Hastings Round-Up
Canadian-owned runner creates history in Japan but struggles on deep dirt, while the late Glen Todd continues to leave his mark
Fipke’s Far East Adventure Comes Unstuck on Dirt
By: Japan Racing Association | February 19, 2023
Adding another victory to his already impressive record, race favourite LEMON POP (Lemon Drop Kid – Unreachable by Giant’s Causeway) captured this year’s February Stakes (G1) title, extending his wins to eight out of 11 career starts in which he finished second best in the rest.
There was plenty of interest in the Japanese race as it is a Win and You’re In event for the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Canadian owned and trained SHIRL’S SPEIGHT (seen above having a feel of the Tokyo Racecourse surface under the supervision of trainer and Woodbine legend Roger Attfield) was the first international horse to start in the race.
As feared by trainer Roger Attfield, however, Shirl’s Speight didn’t seem to enjoy the dirt track. The horse broke well from stall number two, ran in mid-field on the rails, shifted a path out for his stretch run but struggled to find room and although showing effort, was unable to demonstrate his good late speed and finished ninth.
“From what the jockey was telling me, he wasn’t enjoying the kick-back that much but I think he ran an OK race. I just think he’s a superior turf horse, but we gave it a try,” commented trainer Roger Attfield.
“It’s a strong race and Shirl’s Speight wasn’t capable of handling the track over here which is extremely deeper than what he gets in North America. In the straight, even if he did get held up a little, he wasn’t really taking into the race indicating that he wasn’t going to be competitive,” jockey Joao Moreira said after the race.
Oaklawn Winner Pays Tribute to Todd
CALL ME FAST, bred in Kentucky by the late Glen Todd, made it two wins from two starts in 2023 when landing a valuable Allowance Optional Claiming contest at Oaklawn on Saturday. The four-year-old son of Dialed In was bought out of Todd’s dispersal sale last year and, now owned by Giddyup Stables LLC and Tom Lambro, is trained by Michael Puhich. Call Me Fast is a half-brother to Hastings favourites APPELLANT (See below), HOLLYWOOD MISTRESS and FORT LANGLEY. The dam, CAGED MISTRESS won three times at Hastings for Todd’s North Amercian Thoroughbred Horse Company, including the 2012 running of the Strawberry Morn.
Three-to-Follow
HBPA board member Denise Praille and mum Darlene Smith are next up with their Three-to-follow for the coming Hastings season. The dynamic duo are pretty much part of the furniture most racedays at the East Van oval — and at plenty of work mornings, too.
Not much gets past Darlene’s eagle eye and it’s always worth stopping by their grandstand box on a weekend if you need to get your card marked!
Darlene has been coming racing at Hastings since she was a young girl and, along with partner Bill Russell, is very much the brains of the handicapping outfit, as daughter Denise readily admits.
“I'm the hanger on super-fan that's trying to keep up the family legacy and learn some handicapping along the way,” Denise acknowledges.
“Valuable Cowboy is a bit of a sentimental pick - he's out of the same dam (All Round Cowgirl) as one of mom's past horses, Notis Me.”
MATSQUI, 2020, dk b f by Finality - Queen’s Emblem (Mass Market)
Owner: Renfrew Racing, B & B Racing, No Trump Stable, Matt Elder, Bill Breen
Breeder: Suzanne Anderson
Trainer: Mark Freeman
Bred in BC, MATSQUI was purchased by her trainer out of the CTHS Yearling & Mixed Sale and is a full-sister to fellow Freeman barn member, Carolina Gent. Although still a maiden, Matsqui improved throughout her juvenile campaign and her four second-place finishes include the CTHS Sales Stakes and last October’s Fantasy Stakes, where she chased home the smart Neighneigh.
APPELLANT, 2015, b g by Midnight Lute - Caged Mistress (Ministers Wild Cat)
Owner: Helen Jewell
Breeder: Glen Todd
Trainer: Ian Jewell
Hard-knocking claimers don’t come much tougher than APPELLANT. Bred in Kentucky by the late Glen Todd, the seven-year-old, who is currently owned by Helen Jewell and trained by Ian Jewell, ran 10 times last season, winning once and hitting the board on five further ocassions. The half-brother to Saturday’s Oaklawn winner CALL ME FAST, as well as Hastings’ favourites HOLLYWOOD MISTRESS and FORT LANGLEY, finished outside the first four home just once all year. His hard-as-nails record now stands at: 42 runs; 10 wins; 5 seconds; 8 thirds.
VALUABLE COWBOY, 2019, gr/ro g by Value Plus - All Round Cowgirl (Westrn Trick)
Owner: Stan Sharma
Breeder: Lindsay Racing Stable
Trainer: Brian O’Connell
VALUABLE COWBOY is a sentimental choice for Darlene, who was a part-owner of the hard-knocking half-sister, Notis Me. A striking grey, Valuable Cowboy broke his maiden on his three-year-old debut and improved throughout the season. He ended his 2022 campaign with back-to-back wins and certainly looks to be one bettors need to have on their side from May.
New Stride Thoroughbred Adoption Society News
Chess Master Moves Raven!
Former Hastings trainer Kerri Raven lands the $100k Tampa Turf Dash for second consecutive year with her speedster Chess Master. Many congratulations, Kerri!
Feb 18, 2023, 18:43 PM by Mike Henry
Faith, it is often said, can move mountains. And while 7-year-old gelding Chess Master didn’t displace any geographical features in his second consecutive Turf Dash victory at Tampa Bay Downs, he amply rewarded the confidence placed in him by his owner-trainer, Kerri Raven.
“That was the most beautiful race he has ever run in terms of literally handing it to (the competition),” Raven said after the Florida-bred son of Overdriven out of Chesty, by Chester House, turned in a gate-to-wire masterpiece under jockey Antonio Gallardo, winning by 4 ¾ lengths from Full Disclosure. The 2-1 co-favorite, Fluid Situation, was a neck back in third in the 11-horse field, with Sigiloso fourth.
“Oh my God, he just crushed them. He just loves running. I’m going to watch this replay a lot,” Raven said. “That was so gorgeous. He just needed a clean trip.”
