Friday Night Lights!
Hastings is the place to be on Friday as the track hosts the first of this season's popular evening cards. The competitive seven-race program gets underway at 7pm
JUST MISTY looked as though she’d done enough to see off allcomers last time until caught late by Kay’s Kitchen. Twice a winner already this term, she still put up arguably her best performance of the season in defeat and should go close again today. EYE BE SEEING YOU drops back to the sprint course after coming unstuck last time over 8½ furlongs and is better judged on his two previous second-place finishes in May. There’s not much between the two last-time-out winners, ROSE OF TEXAS and ROLLIE’S SPIRIT, with the nod going to the latter based on his most recent win when drawing away from his pursuers in a gate-to-wire performance. He may not have things quite as much his own way on the front end today but is one for the shortlist.
This will be HE’S A SAINT’s eleventh attempt at losing his maiden tag and a first win is surely due soon after two solid efforts already this season. BUZZINGA KARMA makes his racing debut but has been working well enough in the mornings to suggest he can more than hold his own here, despite lacking experience. EMPEROROFTHENORTH made his racing debut earlier this month and looked every inch the professional until tiring late. He won’t be far away. MILITARY CROSS has been out since last October and is entitled to need the race but ran well enough in all three efforts last term to suggest he will soon be winning.
I’M ALL SHOOK UP makes her Hastings debut after being brought in from Texas where she broke her maiden impressively back in May. She’ll need to adapt to the unique demands of the East Van oval but looks likely to be a major threat here if she can. B C CHRISTIE justified her short odds when losing her maiden status at the third time of asking earlier this month. She looks a progressive sort and should be thereabouts again. KAPALUA CANDY rattled off two wins in fairly quick succession back in May and ran creditably last time when chasing home Shamra in a race that looked tougher opposition than anything she faces here.
Interestingly, REA MEA returns to sprinting after a solid fourth to Shamra over the ‘long’ course last time. A repeat of her second to We B Three in last month’s Emerald Downs Stakes, with barn-mate WANDALITA behind, would make her a tough nut to crack. VIVA LA VINO has been the model of consistency this year, hitting the board in all three runs and against tough opposition. She’s been close since her maiden win last August without scoring but it’s surely only a matter of time. LASTING LIGHT has also been ultra-consistent this season and she was less than a length behind Viva La Vino last time.
COUNTERACT stumbled leaving the gate when favourite last time and, in the circumstances, did well to finish fourth behind Sharpzan and today’s rival BACK SHACK. A repeat without the slip at the start and he should go very close. TIME TICKER has mixed with some of the best around of late and, while far from easy, this looks to be a good opportunity. He drops back to the sprint course after last time and a repeat of his fourth behind Lucky Force two starts ago will make him a clear and present danger. Like Counteract, ACCORDINGLY seems a progressive sort and hasn’t finished worse than second in three starts so far this term.
SPACE is an intriguing runner, making his first appearance at Hastings after being imported from the U.S. Most recently, the 3yo son of Ghostzapper was seen finishing third in a Maiden Special Weight at Indiana and should be a leading player here. DESIRED OUTCOME had rival STANFORD NORTH behind him when chasing home Wicked Night last time, although Stanford North was making his Hastings debut and first start since August last year. He’s entitled to come on for that run and can make his presence felt here. EBONY EYES made her racing debut in Stakes class last season and should find this a little less frantic. She may offer some value at the windows.
MISS THE HYPE made short work of her opponents two starts ago and then followed up with a good second to runaway debutante, Lola M over today’s distance. She’s the one they have to beat. Hastings Racing Club’s RACINO only just missed last time and split two subsequent winners on her season debut in June. She’s won over this distance previously (although it was two years ago) and is definitely one for the shortlist again today. ARTISTIC JEWLER drops the bottom rung for the first time in her career and a repeat of her rallying fourth behind Silk Stilettos over today’s distance would give her every chance of landing this.
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