Heads Team runs Riot in Edmonton!
A famous four-timer saw the rampant Barbara Heads land a second consecutive Canadian Derby at Century Mile on Saturday to cap an extraordinary day of racing for Hastings' connections
By any standard, Saturday proved to be quite the day for British Columbia racing and breeding, as the Barbara Heads barn ran riot in Edmonton, winning four of Derby Day’s best races, including the feature event: the 95thrunning of the Canadian Derby, writes Nigel Reid.
There were signs as early as Friday evening that the Hastings’ shippers might have a good weekend when the Robert Henson-trained PIONEER STORM KING (Pioneer of the West) finished an arguably unlucky second to the BC-bred (but Alberta-raced and Alberta CTHS Sale graduate) PUTTINGONTHEFOIL (Counterforce) in the Canadian Juvenile Stakes.
As it turned out, Pioneer Storm King’s bold effort under Amadeo Perez proved little more than a Friday-night hors d’oeuvres ahead of Saturday’s four-course feast.
The first course saw Heads, owner Peter Redekop and rider Amadeo Perez plunder the Century Mile Oaks with the scintillating AVANA (Vino Rosso), who, patiently held towards the rear by Perez after a slight stumble leaving the gate and with many lengths still to make up as they began the turn for home, sprouted wings at the top of the stretch and blew past her rivals to win going away by almost five lengths.
Before there was even time to pop a champagne cork, Heads was back in the paddock to saddle the redoubtable INFINITE PATIENCE (Sungold) for her breeder and part-owner Bill DeCoursey and fellow owner, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The mare, who overcame some early-season trials and tribulations to hit form in the BC Cup Distaff earlier this month, was going for a remarkable fourth Northlands Distaff. And, if there was any doubt that she was no longer the force of yore, she immediately dismissed such treacherous thoughts by taking up a comfortable stalking position in second after being hustled towards the front early by Antonio Reyes. From there, it all proved remarkably straightforward as she did exactly what was required to keep her pursuers at bay. The winning distance of one-and-a-half lengths was no indication of her superiority.
Having already seen the filly they bred land the Oaks for Peter Redekop, Bryan and Carol Anderson then switched to owner/breeder mode to cheer on the Heads-trained AT ATTENTION (Shanghai Bobby) in the Speed to Spare Championship. As usual, the tenacious veteran gave his all, keeping-on gamely to finish third without looking like he could get to the eventual winner, VARATTI (Into Mischief). The effort, under Antonio Reyes, was still one place better than last year’s fourth for the tough-of-the-track seven-year-old, who won the same race in 2022.
Things didn’t appear to be going too well for AUGUST RAIN (Sungold) in the 95th running of the Canadian Derby. He was some way behind early and, if that was the plan, it looked as though it might unravel when Perez found himself squeezed for room approaching the far turn, just as he was making up significant ground. Forced to check, Perez and August Rain re-launched their effort with zeal. Driven into the far turn and launching a challenge down the centre of the long Century Mile straight, the pair built up unstoppable momentum to blow past their rivals and win going away by almost three lengths. The victory gave the Redekop/Heads/Perez team a second consecutive Canadian Derby after ABELIEFINTHISLIVIN 12 months ago.
Not content with the afternoon’s work, and with actual August rain now beginning to blow stingingly in across the Century Mile racetrack, the same team then sent out APPREHEND (Arrogate) to land the final race of the night, a $25,000 Allowance contest, to cap a remarkable day for the Heads’ barn, even by their own high standards.
A solid supporting cast of BC connections also played their part in a memorable day. J DUTTON (Smiling Tiger) kept on gamely under Antonio Reyes to take second place behind August Rain for trainer Robert Anderson and owners Gordon Christoff and Lance Giesbrecht, while the Mel Snow-trained BROOKE MAGIC (Honor Code) got into a spot Houdini would have struggled to extricate himself from when an exasperating fifth in the Oaks. She wouldn’t have won, but she almost certainly would have been placed with a clear run under the luckless Brian Boodramsingh.
Earlier in the day, Anderson, Christoff and Reyes teamed up to finish second with GUNFIGHTER in a valuable optional claiming contest, while Hastings handler Rob VanOverschot went extremely close to landing a Derby-day claiming-race double with CHASE THE SUN (Bakken), beaten a head in the fifth under former Hastings-based rider Alex Marti; and 2019 Canadian Derby hero EXPLODE (Trappe Shot), who was beaten a neck and a head in the sixth with Marti again in the plate.
Massive congratulations to everyone connected with another landmark day for BC racing and breeding.
Backstretch Mornings
Bloodhorse Daily Headlines — Monday, August 25
