BC Cup Day Previews
A magnificent day of Stakes action ahead on Monday as the local Thoroughbred industry celebrates all that's great about producing, rearing and racing horses in beautiful British Columbia
DONNA WYN made a sparkling debut, getting away quickest from the gate and staying on nicely to finish a clear second best to the smart-looking gelding, Pisco. She’ll be difficult to beat if she reproduces that. In contrast, LIZZIE’S RAYNE flubbed her getaway in the same race but had been reportedly working well in the lead-up to the 3½-furlong dash and can be forgiven any greenness. Experience can count for a lot in juvenile races and both WEEKENDINDELMAR and BAKBURNER will have to be smart to win at their very first attempt. Both have been working well enough to suggest they can mix it here and the betting market may provide the most accurate clues to their respective chances.
It’s been far from plain sailing for INFINITE PATIENCE this spring and it was gratifying to see last season’s Horse of the Year run so well on her belated debut last month. She encountered terrible traffic problems when looking full of running under a despairing Antonio Reyes, who found clear passage blocked at every turn. That effort should put her close to spot-on for this big prize and she’s still the one they have to beat. WE B THREE is unbeaten in three Allowance appearances this term and had today’s rivals, SOLARITY and BAYAKOAS IMAGE, behind her when winning over today’s distance on her most recent appearance. She’s been patiently campaigned by her trainer and is certainly capable of exploiting any weakness shown by her three rivals. Jockey Silvino Morales worked miracles to remain in the saddle when Bayakoas Image clipped heels going into the first turn and did remarkably well to finish 4th to We B Three last time. She also missed nearly an entire year through injury prior to her season debut in June and is a serious contender if edging back to her best.
MAKEITORBREAKIT seemingly relished the step up in distance to 9 furlongs last time when making all the running and seeing off the duelling Laugh With Me along the way. He didn’t appear to be stopping at the end and the form received a boost on Friday evening when the third, Broke an Broken, won. DON WITH THE WIND wasn’t stopping either when holding off Lizzies Girl two weeks ago and he also shouldn’t be too inconvenienced by this Marathon test. However, the lightly-raced MOUNT LOKI runs as though he was born to take on extended distances. He was only just getting going when arriving late on the scene to pass Deanarrow for the win last time and could cause an upset.
AIR FORCE was the champion juvenile filly last season, is unbeaten in three valuable contests this term and has had today’s rivals KEY TO SUCCESS and ABOVE AVERAGE behind her in her two most recent Stakes victories. She sets the standard and is a worthy favourite. Above Average drew away impressively from her rivals last time with both ARUNDEL CASTLE and MATSQUI running on well to fill the minor places. Arundel Castle in particular seems to enjoy coming with a rattling late run and, if they go quickly enough up front, she can easily do the same again at rewarding odds. LOLA M has won both her career starts with something to spare and is clearly still improving. The half-sister to Bayakoas Image will need to step up again to win this but certainly looks capable on the evidence seen so far.
PISCO left quite an impression when winning on his debut at the start of July. The May foal overcame an unhelpful gate position to break like a pro and land the spoils in the manner of a horse with a future. Stablemate HORATIO closed late to finish fourth that day and will be a different proposition here. The same sentiment applies to AUGUST RAIN who ran on well into third place in the same race. STORMY RUNNER caught the eye when finishing fast and late behind a spritely Hartley Manor on his career debut last month, while DIOCLES has been working well in the mornings and appeals most of the unraced trio.
BOLD ARCH was back to his very best last time, winning gate-to-wire and skipping almost 4 lengths clear of today’s rival, SIR BREGOVIC. If he can repeat that performance, the enthusiastic frontrunner will take some stopping. SET TO SHINE was kept away from unfolding tactics and produced with a rattling late run to swoop past JUST JIMMY, BE QUICK and SMART LAD when they met three weeks ago. Prior to that, the 6yo split Smart Lad and Bold Arch. That’s solid form. He’s a major danger here and has leading rider Amadeo Perez in the saddle. CASCADE BILLY makes his third start of the year after going down by a head to Soaringforthesun back in May and then finishing fourth behind Big Union in the George Royal Stakes. He’s a classy sprinter who can make his presence felt again.
Connections have decided against a tilt at the Manitoba Derby with SUNBIRD and that’s a boost for local fans who thought him close to the best juvenile on the grounds last season. His tenacious gate-to-wire Allowance victory in Edmonton last month proved he thrived over the winter and is a leading player. Last season’s best BC-bred 2yo LEGACY SQUARE has picked up where he left off. Two wins and a close second to LUCKY FORCE in the Ross McLoed Stakes, when giving him 7lbs, make him the one they will have to beat here. However, it’s worth noting that Lucky Force meets his rival on 6lbs better terms than when third to him in last month’s Chris Loseth Handicap. ACCIDENTAL HERO was a closing second that day after suffering in traffic and he is also 2lbs better off at the weights with Legacy Square today. PURSUE and SPACE both left favourable impressions when winning last time. They will probably need to improve again to play a hand here but both have done nothing wrong so far and are clearly going the right way.
AT ATTENTION reportedly lost a shoe when chasing home Smart as Me in the valuable Century Mile Handicap Stakes in Edmonton two weeks ago. He was the best older horse at Hastings last season and has won or been second in his ten previous runs. His long journey back from Edmonton notwithstanding, he’ll be thereabouts again today. SOARINGFORTHESUN had BIG UNION and AROLLERCOASTERRIDE behind when landing last month’s Lieutenant Governors' Handicap, while BOITANO failed to fire in Edmonton behind At Attention and is better judged on his previous effort when beating Bakken Overdrive. FLORIDA GATOR has come a long way since landing a 16k claiming contest on his Hastings debut a year ago. He starts for new trainer Dino Condilenios today and it will be interesting to see how he handles this first tilt at Stakes company.
BC-Bred Lands Century CTHS Stakes
BC-bred 4yo gelding ASYOUBELIEVE (Second in Command) landed the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes for 3 & 4yos at Century Mile on Saturday for trainer Tim Rycroft and rider Enrique Gonzales. Out of the Cause to Believe mare I BELIEVE IN ANGEL - a half-sister to former Hastings’ Champion juvenile NEVERABETTERCAUSE and former Jack Diamond Futurity winner KERMODE - Asyoubelieve was bred in BC by Paul Caravetta and Jack Bennet and was a graduate of the 2020 CTHS BC Yearling Sale where he was knocked down to Shot in the Dark Racing for $10,000. I Believe in Angel, who is also dam of Ross McLoed third ROCKCLIFFE, has a colt by COUNTERFORCE entered in this year’s CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale.
Manitoba Derby
Very best of racing luck to Willow Creek Farms and Fabio Chiesa, whose 3yo gelding NEIGHBOR (Good Samaritan) goes for the $125,000 Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs on Monday for trainer Robert Kingston. Dane Nelson takes the ride. Neighbor, who is a graduate of the Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Sale, is set to make his first start in Canada after being claimed out of Churchill Downs for $50,000 in May.
This year the Manitoba Derby is also the first leg of the $550,000 Western Canadian Triple Crown Series, which will see a $100,000 bonus awarded to connections of any horse taking all three races. The series comprises:
$125,000 Manitoba Derby
Assiniboia Downs Monday, Aug. 7$200,000 Canadian Derby G3
Century Mile Saturday, Aug. 26&$125,000 BC Derby G3
Hastings Racecourse Saturday, Sept. 16&$100,000 Bonus
If a horse wins all three legs
Manitoba Derby History
The Manitoba Derby is Manitoba's most prestigious race. Derby Day at Assiniboia Downs is a true celebration of all that the sport of thoroughbred racing was meant to be -- class, courage, speed and beauty. And not just from the horses. The ladies and their fancy hats are always a beautiful sight to behold!
The first “Derby” was run in 1930, although from 1930 to 1933 it was known as the Manitoba Stakes. In 1934 the name of the race was officially changed to the Manitoba Derby.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the race was the brainchild of Robert James Speers, the Father of Thoroughbred Racing in Western Canada. Speers established the race for horsemen to showcase thoroughbreds that were foaled in Western Canada.
In 1936 the Derby was opened to all horses bred in Canada. The race was run annually at old Polo Park race track with the exception of 1937 when it was run at Whittier Park in St. Boniface. In 1941 the Manitoba Derby was changed to the Canadian Derby.
Few people realize that the heart and soul of the prestigious Canadian Derby can be found in Winnipeg and that the Canadian Derby was “born” if you will, out of our Manitoba Derby. At the time, Canada was the only major country that did not have a national “Derby” so R. J. Speers sacrificed "Manitoba" for a national name.
The new Canadian Derby was run at Polo Park until it closed in 1956 and the race was relocated to Edmonton. Jack Hardy tried to bring the race back to Winnipeg when Assiniboia Downs opened in 1958, but was not successful and the race remains in Edmonton to this day. In 1960 the Manitoba Derby and its storied past was resurrected. It has been run at Assiniboia Downs ever since.
In 1985 the Manitoba Derby was changed to an open event for all 3-year-old thoroughbreds. To date, three Manitoba-breds have won the Manitoba Derby. Gowerlace was the first to accomplish the feat in 1938. It took almost 40 years for the next home-bred, Merry's Jay, to win the race in 1976. Royal Frolic was the next and last Manitoba-bred to accomplish the rare feat in 1993.
Monday, August 1, 2022 marks the 74th running of the Manitoba Derby presented by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries and its list of previous winners reads like the Who's Who of horse racing with such horses as Fanfreluche, Merry's Jay and Overskate. The list of winning owners and trainers includes Levesque, Mitchell, K5 Stable, Rowntree, Blake and Starr. Jockeys Hawley, Turcotte, Krone and Platts are but a few of the Hall of Fame riders who have won our Derby.
Assiniboia Downs salutes all participants, past and present who have made the race what it is today.
