Hastings' Weekly Winter Round-Up
Details of the new Fresh Horse Program have been finalized, while Woodbine announces new entry criterea following a spate of breakdowns on the track's artificial surface
Details of the 2025 Fresh Horse Program have now been finalized.
This extremely generous scheme, which has proved itself invaluable over the past few seasons, making a significant impact to horse numbers at Hastings, is aimed at helping owners mitigate the cost of replenishing much-need racing stock.
As in 2024, the new edition of the scheme offers $7,500 to qualifying horses, split into three payments of $2,500.
Details below.
Hastings Racecourse FRESH HORSE Program
*Limited to Thoroughbreds that were not stabled at Hastings Racecourse in 2023 AND have had at least one start elsewhere prior to the 2025 Hastings meet
A guaranteed $7,500 total bonus for any Applicant horses first three starts at Hastings Racecourse whose previous starts were made outside of British Columbia.
Additional Conditions/Information (all conditions must be met to be eligible)
Horses that raced or were stabled previously at Hastings Racecourse are ineligible, unless it was prior to the 2024 Hastings meet.
Registration ‘papers’ provided with application include both paper and electronic versions.
Application must be made to the Horsemen’s Bookkeeper (Cristan Gossen) or the Racing Secretary (Scott Henson) upon arrival at Hastings Racecourse to establish eligibility.
$2,500 will be paid after the horse’s first start paid to the owner of record who registered with the race office upon the horse’s arrival at Hastings and filed the Horse’s papers.
An additional $2,500 after the horse’s second start paid to the same initial owner of record only.
An additional $2,500 after the horse’s third start paid to the same initial owner of record only.
Maximum incentive value of this program available to the original owner of record is $7,500.
The horse may be claim waivered, at the owner’s discretion, for its first start, provided that the claiming level is equal to or higher than the claiming level the horse ran for in its previous start. (For example, a US$ or CDN$ $10k claim (exchange rate is not factored into claiming levels) must run at $10k or higher to be waiver claimed.
Stakes and allowance race level horses are excluded from this program.
All horses must have started for $4,000, in the currency of the track they ran it, or more in their last three starts to qualify. If a horse has not started three times, then all its lifetime starts must be for $4,000 or more.
First-time starters do not qualify for this program.
Applicants agree that the registration papers will remain in the Hastings Racecourse racing office for the entire 2025 season. Repayment of funds received from this program will release the papers and allow the horse to race elsewhere.
Horses must arrive at Hastings Racecourse on or before July 1, 2025 and start by August 1, 2025 to be eligible.
All monies earned under this program will be paid to the initial owner of record at the time of the first start. Claiming or purchasing the horse after the first start does not transfer eligibility and so future payments will be made to the initial owner of record only on qualifying future horse starts.
THIS PROGRAM CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER HASTINGS INCENTIVE PROGRAM
AGCO Issues Entry Rules for Woodbine
New rules for entering a horse to race at Woodbine were issued by the AGCO on Saturday in light of recent breakdowns.
Courtesy Canadian Thoroughbred
The Woodbine racing community was abuzz Saturday morning with news that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, racing’s regulator, had a series of new rules for entering horses at Woodbine in the immediate future. These rules were issued due to the rash of fatal breakdowns that have come on Woodbine’s Tapeta track since early November.
The AGCO posted the rulings before racing on Saturday with the main rule being that a horse cannot race back in less than 14 calendar days. That lead to quite a few scratches on Saturday, some on Sunday and next Thursday’s December 5 card was opened for entries again on Sunday morning, as there were too many scratches to run the card.
The other rules (see below) stated that the race office does not accept an entry for a horse that has had an intra-articular fetlock injection with the previous 14 calendar days, a trainer and private vet must observe a horse that has been on the vet’s list jogging within 48 hours before a qualifying workout, and that an official vet must observe all morning training on both tracks.
Reaction to the rules from owners and trainers was mixed, with some taking issue with the 14-day rule.
One trainer noted on social media that seven horses that broke down during racing included six with more than 14 days between races.
Others stated that it was unfair the horsepeople were getting blamed for the breakdowns while some believed the rules were necessary, at least for this point in the season. With just two weeks left in the 2024 season there is a high percentage of horses returning on short rest in order to get another start in.
It is unclear if these rules will be in place next year.
Bloodhorse Daily Headlines — Wednesday, December 4
$US6.3 million Top Lot Leads to Record Turnover
at Tattersalls December Mares Sale
The extraordinary trade seen at Tattersalls during the October Yearling Sale and last week’s December Foal Sale suggested that something spectacular could be in the offing at the December Mares Sale and so it proved on a day where turnover of 55,168,500 guineas exceeded the previous record for the highest grossing day in European auction history, set at the 2022 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Three lots sold for in excess of 3,000,000 guineas led by the 4,800,000 guineas top lot YOU GOT TO ME.
Amo Racing Strike for Irish Oaks Winner You Got To Me at 4,800,000 Guineas
Group 1 Irish Oaks winner YOU GOT TO ME was a rare commodity at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale as a Classic winning filly offered for sale in the year of her Classic triumph, the first in over forty years, and she duly lit up the Tattersalls sales ring when selling for 4,800,000 guineas to Amo Racing. Consigned to the sale by Newsells Park Stud, the price was the third highest ever realised at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
An opening bid of 1,000,000 guineas was quickly eclipsed and bids flew from all around the ring with US trainer Will Walden and Newsells Park Stud’s Graham Smith-Bernal among those to last longest, with the latter bowing out as an emotional underbidder following several football-related quips from auctioneer Alastair Pim.
A daughter of Newsells Park Stud’s top class sire NATHANIEL, YOU GOT TO ME was trained by Ralph Beckett for Valmont and Newsells Park Stud Bloodstock 24, and proved herself among the very best of her generation as a race filly with victory in a high class renewal of the Irish Oaks, defeating subsequent Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks winner CONTENT.
Women in Racing
Featuring Barbara Anderson-Heads, Jerri Robertson, Haley Moreno Andrade, Brittany Gourdeau, Madison Zielke, Ashley Gilkyson and Alivia Kettleson - just a few of the many women trainers, owners, jockeys and breeders in the Alberta Thoroughbred racing industry.
New Stride News
With Christmas looming, we very much hope that you will take time to think about what happens to the horses that serve us all so faithfully. Without them, none of us would enjoy the lives we have and we certainly owe them a collective debt of gratitude. Retraining racehorses once their careers are finished is the least we can do. Naturally, such vital work is expensive and organisations such as New Stride cannot carry on without your generosity. With our postal service in such disarray, and with the Holiday Season fast apprioching, a donation on behalf of a loved one might make a perfect alternative gift - and there’s no wrapping required!