Friday Night Previews
We're back under lights for the first time this year on Friday evening. There will be lots of screens around to keep up with all things Stanley Cup and the weather's set fair for a fun-packed evening
PISCO mixed it with some of the best two-year-olds on the premises last season, winning on his debut and then running well enough in Stakes company to suggest he’s the one to beat here. It won’t be easy, however, as he faces four livewires from the Edgar Mendoza/Tod Mountain team. FRASER LANDING makes a quick return to action after winning on opening day and should hold a fitness advantage over his rivals, while HARTLEY MANOR could not have been more impressive when overcoming a wide draw over the three-and-a-half-furlong course last July on her only run so far. OUR BLOKE, meanwhile, progressed on his September debut to win his maiden comfortably in October and has been working well, while the second Mendoza/Tod Mountain filly, BAKBURNER, also flashed home in a three-and-a-half-furlong dash to break her maiden — Nigel Reid
TEXAS MOONSHINE made a winning start to his ’24 campaign and goes for a third consecutive victory here, although this is probably a marginally tougher challenge than he faced a fortnight ago. CHAMPIOSA ended last season with a narrow win, but that was over the ‘long’ course and he may be seen to better effect when stepping up in distance. The Steve Henson barn has flown out of the traps this spring and the ultra-consistent THERE GOES MY HERO looks a big danger if he can get close to the level that saw him miss the board in just two of his eight efforts last term — NR
By Fast Anna, whose daughter Thorpedo Anna won last week’s Kentucky Oaks, and out of the late Glen Todd’s Hard Rock Casino Stakes winner, My Aunt Mo, LONIE MO’s been working well this spring and has the pedigree to be a major threat. Peter Redekop’s AVANA is one of two runners from the powerful Barbara Heads barn and makes her Hastings’ debut following a solitary Del Mar run as a juvenile last season. A $150,000 Ocala Sale graduate, she’s another who has the bloodlines to figure prominently if she can handle the East Van oval’s unique demands. Her stablemate, SUNBLAZE, is a full-sister to her owner/breeder’s multiple Stakes winner, Sunburst, and is making her racing debut. There’s probably not too much between DONNA WYN and EDDIE’S GIRL. They’ve both been mixing it with tough company and look certain future maiden winners — NR
BAKKEN OVERDRIVE was the model of consistency for trainer Cindy Krasner last year, winning twice in short succession in May, including a seven-length romp on his first run of the season. He didn’t run again after July, however, and is entitled to need a race. Claimed out of Churchill Downs last May, NEIGHBOR’s effectiveness over this distance will have to be taken on trust. He has been kept in tough company by connections since then, however, so clearly remains well regarded and represents the flying Steve Henson barn. There were a couple of nods between COUNTERACT, who has joined the Barbara Heads barn, and ROCKCLIFFE when they clashed on their final run of 2023, with the former just getting the better of his rival, while WISELY PLAYED may require more real estate to help with his late challenge — NR
BACK SHACK drops a couple of rungs on the class ladder here and it’s worth noting that he won at the first time of asking last season. He looks the one they have to beat. This also represents a drop in class for I’M ALL SHOOK UP, who has the distinction of being the only runner in the race to have won over the distance. GROOVIN’ IS BAK finished behind former stablemate BAK TO LIBERTY when they met last October, although the positions were reversed when ‘Groovin’ beat his rival by a neck the previous month. DON W would be a big threat on his best form, but he has missed more than a year and is entitled to need a race — NR
Five of these have already had a run at Hastings this season and should have few fitness concerns. That also applies to the Nancy Betts-trained LEFT THE BAR, who makes his Hastings debut after a winter campaign that included two victories at Turf Paradise. This distance is as far as he’s been in a while, however, and his ability to perform over it will need to be taken on trust. KNOPFLER’s fondness for a near-miss earned him quite the fan club at Hastings last season and his eventual win in October brought plenty of cheers from the stand. He again found one too good on his return to action a fortnight ago and should once more feature at the sharp end today. There would be no more popular winner. Three wins and three seconds from nine starts last season stamped QUAGMIRE as one of the best at this level. He's from the fast-starting Steve Henson barn, has last season’s champion rider Amadeo Perez in the saddle and looks the one to beat — NR
A magnificent line-up of veteran war horses without whom racing at Hastings would fail to exist. Collectively, they have 47 wins and 52 years of experience, so good luck finding the winner! FRANKIE MACHINE had JUVEE TOO behind when chasing home Knopfler and Deputy’s Dancer two weeks ago. He’s probably better going longer but should be match fit today and may have just too much for his rivals who are all making their first starts of the year. Stablemate GOOD BYE PUTIN takes a half-step down in class, was ultra-consistent last term with three wins and needs to be on the shortlist. Trainer Rob Maybin, meanwhile, has already hit the board with three of his five runners this year and saddles AVE’S IN COMMAND. BARNEY GOOGLE has the assistance of Amadeo Perez and appeals most of the rest — NR
Lisa and Mike’s Picks
Statistics
Saturday’s Overnight Entries
Bloodhorse Daily Headlines — Thursday, May 9
