Today summer returned in all her glory. Clear skies, warm temperatures and wonderful, bountiful, bright sunshine was the way of the day with spring, who has absolutely overstayed his welcome, shuffled off to the side. Just how long summer will stay, is of course unknown, but the long-range forecast is calling for a lot more of the same, so maybe, just maybe summer is here to stay.
The hard-working Track Crew produced a racing surface which was even, consistent and fair.
While it was a day in which even money or close to it favourites were established in all of the seven races, only three of them actually won. The card even produced a 15 to 1 longshot (Allstar Boy), which set up a very nice 754.40 triactor payoff.
It was certainly a day of doubles, in which 11 different owners, trainers, grooms, breeders, and assistant trainer and a groom all counted two victories each on the card.
Highlights
- Trainers Barb Heads (assisted by Madison Zielke), Rob Gilker (assisted by Vicky Gilker) and Glen Todd all score doubles.
- Jockeys Efrain Hernandez and Amadeo Perez each win two.
- BC breds prevail in 4 out of 7 races.
- Sire Mass Market gets a pair.
- Owners Rob and Vicky Gilker and North American Thoroughbred Horse Company, Inc. both mark up two winners for the day.
- Breeder Glen Todd gets a double with two of his Kentucky breds.
- Groom Chandra Rumley (Gilker barn) sends two of her charges to victory.
- Mutuel handle was $546,000.
Not Yet Gets There in Time
The first race on the card, an open 25k/32k claimer, contained the shortest field (5) of the day, but produced the closest finish, which saw the top three horses separated by approximately 3 inches. In the end, the Rob Gilker trained hard-trying five-year-old dark bay gelding Not Yet (10.30. 3.50, 2.70) prevailed in a dramatic photo finish. Amadeo Perez in the early going placed Not Yet in a slightly wide stalking position right behind the pace setting duo of Boundary Bay and Slew’s Da Boss. The quarter pole saw Perez make his move, passing the top two, looking every bit the part of a comfortable winner. However, Boundary Bay, no doubt benefiting from Efrain Hernandez’s superb rating (23.04, 46.94), still had plenty left and re-engaged from the inside. By the head of the lane, Boundary Bay had regained a short lead with the hard-charging Calgary Caper now joining the combatants to make a line of three. The trio fought it out down the lane noses apart in a truly spectacular fashion. While the race could have gone to any one of the three, it was Not Yet by a short nose at the wire, with Boundary Bay and Calgary Caper dead heating for second. The last 1/16th went in an unbelievably rapid 6:07 (fastest of the day), with the final time of 1:17.11, the second fastest of the day.
Not Yet, by Colonel John out of Heaven on Hold bred in Kentucky by Glen Todd, is owned by the partnership of George Robbins, Lana Brindley and Rob and Vicky Gilker. The assistant trainer is Vicky Gilker and Not Yet’s groom, Chandra Rumley, got her first of two wins on the day.
Dakati Steals the Second
Taking full advantage of laying back off a pace which featured the fastest (by far) first quarter of the day (21.93), Dakati (3.20, 2.20, 2.10), ridden by Efrain Hernandez, blew by the front-running duo of Klondike Gentleman and Brandon’s Legacy at the end of the final turn, coasting to a 5 ¾ length easy victory. Dakati in Hindi means “to commit a robbery”, and today the Glen Todd trained four-year-old dark bay gelding certainly lived up to his name. Klondike Gentleman soldiered on for a distant second with Brandon’s Legacy another 7 lengths back hanging on for the show. The final time of 1:17.86 was fast for these 4k/5k NW2/3 claimers.
Dakati, by Tale of Ekati out of Castinette Dancer, was bred in Kentucky by Glen Todd, who was also the breeder of the winner of the first race. Dakati is owned by Todd’s North American Thoroughbred Horse Company, Inc. Hard-working Sherry Smith is the groom for Dakati.
Allstar Boy Shines Today
The third race on the card, 8k/10k maidens, saw Scotty Williams take Allstar Boy (32.30, 10.90, 8.00) right to the front out of the gate in accordance with the horse’s preferred running style, however, with an added twist of going in sensible, comfortable early fractions (23.05, 47.08). The well-timed ride left just enough in the tank to hold off the determined and persistent Jose Gomez and Just Make Believe by a fast diminishing neck. The victory was very sweet indeed as it marked two firsts. Those being graduation day for the previous maiden Allstar Boy and the first ever training win for newcomer Lisa Anderson. Welcome to Hastings, Ms. Anderson, and good luck in the years ahead.
Allstar Boy, a four-year-old dark bay gelding owned by John Anderson, is by Fury’s Allstar out of Spectacular Orchid and was bred in Beautiful British Columbia by Valerie Hiebert. The winning groom is George Carter.
Five Star General Takes Command
The fourth was the featured event on the program, an open allowance optional claimer, which was won in fine fashion by last year’s BC Derby Champion and Open Division Champion three-year-old Male, the four-year-old bay colt Five Star General (5.10, 2.50, 2.10). Efrain Hernandez adopted an early stalking position behind his stable mate and race favourite He’s the Reason (1.15), last year’s Open Division Champion Older Male. Alexander Marti was able to assume the lead with He’s the Reason, while dawdling the first quarter in a pedestrian 23.25 (slowest of the day). Hernandez sitting just off the pace setter, probably realizing the fractions were too slow, let out just enough horse to force the second quarter along in 23:08 (46.33 half), thereafter continuing his assault on the leader, taking control on the back end of the final turn. By the head of the lane, it was clear to all that Five Star General would not be denied victory today as he drew off to win by a 1 ¾ length margin, stopping the clock at the wire in an extremely fast time of 1:16.47 (best of the day). He’s the Reason ran on gamely down the lane to take second 1 ¾ lengths in front of the determined R W Stanley, who while never threatening the top two, nevertheless, put in a great effort in taking the show.
Five Star General is owned by North American Thoroughbred Horse Company, Inc. and trained by Glen Todd, both of whom chalked up their second win for the day. He is by Distorted Humor out of Party of Interest by Bernardini.
Aditya Can’t Wait
Patricia Marini and Charles Harris’s eight-year-old chestnut gelding Aditya (14.70, 5.40, 3.30) was so ready to run today that he misinterpreted Little Groot’s rude thrashing about at the gate as a signal that the race was on and somehow he burst through his stall’s opening along with Trupon Online and started down the track. Jose Gomes was skillfully and thankfully able to get Aditya under control after only a few strides and after a vet check both of the renegade horses were found no worse for wear and accordingly cleared to race. The field reassembled in the gate and this time starter Charlie McDonald was able to see them all off to a perfect beginning. Gomez settled Aditya off the pace set by “the bad acting making a fuss at the gate” Little Groot taking a mid pack ground saving position along the rail. The pair remained there until the head of the lane where Aditya dug in and took up the challenge wearing down the front running Little Groot, inching clear in a determined fashion seizing victory at the wire by a ¾ length margin.
For the Barb Heads trained Aditya it was his 11th score in 38 career starts for a 29% win average and in the money 75% of the time. With stats like those, his 14.70 win payoff against this field of open 8k/10k claimers was somewhat surprising.
Aditya is by Mass Market out of Remarkable Miss and was bred in Supernatural British Columbia by Leif and Karen Nordahl. His assistant trainer is Madison Zielke, who also doubles as his groom.
Solarity Lights it Up
The penultimate offering on today’s program was a maiden special weight allowance for three and up fillies and mares with a purse of 16,000 with another 10,000 bonus paid out on a 63/25/12 basis to the breeders and owners of the first three horses provided they were bred in British Columbia. In the end and by a narrow margin, the race went to Russel J. and Lois Bennett’s four-year-old chestnut filly Solarity (4.20, 2.70, 2.20). After a good start, Alexander Marti got Solarity to relax on the rail, sitting just back of the front running Miss Earl and Devil of a Deal. After completing the half in a rapid 45.58, Devil of a Deal decided the pace was too hot to handle and she exited the kitchen, leaving Miss Earl as the clear leader. At this point, Marti asked his filly for her challenge and she responded accordingly, drawing on even terms with the leader by the head of the stretch. From thereon it was a two-horse contest with Solarity claiming the win at the finish over a hard-trying Enrique Gonzalez and a determined Miss Earl by a very short head.
Barb Heads and assistant Madison Zielke both achieved a training double on the day as well as sire Mass Market. Solarity is out of Sunny Soloro who is by Sungold and was bred by her owners the Bennett’s in Fabulous Kelowna, British Columbia. Solarity, who looked fantastic today, is groomed by Ashley Lawrence.
Makin It Up Gets Real
The final race on the card, a maiden 4k/5k claimer for three and up fillies and mares went to Rob and Vicky Gilker’s three-year-old dark bay filly Makin It Up (5.40, 3.30, 2.20). In trouble early due to a stumble or heel clip, Makin It Up was shuffled back to sixth, although only several lengths off the leader. There she sat under the patient handling of rider Amadeo Perez until the midway part of the final turn, when Perez took up chase in earnest. By the head of the stretch it was a two-horse battle with Makin It Up gradually cutting into the leading margin of Ilhabela who had led from the outset, and eventually inching clear to prevail by a ½ length at the wire.
Makin It Up is trained by Rob Gilker and assisted by Vicky Gilker and groomed by Chandra Rumley. She is by Shakin It Up out of Golden Roar and was bred in Super Fabulous British Columbia by Phoenix Rising Farms. Makin It Up’s win gave her rider, owners, trainer, assistant trainer and groom all doubles for the day.
Leaders
After three days of racing, the Leader Board looks like this:
Owners:
North American Thoroughbred Horse Company, Inc. 5 wins
Russell J. and Lois Bennett 2 wins
Willow Creek Farms and Fabio Chiesa 2 wins
Jockeys:
Efrain Hernandez 5 wins
Enrique Gonzalez 3 wins
Scott Williams 3 wins
Amadeo Perez 3 wins
Trainers:
Glen Todd 5 wins
Barb Heads 3 wins
Steve Henson 3 wins
More from Horses:
