Heidi Strikes First Blow

Swift Thoroughbreds' filly heads a double for trainer Dino Condilenios, while rider Efrain Hernandez bags a hat-trick and fledgling handler Jaymie Pearmam scores with first runner

May 15, 2022

After a successful opening day at Hastings last weekend the fans were eager for the resumption of racing and a good seven race card was assembled for day number two on Saturday.

Race 1.

The opener went to Kent Bird and Dino Condilenios’ BETTER TONE ($11.50) who rallied from last to first to gain his first career victory in his fifth lifetime start. The son of 2014 Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist was allowed to relax early and watch the pace duel between Ernie Chu and Rob and Vicky Gilker's Y VEE R and Peter Redekop's A TREE OF LIFE who led through splits of 23.26, 47.32 but the leaders began to feel the effects of the early grind and BETTER TONE started to pick up steam on the final bend and blew by the leaders for an impressive debut run at Hastings under rider Alex Marti. Y VEE R stayed on well after disputing the early pace and just held for second money. Jordan Froelich's DR. BENNY was also impressive in his first start in Vancouver and just missed getting the runner-up spot.

Race 2.

The second on the day saw Denny Spence’s THE KAT'S BACK ($7.40) sit a perfect trip down on the inside behind the speed then drifted off the rail on the final turn and easily ran the down the heavily favoured VALERIE VALESKI to get the victory with Efrain Hernandez in the saddle for trainer Cindy Krasner. Jordan Froelich’s VALERIE VALESKI was the lone speed and led unchallenged through fractions of 23.34 and 47.09 but by the time she reached the stretch her lead was gone and she did well to save second money. The Hastings Racing Club’s RACINO broke well then lost contact with the field but managed to get rolling again in the stretch to come back and get third for trainer Pat Jarvis.

Race 3.

The third event was the feature of the afternoon which was an allowance race for fillies and mares going six panels and taking home top honours was the Swift Thoroughbreds talented filly HEIDI. The Dino Condilenios trainee broke well from her inside draw and galloped through opening splits of 24.80, 47.61 with the favoured BAYAKOAS IMAGE on her shoulder but HEIDI began to assert her superiority heading into the lane and drew off to a one length win under Silvino Morales in 1:11.93. The Nite and Day Stable and Joanne Todd's BAYAKOAS IMAGE also ran well in her 2022 debut but couldn’t quite match strides with HEIDI in the late going. Russ and Lois Bennett’s CHA CHING didn’t get much of pace to run at and did well to be third.

Race 4.

The fourth of the day went to the Willow Creek Farms LAUGH WITH ME ($10.20) who was cleverly ridden up the inside by Cerapio Figueroa to gain the win from just off of the pace in a good time of 1:12.94. The son of Bakken chose to settle just in behind the pacesetters watching a slow pace materialize but it didn’t matter as once Figueroa found a seam for running room he raced by and was able to hold the lead safe to the wire. The Minnaloushe Stables and Dave Milburn's YOU DON'T OWN ME turned in an excellent effort racing up close early then lost a bit of ground on the stretch turn but re-rallied in the final stages and was traveling best at the wire but had to settle for second. The Sunrise Stables DAKATI led early (23.85, 47.47) and was very game throughout and checked in a close third beaten by just a length.

Race 5.

The fifth race went as expected to the heavily favoured LITTLE GROOT ($4.30) who led the field from gate to wire under Efrain Hernandez for trainer Patty Leaney in a swift 1:12.76. He virtually went unchallenged (23.68, 47.33) and cruised under the line an comfortable one length victor. Rob Thacker and Julie Wicks ALWAY'S A KNIGHT put a little scare into the winner as he scooted up the inside on the final turn and looked to be threat in the stretch but could only gain the second prize. He was claimed for $5,000 by the Hammer Racing Stable and will make his next start in the Rob Henson barn. The BFA Holdings WISE MARKET was part of the early pace sitting a good trip in second but couldn’t sustain his bid and ended up third.

Race 6.

The sixth was taken down by another winter campaigned runner as Roger Snow and Maurice Doyle's BODEGA made his Hastings debut a winning one rallying up the rail on the stretch turn and easily ran down the speed in the lane to win going away in the fastest time of day 1:11.88 with Gabriel Morales in the irons for trainer Mel Snow. He was claimed for $8,500 at Turf Paradise and made his first start for his new connections today in this $16,000 conditional claimer. The Minnaloushe Stables and Dave Milburn's BABY GRAND led the field until deep stretch after carving sensible fractions under Learie Seecharan of 24.09 and 47.26 but was just reeled in late and gave the barn their second runner-up performance of the day. Another Turf Paradise shipper Nancy Betts, Dennis Dale and Ed Welsh's DON WITH THE WIND chased the early tempo a d stayed on well for third.

Race 7.

The finale was easily won by Jose Casas, David Stephen and Jaymie Pearman’s THE ALL BUTTON ($6.70) who sat in behind a very fast pace then proceeded to blow the doors off of the field winning by more than four lengths in a solid time of 1:12.15 giving new trainer Jaymie Pearman (she is the daughter of trainer Patty Leaney) her first career training win and gave rider Efrain Hernandez his third on the day. The winner was claimed for $4,000 by owner-trainer John Morrison. Katherine Anderson and Edgar Mendoza's AVE'S IN COMMAND sat just off the speedy pace 22.79, 46.46 made the lead turning for home but was no match for the eventual winner. Vanessa Pedersen’s SWORD FIGHTER was well back early and ran on gamely to gain the third spot.