CTHS Stakes Night Review
A good night for Antonio Reyes as he lands a three-timer on a valuable card of racing at Hastings. Two of the CTHS Stakes fell to rider Amadeo Perez, while Fraser Aebly bagged his first Stakes win
HIGHLIGHTS
Antonio Reyes had a big day, winning four times.
Amadeo Perez had three riding wins.
Craig MacPherson saddled two winners.
Renfrew Racing and their ownership partners hard two visits to the winners circle.
Apprentice Fraser Aebly won the first Stakes race of his career
Eight of the night’s ten races were won by BC-bred horses
The handle was $464,844.
A first whiff of autumn in the air as a warm and sultry day turned decidedly cooler, the breeze bringing a few drops of welcome rain. The track remained fast throughout the 10-race card.
Race 1.
The Monday opener saw the first of four CTHS Sales Stakes races on a ten-race program as four gifted youngsters battled in the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes for two-year-olds going six and half furlongs. Hitting the line first was Peter Redekop's AUGUST RAIN ($3.90) who broke well, set an uncontested tempo of 22.52 and 45.72, built up a three-length lead turning for home and held well under Amadeo Perez to the wire in 1:17.90 for trainer Barbara Heads. Wil-a-Way Farms, Gail Jewsbury and Pat Jarvis’ DIOCLES turned in another solid performance, racing up the inside on both turns and made a nice move in the stretch but had to settle for another brilliant runner-up effort. The Swift Thoroughbreds PISCO was relaxed off of the pace and pretty much stayed there, winning the photo for third ahead of JDP Holdings’ NORTHERN FORCE who ended up fourth.
Race 2.
The second of the evening was another $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes, this one for the two-year-old fillies at six and a half furlongs. Taking home the top prize was Renfrew Racing, B and B Racing, Breen Racing, Eugene Chan and Dave Milburn's LIZZIE'S RAYNE ($3.90) for trainer David Milburn. The daughter of Lent was away well and set a controlled pace of 23.28 and 47.20 under Amadeo Perez, allowing her to have enough left in reserve to cross the line first in 1:19.31. Swift Thoroughbreds’ FEBRUARY was very impressive on debut, as she was aggressive early, chose to settle back on the rail under Silvino Morales and came with a menacing run late to be a game second for trainer Dino Condilenios. WYN Racing Stables’ DONNA WYN was rated just off of the winner by Kimal Santo and was still present at the top of the lane but couldn’t quite stay with the top two and checked in a good third.
Race 3.
The third of the night saw an impressive debut from Bruce Unwin’s T'WASBAKKENTHEDAY ($10.10), who catapulted from the gate quickly (22.02, 33.10), opening up five lengths on his rivals and never gave them a chance as he cruised across the line under Jose Gomez for trainer Bruce Unwin in a season’s best 39.30 for the three and half furlong trip. Canyon Farm's MR MORRIS made a mess of the start, costing him any shot at victory, but he managed to get up to be a distant second. Canmor Farm's, Maureen Goss and Adrian Trombley’s NU BLEND left the gate in good order and gained some valuable racing experience checking in third.
Race 4.
The fourth race was the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stake for three- and four-year-old fillies at a mile and a sixteenth and proving best was Clive Harding, Lyle and Mark Johnson's ARUNDEL CASTLE ($15.30) for trainer Keith Pedersen. The daughter of Palace Malice got away sharply from the gate, which enabled her to sit a perfect trip on a very slow pace under Antonio Reyes, as she outsprinted them all to the wire in 1:46.15. Renfrew Racing, B and B Racing, No Trump Stable, Matt Elder and Bill Breen's MATSQUI turned in another stellar performance for trainer Mark Freeman, flying late through the stretch despite the slow fractions which played against her. Swift Thoroughbreds’ LICORICE was rated beautifully by Fraser Aebly through splits of 24.65, 49.35 and 1:14.72 and stayed game until the sixteenth pole where she started to give ground and ended up a solid third.
Race 5.
The fifth of the night was for maiden two-year-olds and crushing the field was Canyon Farm’s VECTOR ($5.20), who sat a nice trip just off the speed, then blew by the leader under Antonio Reyes, cruising to a big score in 1:12.22 for trainer Craig MacPherson. Gary Williamson's HIGHLINER set a sensible pace of 23.52 and 46.72 but could not match strides with the winner and finished a clear second. Brian Ellyn, Laura Kiehlbauch, Glen Little, Bruce Conley and Bruce Unwin's SKYSABLAZING was slow early but came with a furious rush to claim third under Jose Gomez.
Race 6.
The sixth was the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stake for three- and four-year-old colts and geldings and, under confident handling, Don Tetaranko's JUST JIMMY ($2.60) easily bested his four rivals to win in 1:45.23 for trainer Craig MacPherson to give apprentice Fraser Aebly his first ever stakes triumph in the process. Warren, June Sutherland, Neil Stajkowski, Barry Hickman and Lesley Small's WISELY PLAYED was given every shot by rider Kimal Santo, sitting in a good striking spot, but the fractions were too slow and he did well to get up late to claim second money. Morris Peter and Dennis Dale's ROCKCLIFFE was racing head-and-head with the eventual winner through fractions of 24.08, 48.28 and 1:12.82 and stayed gamely under Antonio Reyes until the top of the stretch where he started to lose ground. The pair just got tagged for second at the wire and had to settle for third for trainer Keith Pedersen.
Race 7.
The seventh of the night saw Renfrew Racing, B and B Racing, No Trump Stable, Bill Breen Racing and Matt Elder's FILLY FATALE ($4.70) lead from gate to wire under Amadeo Perez, setting an easy opening quarter-mile of 25.05. They then hooked into a loose horse that pressured her through the next splits of 48.66 and 1:14.60, but she was determined and held everyone at bay, winning in 1:47.74 for trainer Mark Freeman. Bruce Unwin’s TOBESUNNY was a good spot early and made a nice move on the stretch turn and got up to be second under Jose Gomez. Greg Beneen's VISENYA broke well and secured a nice spot just off of the speed before taking a run at the leader approaching the far turn and getting caught late for second.
Race 8.
The eighth on the card went to Sasquatch Stables and Dreamtime Stable's MILO'S COMMAND ($10.40), who battled on the lead through fractions of 22.85 46.75 in his first try without blinkers this year, before drawing clear late under Antonio Reyes for trainer Greg Beneen in 1:19.62. Jean Lavallee's DAPPER DON was a little far back early and came with a big run late to be second under Jose Gomez. L & S Farm's STOLO SPIRIT was even farther back through the opening stages and made an impressive late surge to be a fast-closing third.
Race 9.
The ninth on the program was won by Harold and Sandra Barroby's VANCOUVER'S HUNTER ($9.90), who sat a nice trip under Kimal Santo in behind the speed then popped out on the final turn to lead into the stretch. They held the advantage to the wire for Hall-of-Fame conditioner Harold Barroby to win in 1:20.84. Roger Snow and Mo Doyle’s BODEGA came flying late to get second under Brian Boodramsingh for trainer Mel Snow. Rockfield Stable's TIMELESS SHRUG had some trouble on the final turn and did well to re-rally to be third.
Race 10.
The tenth and final live race of the evening went to Maureen Byrne's STRIKING VALUE ($39.40) who surprised many when she found her way to the lead early under Antonio Reyes, setting a slow tempo of 23.25 and 47.04, before edging clear of the field on the final bend and just having enough left to win in 1:19.94 — completing a Harold and Frank Barroby Hall-of-Fame-brothers’ Late Double! Darryl Hammond, Kristy Hammond, Bill Dobbie and John Snow's TEXAS LEGACY was content to settle in behind the speed after braking on top under Fraser Aebly, then produced a big late run and just missed checking in second. WYN Racing Stables’ DRILL BABY DRILL was up close early under Kimal Santo and made a solid sustained late run and checked in a solid third.
After a brief hiatus due to the PNE fair, racing resumes on Saturday,
September 9th at 2:00 p.m.
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