Hastings' Weekly Winter Round-Up
The weather may not be playing ball, but spring has officially sprung, meaning we now have just six weeks to go before opening day!
Information Session Planned for Owners and Breeders
The Thoroughbred Racing B.C. trust (TRBC) is to hold an information session for owners and breeders.
The meeting, which will be held at the Best Western Premier hotel in Veron, B.C. on April 12 from 1:00pm until 3:00pm, will present owners and breeders throughout the province with an opportunity to discuss the upcoming racing season, as well as ongoing plans for the future of the industry in B.C.
ALL current, former or future owners AND breeders are VERY welcome and, while RSVPs are not required, it would be helpful if anyone planning to attend could let either Gary Johnson (garycj5460@outlook.com) or Neil Stajkowski (hbpaneils@gmail.com) know via email.
Time:
1pm – 3pm (coffee and muffins will be provided)
Place:
Best Western Premier Hotel
5350 Anderson Wy, Vernon, BC V1T 9V2
Tel: (250) 558-5000
The public comment period for the proposed countermeasures, with feedback from business, stakeholders, and Canadians regarding their impacts has been extended to April 2nd.
Once again, we strongly encourage all industry stakeholders to submit their input through this comment submission form and request an exemption to the Canadian tariffs for purebred breeding and racing horses at https://forms-formulaires.alpha.canada.ca/en/id/cm7upmkx9008rx268zhy9l6pj.
Please make sure you make a note of the following HS Tariff Items in your exemption request:
HS Tariff Item 0101.21.00 Pure-bred breeding animals
HS Tariff Item 0101.29.00.20 – Other For Racing
A few key points we would ask you to include in your submissions:
The movement of horses across borders is essential for Thoroughbred, Standardbred and Quarter Horse breeding, racing, and sales, and any additional trade barriers would have severe economic consequences. Such tariffs could discourage international investment, limit market opportunities, and place an undue burden on Canadian Thoroughbred, Standardbred and Quarter horse breeders, trainers, and owners who rely on the ability to import and export horses efficiently.
In order to avoid further negative impacts to important Canadian industries that support rural Canadians and that are already suffering negative impacts from the new U.S. tariffs, we strongly believe that purebred Thoroughbred, Standardbred and Quarter Horses used for breeding and racing purposes should be exempted from the implementation of the proposed countermeasures in response to the new U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.
We will continue to provide updates as more concrete details become available. In the meantime, we appreciate your patience and encourage members to reach out if you have relevant information, insights, or experiences related to this issue.
For further inquiries or to share your feedback, please contact the CTHS National Office:
P: (416) 675-1370
E: info@cthsnational.com
Horses for Sale!
Two BC-bred juvenile geldings, both broken last autumn and doing well out at Emerald Acres under the tutelage of Corky Russell, are being offered for sale by Prescott Farms.
Both youngsters were retained by their owner following last year’s Yearling Sale and you can see their catalogue pages below. Interested parties should contact Corky Russell in the first instance to arrange a viewing.
Both early foals, the dark bay gelding by LENT (Pulpit) is out of the winning Curlin mare CURLIN’S PRIZE and is therefore a half-sister to 2023 Glen Todd Fantasy Stakes winner, BROOKE MAGIC.
The son of BAKKEN (Distorted Humor), meanwhile, is out of LANA’S FORTUNE (Harlan’s Holiday), a half-sister to the former Queen’s Plate winner, SIR DUDLEY DIGGES (Gio Ponti), and who has already produced a Stakes-placed performer in SILENT FORTUNE (Silent Name).
Mario’s on the Move
Hastings’ favourite son, Mario Gutierrez, has announced he’s leaving California and moving his tack to Kentucky.
Following a turbulent few months, which saw the two-time Kentucky Derby-winning rider lose his home to January’s terrible wildfires, Mario has decided to switch to riding full-time in Kentucky once the Keeneland meeting begins next month. Mario’s wife and son have already relocated.
“Since my home burned down, I’ve been focusing on relocating my family and getting them back to normalcy,” Gutierrez told the Daily Racing Form earlier this week. “Kentucky makes sense for me. The plan is to start at Keeneland.”
Gutierrez, who was an immensely popular rider at Hastings and was closely associated with the late Glen Todd’s powerful barn, took leading jockey honours at the East Van bullring in both 2007 & 2008 before going on to Kentucky Derby glory in 2012 with I’LL HAVE ANOTHER and repeating the trick four years later aboard NYQUIST. Both victories came on horses owned by Reddam Racing, with whom he has enjoyed a successful association at Santa Anita and beyond.
Sale Reminder!
Don’t forget, if you are thinking of nominating a horse for the planned Sale of Horses of Racing Age, you need to enter by this Saturday, MARCH 22!
Entries should be made through Mike Heads, who can be contacted on tel: 604-309-6509. There is an entry fee of $100 payable for each horse.
Horses of Racing Age – Sponsored by Thoroughbred Racing B.C. Saturday, April 19, 2025.
1. Entry fee - $100 to cover any costs associated with the sale.
2. Expressions of interest and payment of the entry fee must be made by March 22. This will ensure that we have enough stock to proceed with a sale.
3. Location – we expect to hold it near, or in, the paddock at Hastings Park.
4. There will be no commission charged on any sale.
5. It will be up to the consignor to set a reserve or not.
6. There will be an opportunity to watch each horse gallop and a chance to inspect the horses prior to the sale.
Don’t Forget!
Jack & Sadie Diamond Early Nominations
Deadline for the Futurity Mare-In Foal/Foals Nomination is
April 1, 2025.
Deadline for the Futurities’ Sustaining Fee Payment is
April 1, 2025
Forms are available in the race office, or via email from Scott Henson (Scott.Henson@greatcanadian.com) or Cristan Gossen (cristan@bctoba.com)
Jeff Ruby Contenders Finalize Prep
Ahead of Turfway Park’s Richest Race
FLORENCE, Ky. (Thursday, March 20, 2025) – Several of Turfway Park’s top contenders for Saturday’s $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (Grade III) are making their final preparations for the Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series event, including Godolphin’s 3-1 morning-line favorite POSTER.
Poster, winner of the Remsen Stakes (GII) as a 2-year-old, has been based at Turfway Park for most of his career under the care of trainer Eoin Harty. The chestnut son of Munnings enters the Jeff Ruby Steaks off a third-place finish in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. He schooled alongside two stablemates in Race 2 on Wednesday.
“I think this is a sneaky good race overall on Saturday,” Harty said. “He’s coming into the race as good as we could ask of him. He’s still growing into that 3-year-old frame. He’s a big, good-looking horse. He was that way as a 2-year-old and has already filled out some this year.”
On Thursday morning, POSTER galloped about a mile with retired jockey Francisco Torres in the saddle.
One race before Poster schooled, trainer Tommy Drury Jr. oversaw the schooling sessions of John Battaglia Memorial winner California Burrito and his stablemate, Claiborne Farm’s Admit, who will run in the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed) on the undercard of the Jeff Ruby Steaks.
“I don’t expect the pace to be nearly as slow as it was in the Battaglia or his start prior winning an allowance,” Drury said of California Burrito. “We’ll leave it up to (jockey) Irving (Moncada) to see where he’s placed early in the race. We’ll bounce out of there pretty good but Irving knows the horse well and can sit off horses if need be.”
Moncada, who didn’t ride until Race 4 Wednesday night, joined Drury in the paddock for the schooling sessions.
“Both horses are doing great and look great here tonight,” Moncada said. “I’ve worked both horses and I’m really thankful to Tommy and the team for allowing me to ride them Saturday afternoon.”
The Jeff Ruby Steaks and Bourbonette Oaks are key stops on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks.
The Jeff Ruby Steaks will award qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale toward the May 3, $5 million
Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI). The Bourbonette Oaks offers points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale toward the May 2, $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).
The Jeff Ruby Steaks, carded as Race 12 on the 13-race program, will go to post at 6:25 p.m., with the Bourbonette Oaks as Race 11 at 5:43 p.m. First post is 12:45 p.m
Poised for Repeat Titles, Cox Saddles Favorites in Louisiana Derby and Fair Grounds Oaks
New Orleans, La (March 20, 2025) – With the morning line favorites in both the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), trainer Brad Cox is in a good position to repeat last year’s success when the barn sent out the winner in both races with Catching Freedom and Tarifa.
Cox has two entered in this year’s local derby who will be running for their share of the 200 Derby qualifying points up for grabs.
Though WinStar Farms and CHC Inc’s John Hancock is the Louisiana Derby morning line favorite, at 7-2 he is a lukewarm one. It makes sense as the undefeated Constitution colt has only raced twice. On the other hand, his stablemate Instant Replay has five races of foundation and seasoning and was tabbed as the 6-1 fourth choice.
“We feel they both deserve a shot at getting to the Kentucky Derby,” Cox said. “We’ve been fortunate to win this race twice and in two different ways. Wells Bayou on the front end and coming from well off the pace with Catching Freedom. The track tends to play fair, and our colts each have a different running style. We feel we’re set up with two big opportunities.”
Leading at every call in his first two races, John Hancock has proven natural gate speed. But the Constitution colt also has the ability to battle, dig in, and fight off bids going two turns, as he impressively held Owen Almighty at bay in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs.
“He’s a nice horse,” Cox said. “Lightly raced but he handled a mile and a sixteenth the first time he tried it and we’re hoping he can carry his speed further. I think he can get the distance. There’s other speed in the race. We’re drawn to the inside. We hope he gets in a good position and clears off from the field late.”
Gary and Mary West’s Instant Replay proved his merit coming from last to run down Furio in a local allowance. Furio, who is entered in the Louisiana Derby for Joe Sharp, was loose on the lead and Instant Replay overcame what many handicappers have labeled as a speed-favoring track.
“(Instant Replay) had a big run here last month and he came out of the race in great shape,” Cox said. “It made sense to point at the Louisiana Derby with the performance that he put over this racetrack. I’ve really liked how he’s looked physically since the race. He sets up off the pace, so if there’s a pace meltdown, hopefully he’s the one that picks it up.”
The Louisiana Derby is set as the finale on Saturday’s 12-race card.
Spring Training at Hastings
Hastings Racing Club
New Stride News
