Sunday afternoon was alright for racing and the fans assembled at Historic Old Hastings Racecourse seemed to have a fine time. Almost 700K was wagered on the card that was run over a fast track that was kind to speed even if it did not outright favour it. Favourites won half of the eight races offered on a day that also saw the longest-priced winner of the year light up the board at 55-1.
Individual honours went to jockeys Amadeo Perez who won three and Ruben Lara whose double included the monster payoff produced in the last by a horse that had not run since October of 2014 for a trainer who was four years and 41 starts between wins. A noted English philosopher once observed that while you can’t always get what you want, sometimes you get what you need.
Snuggles
The Emerald Downs Handicap, a weighted event for three-year-old fillies, was won by high-weight Snuggles ($4.20) with a late surge that did not get her past the pace-setting Colleen’s Diamond until they were well inside the sixteenth pole but had her a length-and-a-half clear by the time they hit the wire. Colleen’s Diamond held on to second by a nose over McDove who closed along the rail. Final time for the 6 ½ furlongs was 1:17.39.
Colleen’s Diamond went to the lead early and did not give it up until late in the proceedings despite being pestered, but not passed, by Omi, one of a bevy of Swift Thoroughbred entrants, who eventually gave up and left it to Snuggles and rider Rico Walcott to carry the Swift colours forward.
Snuggles did just that and won with more room to spare than you would have thought possible early in the stretch run. Colleen’s Diamond was not quitting and while Snuggles was making up some ground, the outcome was not clear. But when the winner switched leads, things changed. Snuggles has a stride, she throws forward legs that have a lot of chest between them, she eats up ground and on Sunday in deep stretch she seriously devoured some yardage. Colleen’s Diamond ran a brave race and McDove was a willing finisher to be third while barely missing second, but it was Snuggles’ day and until another three-year-old filly proves otherwise, she is pretty clearly the best one around.
Snuggles was bred by her owner, Swift Thoroughbreds, who raced both her sire, Rosberg, and dam, the stakes placed Daymaker. The winner broke her maiden in the Fantasy in her final start at two last year after three straight seconds in stakes races. She opened her 2016 season with a win in the Ross McLeod and has now won three stakes in six starts. She has made all her career starts in stakes races. Dino Condilenios trains the imposing chestnut filly.
Mark It Up Mark
The top claiming price on Sunday’s card belonged to the seventh, a $25,000 claimer for maiden three and ups (although this one was all three-year-olds). It was won by Mark It Up Mark ($16.00) who went head-and-head with Mighty Mesa almost the entire trip while refusing to let that one by, although Mighty Mesa never stopped trying to get past the winner who was a head to the good after 6 ½ furlongs in 1:18.05. Sanawar closed from well back to be third without ever being a cause for concern for the first two. Denis Araujo rode the winner for owners Nick and Pauline Felicella and trainer Anita Bolton.
Mark It Up Mark was bred in British Columbia by Karen and Ron Bidniak. She is by Finality out of the Mass Market mare, Malibu On Ice. The dam is a half-sister to the multiple stakes winners Classic Alley Cat and Victory With Class.
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