Hastings' Weekly Update
A huge weekend ahead, with the Belmont Stakes headlining a $6 million Saturday afternoon of Stakes action at Saratoga while, earlier in the day, The Derby takes place across the historic Epsom Downs
Debrusk Heads Exiles’ Team in Century Stakes Clash
Century Mile
DEBRUSK (Finality) leads the Hastings’ Exiles on manoeuvres this weekend as the crack three-year-old bids to follow up his recent Allowance victory in Saturday’s $50,000 Western Canada Stakes.
The Dino Condilenios-trained-and-part-owned sophomore, who was the leading juvenile in British Columbia last season, faces eight rivals — including three he beat last time.
Condilenios has a busy Saturday ahead with four entries, including Swift Thoroughbreds’ TWICKENHAM (Pop Artist), who looks to get his career back on track in an Allowance contest after trailing home behind DEBRUSK last time.
Don Danard’s HELIOO (Authentic), trained by Mel Snow, renews rivalry with DEBRUSK and is representing an in-form team that struck three times last weekend.
The Snow clan is also represented by the appropriately named AINTAFRAIDTODREAM (Higher Power), who is now in the care of jockeys’ agent-turned-trainer, Daryl Snow. The four-year-old filly, who was second on her reappearance, runs for a $12,000 tag in a seven-furlong claiming where her five rivals include the B.C.-bred WHY NOTS A WYNNER (Counterforce) from the Mel Snow barn. Family honour is on the line!
Geovani Olalde, who got off the mark for the season with emphatic winner THOMPSON (First Samurai) last Friday, before seeing both LUCKY FORCE (Counterforce) and BOLD ARCH (Archarcharch) run disappointingly in Saturday’s $50,000 Journal Handicap on Saturday, will be hoping for a better showing from SUNBIRD (Orb). The Glen Todd-bred six-year-old, who was a major force at Hastings when trained by Terry Jordan, makes his seasonal reappearance on Saturday.
SUNBIRD will get plenty of help from the saddle as the in-form Antonio Reyes takes the reins. Reyes, who substituted magnificently for the injured Amadeo Perez aboard AVANA, has booted home five winners for different trainers already this season and has hit the board with nine of his 16 rides.
Other “Hastings’ Exiles” with Century Mile runners this weekend include Pat Jarvis, who saddles QUALITY COMMAND (Second in Command) on Friday and MAX BOOSTER (Counterforce) on Saturday, while Barbara Anderson-Heads, buoyed by the recent exploits of the amazing AVANA, has four runners across the weekend including SUNNY WISHES (Sungold), who goes in Saturday’s $50,000 Chariot Chaser Stakes. The Century Plaza-owned filly will be ridden by Amadeo Perez, who returns to action after missing last weekend due to a shoulder injury.
Emerald Downs
There are plenty of familiar Hastings’ names in action at Emerald Downs again this week, as the Seattle track hosts three days of racing. Rob Gilker is scheduled to have his first runners of the season with TEX HANLEY (Texas Ryano) on Friday and B.C.-bred Y VEE R (Value Plus) on Saturday.
Mark Cloutier’s three entries include an interesting couple of debutantes in the shape of Roy and Dixie Jacobson’s EVIE’S SONG (Counterforce) and fellow B.C.-bred SAMARLOU (Sungold), a CTHS yearling sale graduate who runs in the colours of Stuart Carmichael, Jim and Margot Vilvang and former New Stride Thoroughbred Adoption Society president, Bill Randall.
Patty Leaney enjoyed a free week last weekend but returns with four entries for Sunday, including impressive recent winner, MALIBU LADY (Stanford). All four are slated to be ridden by Alex Cruz, husband of Leaney’s daughter, and trainer, Jaymie Pearman Cruz, who has two Emerald entries on Saturday and one on Sunday.
Other Hastings’ veterans with entries include Steve Henson, whose three runners will be parsed across the three days, while Ian Jewell, who has had a quiet time of late, returns to the fray with SEAS OF NORMANDY (Normandy Invasion), who is entered to make his first appearance at Emerald Downs this year following a winter campaign at Turf Paradise that saw the six-year-old gelding hit the board in five of his eight outings.
Classy Avana Returns With a Flourish
AVANA (Vino Rosso) gave notice of her wellbeing in no uncertain manner at Century Mile last Saturday, winning the RedTail Landing Stakes comfortably, mowing down her hapless opponents with a trademark late flourish after coming from some way off the pace under Antonio Reyes.
The afternoon got off to the best possible start for Hastings’ stalwart Mel Snow, who sent out NEWHART (Medaglia d’Oro) to win the opener. Snow then returned to the winner’s circle later in the day with Don and Sue Danard’s MAGIC MOLLY (Bakken).
There were mixed fortunes for the other East Van exiles. The Pat Jarvis-trained WIRLY GIRLY (Practical Joke) ran her usual gutsy race to finish fourth behind AVANA, while the barn’s other runner, DIOCLES (Counterforce), again suffered at the hands of the racing gods, overcoming serious traffic congestion to rally late and finish fourth in the $50,000 Journal Handicap.
Meanwhile, further east in Manitoba, Hastings’ trainers Cindy Krasner and Rob Maybin were among the winners at Assiniboia Downs. Maybin and Chris Mamdeen teamed up to snatch a second win of the season with FINDING WAYS (Harbor the Gold), while Krasner greeted Kerron Khelawan and WHAT’S SHAKIN (Ralis) after they had arrived as late as is fashionably polite to land a six-furlong allowance contest. It was a good week for Khelawan, who also steered the 25-1 shot SPIN THE BREEZE (Hard Spun) to win the $26,000 Lil Missknowitall Stakes for local handler, Wendy Anderson. That makes it two wins and a second from five Assiniboia rides for Khelawan, who finished third in last season’s Hastings’ rider standings.
“Hastings’ Exiles” Leaderboards
Century Mile Betting Turnover
Military Time looks to set the standard in Queenston Stakes
Courtesy Woodbine
The $125,000 Queenston Stakes, a key prep on the road to this year’s King’s Plate (Aug. 15), is Sunday’s featured race at Woodbine.
The 7-furlong Queenston, for 3-year-olds foaled in Canada, has attracted six hopefuls, including Military Time, trained by Mark Casse.
A son of Gun Runner out of the Signature Red stakes-winning router over the Woodbine grass and main track, Red Cabernet, Military Time heads into the Queenston off a sharp score at 7 panels on the Toronto oval main track.
Under Fraser Aebly, who will be in the irons again on Sunday, Military Time, the 4-5 choice in the field of eight, stalked from the outside before seizing control on the way to a 4 ½-length win in 1:24.21.
“I think what stood out the most was how he persevered, to get past the other horse, open up and then continue on to the end,” said assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan of the Ontario-bred, who is co-owned by Gary Barber and Vinnie Viola’s St Elias Stable. “It was just an overall very strong effort from start to finish.”
The chestnut colt debuted at the end of last August in a 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight race that was moved from turf to the main track. After getting away slowly, he settled into stride and went on to post a four-length win.
“It was a great way for him to kick things off,” said Sullivan. “Once he got into a rhythm, he rated nicely and then came with a nice move straightening for home. He really moved well down the lane and drew away late. It was a very nice effort.”
A late scratch from the Grade 1 Summer on Sept. 13 due to a shoe issue, he was fifth in the Cup & Saucer Stakes on Oct. 5, and second in the Coronation Futurity on Nov. 29 to close out his 2-year-old campaign.
Bred by Adena Springs, Military Time was a $350,000 Keeneland yearling purchase.
“He’s the full package,” said Sullivan. “He definitely looks the part. He’s growing into himself, physically. He’s just a very steady guy in everything he does.”
Ivan ‘Billy’ Forde is the groom.
Belmont Stakes Preview
The New Test of the Champion: Balance Still Wins
by Dawn Lupul
The Belmont has long worn the nickname “The Test of the Champion,” but recent renewals suggest the true answer is balance, not pure brilliance. Look at the last five winners — Sovereignty, Dornoch, Arcangelo, Mo Donegal, and Essential Quality — and a clear profile emerges: tactical speed, authentic stamina, and mental composure.
But remember: the Belmont moved to Saratoga two years ago and dropped to 1 1/4 miles. It’s still a classic-distance test, but the handicapping picture shifted. The race is scheduled to return to the renovated Belmont Park in 2027.
Some things to remember when handicapping the race at Saratoga:
Stamina still matters, but less absolutely. Strong form at 1 1/8–1 1/4 miles becomes more relevant than a pedigree exclusively built for 1½ miles.
Pace matters even more. The shorter trip and Saratoga’s layout make positioning and tactical speed premium traits.
Recent form at the distance and track takes on added weight — graded stakes wins or placings at 1 1/4 miles are huge indicators.
Saratoga-specific form is a bonus; the track’s quirks can favor locally proven runners.
Tactical speed is the most misunderstood trait. The Belmont isn’t usually stolen by a last-gasp deep closer; modern winners tend to stay within striking distance. Essential Quality and Arcangelo settled just off the pace and made decisive moves turning for home. Dornoch used his speed to control tempo, and Sovereignty tracked patiently before unleashing his run. At Saratoga, closers that leave themselves too much to do rarely catch up. Horses that can secure good position conserve energy and respond when the real running begins.
Stamina remains important. Recent winners show the ability to sustain momentum through the final furlong rather than merely hanging on. Clues to this stamina include strong gallop-outs, improving late pace numbers, and pedigrees geared toward classic distances — think Arcangelo and Mo Donegal getting stronger as the trip stretched, or Essential Quality’s relentless efficiency and Sovereignty’s staying speed.
Put together, these traits make Belmont winners balanced athletes: quick enough to stay close, durable enough to finish, and mentally steady enough for the job. Based on the current probable field for the upcoming 2026 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, three specific contenders stand out as perfect fits for that winning, tactical stalking style.
Because Saratoga’s 1 1/4-mile configuration severely penalizes horses that sit too far back, these three entries have the exact speed figures and running patterns needed to sit just off the lead and strike at the top of the stretch:
1. Renegade (Trainer: Todd Pletcher)
The Profile: He is the prototypical Saratoga stalker and the early favourite. In the Kentucky Derby, he sat right behind the leaders and missed the win by a mere neck after an impossible trip from the rail post.
The Handicapping Angle: Pletcher skipped the Preakness specifically to point him here. He has been stabled and training on Saratoga’s Oklahoma track for weeks, giving him a distinct home-court advantage. He has the gate speed to secure a spot up close immediately.
2. Golden Tempo (Trainer: Cherie DeVaux)
The Profile: The reigning Kentucky Derby winner possesses immense class and highly versatile tactical speed.
The Handicapping Angle: Like the top stalkers before him, he arrives fresh after skipping the Preakness. While he can press a hot pace, his ideal trip is sitting 2 to 3 lengths off the lead in the second flight of horses. If the front-runners get into a speed duel, Golden Tempo is perfectly equipped to inherit the lead turning for home.
3. Growth Equity (Trainer: Chad Brown)
The Profile: The ultimate “new shooter” entering the Triple Crown mix after a decisive, 2+ length victory in the Peter Pan Stakes on May 9.
The Handicapping Angle: Growth Equity has shown an ability to save ground on tight turns, rating quietly until asked for his run. At projected 8-1 or higher morning line odds, he could be the primary value play.
Bottom line: The move to Saratoga and the shorter distance has made the Belmont Stakes more accessible to a wider range of horses, but don’t abandon the fundamentals — tactical speed, solid stamina, and composure still win races.
Epsom Derby Preview
French Derby Replay
We shouldn’t be surprised, given his extraordinary career, but it was another magnificent training achievement by Aidan O’Brien in last Sunday’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby), as CONSTITUTION RIVER (Wootton Bassett) powered through late under stable jockey Ryan Moore to pass Ballydoyle stablemates HAWK MOUNTAIN (Wootton Bassett) and MONTREAL (Sea The Stars) by 3/4-length and a head.
ATAS Aftercare Awareness and Support Day at Century Mile
Canadian Derby Tickets
Bloodhorse Daily Headlines — Friday, June 5
