Hastings' Round-Up
The season may have finished in Vancouver, but there's still plenty happening in the racing game!
Horse Racing Women’s Summit
HBPA director and Hastings ever-present, Denise Praill, recently attended the second annual Horse Racing Women’s Summit (HRWS) which, this year, was hosted at Santa Anita, California in September.
More than 150 women attended from across the US and Canada.
The Summit brought together people from all facets of the horse racing industry, with the mission of connecting and empowering women in horse racing. Attendees were encouraged to build networks, meet new friends, foster deep discussions, and ultimately engage, innovate and invest in racing.
Both days were filled with panel discussions on the state of the industry, racetrack management and the path forward. Attendees participated in a half-day workshop to help shape the strategic priorities and action steps that HRWS will encourage/tackle over the next couple of years.
Following the event, attendees were treated to an afternoon of racing - celebrating the opening day of Santa Anita's Fall Meet.
Denise attended the summit through a scholarship opportunity - The event’s founder Stephanie Hronis, Hronis Racing, worked with event sponsors to create several "Pay it Forward" seats for women to attend who couldn't otherwise afford to participate (it's a $600USD fee for the two days.).
Denise’s family was great at endorsing and funding a surprise quick trip (the scholarship was announced just the week prior) and the HBPA also helped support Denise’s attendance.
Battle of the Breeds at Ajax Downs
Closing day, Oct. 25, features include the first-ever four-furlong Thoroughbreds-vs-Quarter Horses race at the track.
By: Ajax Downs | October 24, 2023
The 2023 Ajax Downs’ Quarter Horse season is set to go out with a bang on Wednesday, October 25 with a huge 11-race card that includes the $76,680 Alex Picov Memorial Futurity, the richest race for two-year-olds in the country, as well asthe first-ever BATTLE OF THE BREEDS race at the track, which pits Quarter Horses against Thoroughbreds.
The first-ever Battle of the Breeds at Ajax Downs will be an 870-yard race (about four furlongs) around a turn and matches two Quarter Horses against three Thoroughbreds.
“We had a few of these races about 10 years ago at Fort Erie racetrack,” said Ajax Downs’ General Manager Emilio Trotta. “We wanted to try and bring it back this year and hope to have one or two a month next year.”
Owner and trainer Ted Holder, whose Thoroughbred colt Kaukokaipuu raced in the King’s Plate at Woodbine this year and was second in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie, has entered MIAH SAID in the Battle of the Breeds.
“He’s very quick,” said Holder. “We’ll give it a shot. I’m happy to give Ajax Downs a little push for this race, it’s exciting.”
Thoroughbred trainers Roy Agostino and Joe Humber have entered Devil in Her Heart and Red Maple, respectively. Ajax Downs’ leading owner Milena Kwiecien has entered her stakes star MARYLAND MAGIC, a winner of a 770-yard, ‘hook’ race last fall. Magen Finnessey’s AZURES ROYALTY, whose dam Royal Gate is a Thoroughbred, completes the field.
Teamwork makes the dream work!
Big thanks to everyone for contributing to the HBPA BC recycling program at Hastings this season.
Together we raised $1,047.66 for the HBPA Benevolence fund and kept more than 9,500 containers from hitting the landfill!
The Benevolence fund is available to any licensed backstretch worker who needs help with medical, dental, or other health challenges and is administered by trainer Steve Henson.
Several folks were key to the program success: Heather Praill, trusty sidekick and there for every (sometimes messy) bottle pick-up, and Darlene Smith and Bill Russell, who were also clean-up stalwarts.
Barns that regularly contributed their own collections to the cause: Dino Condelinios, Craig MacPherson, Frank Barroby and Mel Snow. The yard works crew were also big supporters, led by Brad Dimond and we appreciated the riders and folks who live on site, who also contributed regularly.
Nice return for low effort and we hope the funds can help provide health and dental care for our own.
Congrats everyone!
Backstretch Labour Shortage Survey
The HBPA of Ontario, Woodbine Entertainment Group and their Immigration lobbyist have been working diligently over the past year to find a less complicated and less expensive way to bring foreign workers to Canada.
The lobbyist requires the assistance of all owners and trainers to complete the survey below within the next few days.
We believe this matter is also a pressing for the industry in BC and we would urge all BC owners and trainers to help by completing the survey.
Once the completed surveys are received the lobbyist will compile the data for their upcoming meeting in November.
Completion of the survey is important. It is imperative that ALL Owners and Trainers, whether you have brought over foreign workers in the past or not, to complete this survey. The backstretch is in dire need of workers, and this will help our lobbyist who now have the ear of the Federal Government. We are hopefully this will help make beneficial changes.
Please click on this link to complete the survey:
Survey: Backstretch Labour Shortage (surveymonkey.com)
BC Stallion Standings
With 22 wins from 39 runners and earnings of more than half-a-million dollars, Stoneridge Farm’s stallion, BAKKEN (Distorted Humor), tops the BC sires’ list for 2023. His impressive haul of winners, headed by dual 2023 Century Mile Stakes heroine FLORAL, is currently nine more than his nearest rival (SUNGOLD) and more than twice as many as the chasing pack. SUNGOLD’s (A. P. Indy) 13 winners to date were, of course, headed by INFINITE PATIENCE. COUNTERFORCE (Smart Strike) and LENT (Pulpit) are currently joint-third with 10 winners each.
New Stride News
And Finally…
Our very best wishes and all the racing luck in the world go to departing Hastings’ handler Tara Neigel.
Tara, a popular member of the Hastings backstretch training ranks, strikes out for pastures new this autumn and is planning to hang her shingle at Woodbine. BC’s loss is very much Ontario’s gain!
Happy travels, Tara!
Don’t Forget…
If you have any racing or breeding news relevant to the sport here in British Columbia, please don’t hesitate to drop us a line and let us know.
Please also share the Horseracing BC Newsletter with your friends and colleagues. We’re close to 700 subscribors and we’d like to push the figure as high as possible over the winter before we begin racing again next spring.