Cup of Plenty
A BC Cup to remember as trainer Barbara Heads leads the way with three Stakes winner's on one of the Province's biggest day's racing of the year
HIGHLIGHTS
Antonio Reyes and Amadeo Perez both had riding triples
Barbara Heads had a training treble
The handle was a brilliant $988,864
Appropriately, seven of the eight winners on BC Cup Day were bred here in British Columbia
Flower power: Rachel, Aurelia and Liam Elder help dad and part-owner Matt out by collecting the well-deserved bouquet for B.C. Cup Debutante heroine, LIZZIE’S RAYNE — photo Matt Elder
It was a muggy BC Cup Day, with plenty of cloud, but the rain stayed away and a bumper crowd of knowledgeable race fans was treated to an afternoon of top-class racing action. The track was fast and favoured front-end speed in the majority of races.
Race 1.
The first on BC Cup Day was the $50,000 Debutante for two-year-old fillies and winning easily was Renfrew Racing , B and B Racing, Breen Racing, Eugene Chan and Dave Milburn's LIZZIE'S RAYNE ($9.40), who settled nicely off of the speed in the two path under Amadeo Perez, biding her time until the quarter pole when she started to assert her superiority and drew off in the lane to win in 1:19.25 for trainer David Milburn. Don Danard and Kim Kozak's WEEKENDINDELMAR walked out of the gate, spotting the field seven or eight lengths, then impressively ranged up to join the leaders turning for home but couldn’t sustain her bid and ran a game second. WYN Racing Stables’ DONNA WYN was eager away from the gate, setting splits of 22.40 and 46.11, stayed strong until the stretch then started to gradually give way and checked in third.
Race 2.
The second of the afternoon was the $50,000 Distaff for fillies and mares and might prove to be the race of the year as heavyweights INFINITE PATIENCE and WE B THREE put on a great show, battling head and head to the wire with Bill DeCoursey and RNH Stable's INFINITE PATIENCE just getting the nod in deep stretch under Antonio Reyes for trainer Barbara Heads in a sharp 1:43.97. Willow Creek Farm's WE B THREE ran too good to lose and, after a brief hiccup at the start, she was content to watch a pace duel in front of her before engaging INFINITE PATIENCE at the far turn but couldn’t quite get by. The Nite and Day Stable and Joanne Todd's BAYAKOAS IMAGE was keen early, setting an ambitious pace of 23.88, 46.23 but was gathered in by the six panels in 1:11.41 and faded to be third.
Race 3.
The third on the program was the BC Cup Marathon going a mile and three-eighths and proving best at the trip was Canmor Farm's MAKEITORBREAKIT ($3.50), who was allowed to set a very slow tempo of 24.52, 49.73, 1:16.03 and the mile in 1:43.09. Not surprisingly, he had tons left for he final stages and cruised to a big win under Amadeo Perez in 2:21.09 for trainer Mark Cloutier. WYN Racing Stables GORKY PARK was given a good trip by Kimal Santo and was running well at the end, finishing second. The Henson clan and Trevor Irwin's BARNEY GOOGLE was immediately taken to the rear of the field early and considering the very slow pace did well to close late to be third.
Race 4.
The fourth was for three year fillies in the $50,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club and queen of the filly division continued her reign as Dennis Dale, Morris Peter and Ed Welsh's AIR FORCE led from gate to wire through sensible splits of 23.74, 47.93 and 1:13.93 and sped off to another big win under Antonio Reyes for trainer Keith Pedersen in 1:45.72. Renfrew Racing , B and B Racing, No Trump Stable, Matt Elder and Bill Breen's MATSQUI ran her usual gritty race, relaxing early and flying late to get second under Kerron Khelawan for trainer Mark Freeman. WYN Racing Stables KEY TO SUCCESS settled in nicely behind the speed but never did shake loose from the dirt hitting him in the face and ended a good third.
Race 5.
The fifth on BC Cup Day was the $50,000 Nursery for two-year-olds at six-and-a-half furlongs went to Peter Redekop's AUGUST RAIN ($11.20), who raced through demanding fractions of 21.58 and 45.74, took the lead into the stretch under Amadeo Perez and just held for the victory in 1:18.76 for trainer Barbara Heads. Wil-a-Way Farms, Gail Jewsbury and Pat Jarvis’ DIOCLES put in a huge late run, weaving through horses in the stretch and just missed under Antonio Reyes in an impressive debut for conditioner Pat Jarvis. Swift Thoroughbreds HORATIO a little slow to begin but got into a great spot in behind the quick pace and ended up third.
Race 6.
The #25,000 BC Cup Sprint twent to Robin Sadler, John and Kim Morrison's BOLD ARCH, who was off a step slow but quickly shot up the inside to take command through workmanlike splits of 21.50 and 44.58 under Silvino Morales and had just enough left in reserve to find the line first in 1:16.31 for veteran trainer John Morrison. Don Tetarenko’s JUST JIMMY sat a nice trip just off the rail ending up an impressive second after closing up strongly through the stretch under Fraser Aebly for trainer Craig MacPherson. Russ and Lois Bennett's SET TO SHINE was off very slowly and left with a lot to do and did well to close late to be third.
*CTHS Sales Note: Hip #16 is a Sungold half-sister to BOLD ARCH*
Race 7.
The seventh was the $50,000 Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial and asserting his superiority was Pauline and the Estate of Nick Felicella's SUNBIRD ($9.50), who cruised through fractions of 23.53, 47.61 and 1:12.88 and burst clear to win in 1:44.44 under former leading Hastings and now leading Century Mile rider, Enrique Gonzalez, who was in town to take the mount for trainer Terry Jordan. Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds’ LEGACY SQUARE was farther back than usual and put in a huge late run under Amadeo Perez to claim the runner-up spot. WYN Racing Stables’ ACCIDENTAL HERO was comfortable far back off of the quick early pace and put in a late run to get in contention and finished up a close third.
Race 8.
The final event on the card was the $50,000 BC Cup Classic and taking home top was Bryan and Carol Anderson's AT ATTENTION ($6.30), who took a nice position in behind a surprisingly slow pace and, once he found racing room, he began to make ground on the leader and inched away for the victory under Antonio Reyes in 1:44.75 for trainer Barbara Heads. Dave and Sylvea Gregory's SOARINGFORTHESUN catapulted away from his outside gate to take control and set moderate splits of 24.32, 48.57 and 1:13.25 under Kimal Santo, but was just reeled in late and finished second. Peter Redekop's AROLLERCOASTERRIDE was bounced around at the gate, costing him early position, and came closing late to finish an unlucky third.
Bloodhorse Daily Headlines — Tuesday, August 8
We’re night racing again at Hastings this Friday, August 11th. The action gets underway at 7:00pm.
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