Bold Arch Brings the Heat
A sizzling performance by Morrison-trained speedster, in a near Hastings track record time, thrills bumper long-weekend crowd
We were graced with the first beautiful afternoon of the 2022 season at Hastings with some warmth in the air and subsequently the tarmac was filled with racing enthusiasts enjoying the seven race Saturday card.
Race 1.
The opener went to Rob and Sheena Maybin's MASTER EWEN ($18.90) who was given a clever ride by Silvino Morales biding his time in behind the leaders and then when it counted the Maybin trainee was given his queue and leveled off in the stretch to gain the lead approaching the wire and won by a nose in a quick 1:17.86. Lorie Henson, Helen Klimes and Sharon Pring's QUAGMIRE and pilot Cerapio Figueroa led the field through comfortable early fractions of 22.93 and 46.97 for an easy half and seemed to be a winner until deep stretch when he was reeled in by a resolute MASTER EWEN. Lillian Meehan's KLONDIKE GENTLEMAN was uninvolved in the early going but rallied strongly in the final quarter-mile to get up for third money. There was a claim in the first race as RACING RIVER was purchased for $5,000 by owner-trainer Rod Therres.
Race 2.
The second of the day was not difficult to figure out which trainer would win as Mark Cloutier saddled four of the five runners but the challenge was to nail down which individual was going to get the top prize. After an eventful journey the Canmor Farms MAKEITORBREAKIT ($3.30) shook clear late as the heavy favourite for rider Amadeo Perez and trainer Mark Cloutier in 1:19.36. The son of former B.C. Horse-of-the-year Monashee MAKEITORBREAKIT was away well but opted to settle in behind stablemates ANAAMY and TEXAS HUMOR who raced as a tandem through contested splits of 22.62 and 46.37 and when asked MAKEITORBREAKIT proved to be too much in the final sixteenth and drew away for the victory. The runner-up spot went to Randy Henson, Dan Henson and Brad Henson's BARNEY GOOGLE who had no speed early and looped up three wide on the final turn and just got up late to beat Adrian Trombley, Maureen Goss and the Canmor Farms ANAAMY who had to settle for a hard working third place effort.
Race 3.
The third of the afternoon was by far the most impressive of the day as Robin Sadler and John and Kim Morrison's BOLD ARCH ($4.40) was absolutely brilliant in victory winning in wire-to-wire fashion in a sensational final time of 1:15.65 for six and a half furlongs. Silvino Morales was strictly a passenger as he guided him to the front effortlessly covering the opening half-mile in 45.26 then blew the field away on the stretch turn and cruised under the line the easiest of winners signalling to everyone that there will be a new player in the older horse stakes division and he means business. Bryan and Carol Anderson's AT ATTENTION raced wide on both turns and came rumbling down the stretch to gain second money five lengths in arrears of the runaway winner. Ironside Racing Stables EXPLODE chased the early fractions and battled he lay to the wire but just lost second money late and had to settle for the third place cheque.
Race 4.
The fourth event went to Russ and Lois Bennett's homebred filly SUNBRIGHT ($11.10) who sat a stalking trip under Lenny Seecharan and then started to gain momentum approaching the quarter-pole and drew clear on the final turn and had just enough left to hold off a rapidly closing WALKINTHEWALK at the wire in a good time of 1:18.07. The Side Pot Stables WALKINTHEWALK was well off the pace early then started to pass rivals on the stretch turn and was running best at the finish but ran out of racetrack and took home second place honours. Jordan Froelich’s SKY FACTOR was impressive in her Hastings debut carving out splits of 22.42 and 46.32 and she battled gamely despite being collared and passed by SUNBRIGHT at the three-sixteenths pole and did well to finish a clear third. Owner-trainer Rod Therres remained busy as he claimed FULLY LENT for $10,000.
Race 5.
The fifth race went to Joe and Gloria Russo's FORT LANGLEY ($4.60) who couldn’t have been more impressive crushing what looked like a competitive field on form by four lengths for trainer Patty Leaney and jockey Antonio Reyes. There was a solid pace being set up front which played out beautifully for FORT LANGLEY who simply blew by the field on the final bend and stopped the teletimer in a rapid time of 1:16.76. Roy and Dixie Jacobson’s COULTERBERRY turned in a much better effort second time out as he swept past runners to gain the runner-up spot under Amadeo Perez for trainer Mark Cloutier. Mel Snow, Doug Corsan and Len Houwelling’s SLEW'S DA BOSS was far back early and was left with too much to do and put in a solid late dash but could only claim third money.
Race 6.
The sixth on the afternoon was a blow out win for the RNH Stables KAPALUA CANDY ($4.60) who broke well and was allowed to set a leisurely pace (23.08 and 47.25) and opened up quickly building a six length lead into the stretch and extended it to nine and a half at the wire under Scott Williams giving trainer Barbara Heads a training double on the day. Roxanne’s Racing Stable and Milton Palmas CHICA HERMOSA was also away in good order and sat second early just off of the lead but could not stay with the winner although she was able to hold second just ahead of Rob and Sheena Maybin's MISS THE HYPE who checked in third.
Race 7.
The final live race of the day went to the G.O. Stables AIRAFFAIR ($6.20) who was aggressively ridden by Alex Marti through the early stages (22.88,46.61) and did not give up the rail to his main rival HARVEST DAY which made things far easier and he ended up drawing away to a four and a half length triumph in 1:18.31 for trainer Erick Gutierrez. George Gilbert's HARVEST DAY battled in the two path with AIRAFFAIR until the stretch and started to lose ground but still stayed on the be a clear second. Richard Hamel and Charlene Miller's ATOMIC HAZE made a good move on the stretch turn and was gaining late and finished a length behind HARVEST DAY taking home third money.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Silvino Morales had a riding double.
Barbara Heads had a training double.
The Pick 5 carryover is $4,080 and the Pick 6 sits at $1,987.
The handle was $388,479.
Preakness Stakes
EARLY VOTING landed the middle jewel in the Triple Crown on Saturday, giving trainer Chad Brown and owners Klaravich Stables, Inc. a second Preakness Stakes following Cloud Computing’s win in 2017. Early Voting, who is by Gun Runner, broke well under Jose Ortiz, enjoyed a trouble-free run close to the head of affairs behind Armagnac and was driven to the front before the furlong pole. Pre-race favourite Epicenter endured a torrid passage and his late challenge up the rail came too late to bother the deserving winner. - NR
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