Summer Arrives at Hastings

While the Deighton Cup patrons are gone for another year, it looks like summer days are finally here. After several weeks of unseasonable cloud drizzle and rain, Sunday’s card was blessed with brilliant sunshine and absolutely perfect temperatures. While a short sprinkling of showers and thunder did occur, it compliantly held off until after the last race. The weatherman is calling for a two week forecast of almost nothing but solar pictographs and clear sailing ahead. A perfect run into the August 1st B.C. Cup Day holiday. Attendance was great and the on track handle was up over 10% above last year’s numbers.

Racing highlights:

Denis Araujo triples.
Richard Hamel wins two.
Craig MacPherson doubles.
The Odds R Even and Good Luck to You win opposite ends of the Feature, 2-year-old Maiden Allowance, $25,000 purse.
The Sea-to-Sky Pick 6 carries over to kick off the Friday Night Live Program with a starting balance of $59,459.

The Odds R Even Was Anything But
The co-feature race, a 2-year-old Maiden Allowance ($25,000 purse), first on the card, went to Don B. Danard and Mel Snow’s gritty, determined first time starter The Odds R Even. Unlike the name would imply, the big gray/roan gelding rewarded his backers with an outstanding 18 to 1 pay off. Ridden to victory by Silvino Morales, The Odds R Even stalked the leaders mid pack from in a somewhat wide position several lengths back until quickly drawing into contention at the head of the lane. The Odds R Even went by all but Kermode, who put up a head to head fight right to the wire. The margin of victory was a neck with Kermode finishing further neck in front of Hasting Racing Club I’s hard charging, fast closing Catch Twenty One, whose troubled trip saw him go extremely wide for the entirety of the race. The Odds R Even (38.70, 13.20, 4.60) is trained by Mel Snow and ran the about six furlong journey in 1:14.45. He was bred in B.C. by Fran and Mel Snow, and was sired by Cause to Believe.

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Good Luck to You, She Said as She Breezed Away
The third race on the card, the second half of the day’s featured 2-year-old Maiden Allowance with a $25,000 purse was won by George Gilbert’s Kentucky bred Good Luck to You. The Dave Forster trained filly tracked the duelling Remembermesoftly and Crater Lake until the final turn when rider Denis Araujo, going three wide, confronted the leaders. Remembermesoftly began to weaken at the quarter pole, leaving Crater Lake to fight it out alone. By the head of the lane, the hard trying Crater Lake could not find more and Good Luck to You pulled away to an ever increasing 3 ½ length advantage at the wire. Another filly, Florist, who didn’t have the best of trips, got up in time to take second in a four horse photo finish over He’s Gatsby, who prevailed by a head over Crater Lake, who had to settle for fourth. Good Luck to You (14.70, 5.10, 3.30) covered the about six furlong distance in a very rapid for the day 1:13.07.

Fire Beauty Lights It Up
The sixth race on the card, the supporting feature, 6.5 furlong $16,000 claimer for fillies and mares was easily won by Ken and Sharon Johnson’s Fire Beauty, who covered the journey in a quick 1:17.40 with Richard Hamel up. Trained by Mike Anderson, the good-looking chestnut mare went right to the front out of the gate and never looked back, leading all the way, and prevailing by 2 ¾ lengths at the wire. Bred in B.C. by R.J.T. Thoroughbreds, Fire Beauty’s (3.70, 3.00, 2.10) win put her trainer into sole possession of first place in the trainer standings. The winner, returning to her old barn, was claimed with perhaps some of his earlier winnings by trainer Mel Snow on behalf of Coyote Creek Racing Stable and Mel and Fran Snow.

Richard Hamel Gets Two
In addition to his win on Fire Beauty, Richard Hamel also scored a hard fought victory while aboard Sapphire Stables’ always trying five-year-old mare Zanita Rosae (9.40, 4.40, 2.80). Zanita Rosae, sired in B.C. by Skimming is trained and was bred by Sandra Loseth. She completed the 6.5 furlong journey in the decent time of 1:18.30.

A Hat Trick for Araujo
Newcomer Denis Araujo, in addition to his win on Good Luck to You, also claimed success in the fifth race on the hard knocking, John and Kim Morrison owned Ambidextrous Duke (18.90, 7.70, 3.60). Trained by John Morrison, the B.C. bred (Phoenix Rising Farms), Second in Command sired 5-year-old gelding went the 6.5 furlong distance in 1:17.20, which was the quickest time for the day.
Araujo got his third win for the day in the eighth and night cap while in the irons on Strideaway Thoroughbreds’ home-bred 3-year-old Cheroot filly Street Connection (7.00, 2.90, 2.80). The win gave her trainer Craig MacPherson the second of two winners on the day. His first came with Stormy Days (13.40, 6.40, 4.90), owned by 47 Mile Stable and Warren Stanyer, with Skyler White Shield up. Stormy Days, a 3-year-old filly was bred in B.C. by Dr. Sheila McDonald.

The Bennetts and Barb Heads Get a Weekend Double
Sunset Drive (7.20, 3.80, 2.50) gave Hall of Fame owners Russell and Lois Bennett the second of two weekend victories. Trained by Barb Heads and bred by her owners, Sunset Drive was ridden to success by Antonio Reyes in the second race in today’s card.Leading Jockey, Trainer, Owner

Jockeys:
Now with 27 days racing complete and past the halfway mark in the season, Richard Hamel continues to dominate the Jockey Standings with 45 wins to Antonio Reyes’ 29 victories. Denis Araujo with his triple on today’s card and one from yesterday has now moved into a third place tie with Silvino Morales both having 19 scores. One win back in fifth is Skyler White Shield, who is also one ahead of Amadeo Perez, who now has 17 wins thanks to his triple on yesterday’s card.

Trainers:
Mike Anderson today claimed first place in the standings with 17 scores, one ahead of John Snow’s 16. Craig MacPherson is in third with 14 victories, only 3 wins off the top. Dino Condilenios, who leads all trainers in the money won category and has been winning at a 30% rate currently, holds fourth with 11 scores. Patty Leaney, who also is having a great year, is next in fifth with 9 wins for the year.

Owners:
Swift Thoroughbreds, Inc. are currently run away winners with 11 scores on the season and lead all owners in the money won and stakes won categories by significant margins. In second position and also having a great year with 7 victories and a 29% win rate are the long-time owners Grayross Stable. Russ and Lois Bennett hold third tied with Kay and Sue Ohashi, with Canmor Farms’ 4 wins giving them the fifth spot.

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