Gator Strikes
Florida Gator snapped up Tuesday's feature event at Hastings for trainer Barbara Heads, on an afternoon where seven races fell to seven different owners, trainers and riders
HIGHLIGHTS
The handle was $392,824
The Pick 5 carried over and sits at $1,812 and the Pick 6 carryover is $601
Seven different trainers and riders took home victories
Leading jockeys Perez, Reyes and Hernandez all rode one winner apiece
Five of the seven races were won by a length or less
The final racing day of August was as wonderful as the rest of the month, with mostly cloudless skies and a steady breeze to make for perfect race-watching conditions. The track remained fast all afternoon.
Hastings Race Review, August 30
Race 1.
The first on the Tuesday program was for expensive $25,000 three year old claimers going a mile and a sixteenth and taking top honours was Larry Potozny, Peter Langelaan and the Wil-a-Way Farms FLORIDA GATOR ($4.70) who was off a heartbeat slow but galloped up to partner TEXAS HUMOR on the lead through sensible splits of 24.55, 48.20 and 1:13.25 he started to inch away on the stretch turn and had to call on all of his talent to just find the line first in 1:46.33 with Antonio Reyes up for trainer Barbara Heads. Melanie Ondine Gosney, Bryan and Roger Snow's HANKY PRANKY settled into a comfortable stride early watching the pacesetters four or five lengths off of the lead then made a solid three wide run on the turn to make things interesting in the lane and finished a closing second. Kent Bird and Dino Condilenios BETTER TONE rallied late to get fourth and was moved up to third after SLOOP JOHN B was disqualified from third to fifth for interfering with COUNTRY COWBOY in the stretch.
Race 2.
The second of the warm afternoon went to Rob and Sheena Maybin's OSTRACIZE ($9.90) who broke on top and sat a perfect trip under Efrain Hernandez tracking the speed and when it came time to quicken at the far turn she did and drew off to a nice score in 1:45.76. The Willow Creek Farms IRISH LUNA was off a step slow but quickly shot up the rail to assume command getting cozy fractions of 25.11, 50,.15 and 1:15.26 battled with the winner to the stretch and stayed on well to be second. Rob Thacker's PINEAPPLE TIDBITS was last early and made a sharp middle move on the backside and ran very well to be third considering he early tempo was so slow.
CLAIMS:
ARTISTIC JEWLER was claimed by Mort Hall and Praven Sorensen. Trainer, Barbara Heads.
Race 3.
The third race was won by the Century Plaza Stables STORMY BLUE ($20.00) who sat a nice trip on the lead under Silvino Morales carving out easy splits of 24.01, 48.13 and 1:13.34 and when needed he responded with another gear and won impressively in 1:44.50 for conditioner Carl Lausten who perhaps may have some B.C. Derby aspirations after the impressive victory. ,Warren Wilson, June Sutherland, Neil Stajkowski, Ross Switzer and Barry Hickman's PAY MY WAY made a huge run from last place to stick a nose in front on the stretch turn but couldn’t stay with the winner although he was a clear second. The Hastings Racing Club's PRINCE CAIRO ran his usual good race while racing wide and striking some trouble at the far turn checking in an unlucky third.
CTHS Yearling & Mixed Sale Catalogue Update:
Hip #21 - Lent half-brother to STORMY BLUE
Race 4.
The fourth of the day went to Bruce Unwin’s INDYGOGOLD ($12.00) who was well positioned off the quick early pace before Jose Gomez made a sharp move to gain command on the stretch turn and kept to her task through the final stages to win in 1:18.22. Stan Sharma's VALUE DANCER turned in a big effort in her first run after the claim after getting away very slowly she made a huge move and was getting to the winner but ran out of ground. Russ and Lois Bennett's SHOWMAN chased the quick pace (21.96, 46.44) and then ended up being bottled up behind the tiring leaders and lost valuable ground to the top two and did well to get up to be third.
Race 5.
The fifth event of the afternoon was easily won by the Canyon Farm's FLORAL ($5.10) who was a lot better away from the gate today allowing Amadeo Perez to be closer to the pace and then she breezed by the competition at the far turn and drew off to a big score for trainer Craig MacPherson in 1:17.72. Dennis Spence’s THE KAT'S BACK was content to settle off the early pace and made a good run to just get up to be second. Peter Redekop's ANOTHERSUNNYDAY was pressured throughout (22.01, 45.47) on head end and actually ran gamely to just miss second and end up third.
CLAIMS:
ANOTHERSUNNYDAY claimed by Bob Leffler, Bryan Killins & Gord McCormick. Trainer, Dino Condilenios
Race 6.
The sixth was an exciting finish that saw the Ironside Stables SHARPZAN ($12.20) get to the line first under Kerron Khelawan in a sharp time of 1:17.63. The Rob VanOverschot trainee was prominent early sitting just off of the quick pace (22.31, 45.90) settling comfortably in the second spot and produced enough in the stretch to get the hard fought victory. Robert Scott, William Long and Dan MacLeod’s HE’S A SAINT broke from the gates on top and set the lively fractions and battled gamely to the wire under Silvino Morales but just missed for new trainer Edgar Mendoza who had him in his care for the first time this year. The Foundation Stables GREYTOGO had the worst trip of the three and still had a chance heading to the finish but had to settle for a hard luck third beaten less than a length.
Race 7.
The last of the afternoon went to the Minnaloushe Stables and Dave Milburn's YOU DON'T OWN ME ($6.20) who sat in the catbird seat behind a torrid pace duel then once clear under Lenny Seecharan they flew late to win in 1:17.84 for trainer Dave Milburn. Rob and Sheena Maybin's BELLAROO was well back early and made a swift move in the final quarter mile to get up to be second. The Hastings Horsepower and Minnaloushe Stables LUCKY LUKE had no luck as he was pressured through demanding fractions of 21.96 and a half-mile in a scorching 45.31 then showed good courage to still be right in the mix at the end finishing third.
Latest Standings
OWNERS:
Rob and Sheena Maybin - 11
Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds - 10
Ironside Stables - 8
Willow Creek Farms - 8
TRAINERS:
Barbara Heads - 27
Edgar Mendoza – 27
Mark Cloutier - 21
JOCKEYS:
Amadeo Perez – 54
Antonio Reyes – 42
Efrain Hernandez - 27
Don’t Forget
Live racing takes a little break as the PNE fair comes to a close. Racing resumes Saturday, September 10th with the biggest day of the Hastings’ season — the $125,000 B.C. Derby, $75,000 B.C. Oaks, $50,000 S W Randall Plate and the $50,000 Delta Colleen.
The action gets underway at 2:00 p.m.
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