even mare, so a big race at a distance should be no real surprise. To have it come in the big race on BC Cup Day was.

Touching Promise: My Word
The companion piece to the Classic was the Pacific Customs Brokers Distaff for older fillies and mares and like the Classic was worth $75,000. The winner’s share went to last year’s Champion Older Mare Touching Promise ($11.40) who, despite her previous achievements, was second choice to the odds-on favorite Arabella’s Muse. That one would do no better than fourth as the 20-1 shot Majestic Presence closed from the last of five to be second while pace-setter Morning Coffee held off the favorite to take third. Final time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth was 1:45.38. Amadeo Perez rode the winner for the first of his two stakes wins on the day.

Morning Coffee went to the lead along the inside soon after the break and Touching Promise quickly set up shop just outside her. They ran that way through fractions of 23.78, 47.19 and three quarters in 1;12.21 at which point Amadeo Perez began to ask the winner for more. Touching Promise found more and so did Morning Coffee who would not let her by.

Arabella’s Muse joined them to be three-wide around the last turn but was unable to sustain her run. Touching Promise finally got by Morning Coffee around the sixteenth-pole and a fast closing Majestic Presence got past her to take second, a half-length short of the winner who was racking up the fourth stakes win of her career.

Touching Promise was bred in British Columbia by her owners, Russell and Lois Bennett. She is by Touch Gold out of the Old Trieste mare Promise One. She is trained by Barb Heads.

Snuggles Overcomes Trouble
This year the Dogwood Handicap, an event for three-year-old fillies, was open to BC and Washington bred or sired fillies although no one crossed the 49th parallel and in actuality the race was a pure BC bred event that was won by the Swift Thoroughbreds impressive filly Snuggles ($3.40). The winner overcame having to check coming into the lane and was able to regroup to put together a drive along the rail that got her home a length-and-quarter in front of stablemate Chianti. C U At Eau Claire ran hard all the way to be a solid third, nine lengths clear of the fourth place finisher Oma.
It was the fifth straight stakes win for Snuggles who has never run in anything other than stakes. She started her career at two with three consecutive seconds in stakes won by C U At Eau Claire (Champion Two-Year-Old Filly in BC last year) before breaking her maiden in the Fantasy in her last start of 2015. She has not lost in 2016 and as a result was spotting the field between four and ten pounds. No matter, weight may stop a freight train but a few pounds and bad racing luck were not enough to stop Snuggles on Monday.

Snuggles was bred in British Columbia by Swift Thoroughbreds and, as has been mentioned previously, she is a total homebred as they raced both the mare, Daymaker, and the sire, Rosberg. The late Rosberg sired three of the five fillies in the field and it would have been four of six if Omi had not scratched. Dino Condilenios trains her and Rico Walcott shipped down from Edmonton to ride. He is now 5 for 6 on her, with one second.
Lord Vancouver Turns In A Stellar Performance

The Stellar Jay Handicap for BC or Washington bred or sired three-year-olds went to the favored Lord Vancouver ($5.70) who was bet down to less than 2-1 from a morning line of 9-2. The public had it right. Lord Vancouver tracked Reason for Being for much of the race before getting to lead at the head of the lane and from there was able to withstand the late runs of B C Charlie and Stanz in Command who finished second and third.

Lord Vancouver ran in a $15,000 conditioned claimer in Phoenix in early January and did not win, finishing third in a non-winner of 2 lifetime event. That was his last time in for a tag and he has blossomed since coming north. He won an Allowance Optional and then finished second in the Chris Loseth to Emerald Downs Derby winner Opportunistic. That race and the validation supplied by Opportunistic’s win no doubt accounted for his favoritism in the Stellar Jay. He did not disappoint the faithful as he delivered a gritty effort for jockey Denis Araujo who guided him home with a length left over after completing the mile-and-a-sixteenth in a solid 1:44.79.

Lord Vancouver was bred in British Columbia by Blair Law and Philip Hall. He is owned by his trainer, Philip Hall. He was the first winner for his sire Teide and he is now his first stakes winner.

Something Better Is
The BC Cup Debutante, a race for BC bred or owned two-year-old fillies was won in wire-to-wire fashion by Alberta invader Something Better ($19.00) who returned to the province of her birth to show the locals how it is done. Anstrum closed like an express train from far back to be second and the favored Good Luck to You secured third with a non-threatening rally but Something Better had won the race before either of them did their best work. The 6 ½ furlong sprint went in 1:18.72.

Something Better laid down a 21.79 first quarter on her way to a half-mile in 46.01 and that was enough to discourage the chasers while providing sufficient cushion to hold the closers safe and give Rico Walcott his second straight stakes win.

The winner is owned by C and H Duggan Farms, Landry, Red Diamond Stable, et al. She is trained by Greg Tracy and is now 2 for 2 after breaking her maiden going 3 ½ furlongs in early July at Northlands. Something Better was bred in BC by Prescott Farms. She is by Finality and from the Out of Place mare Wednesday’s Out. That makes her a full sister to Finality’s Charmer who won the Sadie Diamond Futurity in 2014.

Assets Included Appreciates
The BC Cup Nursery, a 6 ½ furlong dash for BC bred or owned two-year-olds, fell to Assets Included ($18.40) and leading rider Richard Hamel, but they had to work for it. Strate Remark hounded the winner for most of the trip before turning the chase over to Driller and Kermode. They tried hard and got within striking distance without being dangerous to the winner. Final time for the juvenile sprint was 1:18.65.

Assets Included was bred in British Columbia by Ralph Jesiak. He was bought out of the Hastings Paddock sale this past March for what is now a very reasonable $7,500 and is raced by Peter Redekop B. C. Ltd. Anita Bolton is the trainer.

Stepupforthemoney Stretches Out For The Cash
The BC Cup Marathon has been restyled as a Starter Handicap for three-and-ups who have started for $8,000 or less in 2015-2016 at Hastings Racecourse. It was won by Stepupforthemoney ($9.20) who led for the entire mile-and-three-eighths and drew off by five lengths coming to the wire. After turning back a couple of early bids by the favored Majestic Mark, the winner opened up some daylight on the final turn and cruised on home more like a horse accustomed to wide open spaces than one who had, in fact, never gone further than a mile-and-a-sixteenth before Monday.
Stepupforthemoney is owned by Jarvis and Meehan Racing Stable and is trained by Pat Jarvis. Jose Gomez rode him.

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