Race Report courtesy Derby Bar & Grill Newsletter, see link below.
Hastings Racecourse Highlights Monday July 20, 2020
*Trainer Christine Ammann, assistant trainer Alison Dube and groom Michael Pounder all get hat tricks with three winners on the day.
*Synergy captures the Chris Loseth Stake.
*BC breds win 6 out of 8 races.
*Christine Ammann scores an owner/breeder double, with her broodmare Strangelove sending two foals to the winner’s circle.
Ammann has 4 wins in 2020, doubling last year’s total and it is the most she has had in a season as a trainer since her first full year in 2017. Ammann is a niece of top trainer Phil Hall.
*Jockeys Amadeo Perez and Silvino Morales get a double with two wins each.
*Front running horses win 6 out of 8.
*Mutuel handle was $541,789.50
The $40,000 Chris Loseth Stake for three-year-olds contested at a distance of 6.5 furlongs, featured a rematch between last year’s Jack Diamond Futurity (100K) winner Synergy and Ascot Graduation (75K) winner Capilano Canyon (2019 Champion two-year-old). The last time these two hooked up was two weeks ago where it was Synergy prevailing by the shortest of noses over Capilano Canyon, following an all out stretch long duel.
Today it was again Russell and Lois Bennett’s chestnut three-year-old gelding Synergy, ridden by Efrain Hernandez, taking the victory, again after an all out stretch long battle, and again in a dramatic photo finish by the smallest of margins (less than a nose). But this time it was over longshot and one very stubborn “I’m not going to give up under any circumstances” Yo Zackly.
Alexander Marti had Yo Zackly on top right out of the gate and was joined by Synergy who lapped on from the outside half a length back by the club house turn. The 4/5 favourite Capilano Canyon was saving ground at the rail just behind the leaders. From thereon it was basically Yo Zackly and Synergy fighting it out for the lead and with Amadeo Perez taking a stalking position on Capilano Canyon a little over a length back from the leaders. By the head of the lane Synergy and Hernandez had taken the lead, and when Perez found a clear path and asked Capilano Canyon for more, he was unable to make up any ground on the top two. As the trio moved down the lane, it appeared that Synergy was going to power on to a clear lead and victory, when all of a sudden Yo Zackly and Marti cut back into Synergy’s lead, drawing even and then regaining the lead by a nose with the wire fast approaching. The last several strides saw Synergy get back even with Yo Zackly with the two horses appearing to hit the wire together in a dead heat fashion. In the end it was Synergy claiming his second win in the young season and taking the first stake of the year in a rapid time of 1:17.48.
Synergy (11.80, 5.00, 2.70) is conditioned by Barb Heads and ably aided in the assistant training duties by Madison Zielke. Synergy was bred in Kelowna, British Columbia by his owners the Bennett’s. He is by Sungold out of Princesses Rule by Finality. The winning groom is Alyssa Derksen
Leaders
After five days of racing, the Leader Board looks like this:
Owners:
North American Thoroughbred Horse Company, Inc. 5 wins
Russell J. and Lois Bennett 3 wins
Two-way tie for third:
Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds 2 wins
Willow Creek Farms and Fabio Chiesa 2 wins
Jockeys:
Three-way tie for first:
Efrain Hernandez 7 wins
Amadeo Perez 7 wins
Silvino Morales 7 wins
Enrique Gonzalez 4 wins
Trainers:
Glen Todd 5 wins
Three-way tie for second:
Christine Ammann 4 wins
Barb Heads 4 wins
2. Steve Henson 4 wins
Read the full report for Monday July 20 here.
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