Off The Mark!
Trainers Jean Lavallee and Bruce Unwin may have small barns but both struck with their first runners of the season on Friday night; while there were riding doubles for Kimal Santo and Amadeo Perez
HIGHLIGHTS
Kimal Santo and Amadeo Perez had riding doubles
Trainers Jean Lavallee and Bruce Unwin saddled their first starters of 2024 and both visited the winner's circle
Four of the evening’s six completed races were won by horses bred in B.C.
There was a Pick 5 payoff of $1,301.40
The handle was $435,752 for the six races
Friday Night Flavours — photos Michael Bye and Patti Tubbs A confusing evening for racegoers weather-wise, with warms sunshine interspersed with periods of cloud and showers. And it was very cool in the shadows of the grandstand. The track remained fast and fair all evening with winners coming from off the pace as well as going gate-to-wire
Race 1.
The first on Friday night saw an impressive run from Jean Lavallee's DAPPER DON ($7.90), who led the field the entire mile-and-sixteenth journey under Chris Mamdeen in his first start of 2024. The son of Second in Command set sensible splits of 23.74, 47.78 and six panels in 1:13.40, before widening with ease, winning geared down in 1:48.23 for trainer Jean Lavallee. Roxanne's Racing Stable, Cody and Kelsi Wellard's CHABI settled nicely in behind the speed on the rail with Amadeo Perez at the controls. They couldn’t get near the winner but won the battle for second for trainer Pete Gregory. Sandra Corsan’s BORROWED EQUITY raced in between runners early under Brian Boodramsingh, made a decent run on the outside on the final turn and just missed second ending up third.
Race 2.
The second of the evening went to Renfrew Racing, B and B Racing, No Trump Stable, Matt Elder and Bill Breen's MATSQUI ($3.40), who managed to weave her way through a tight pack on the stretch turn under Amadeo Perez to get up and win in 1:46.71 for trainer Mark Freeman. LH Stable’s HIGHER IMAGE was off a step slow and elected to sit third under Antonio Reyes but encountered traffic issues on the final bend, costing her the victory and having to settle for an unlucky second-place prize for conditioner Rob VanOverschot. Conrad Rozenek's MARYS TAPPIN SHOES was surprisingly in second early behind a slow pace (23.73, 48.27 and 1:14.08), with Brian Boodramsingh in the saddle and they briefly struck the front at the top of the stretch but were swamped by the top two, finishing third in a much improved effort.
Race 3.
The third race was won by Bruce Unwin’s TOBESUNNY ($37.90) who was given a perfect ride by Kimal Santo, nestled just in behind a contested pace duel, before striking the front at the sixteenth pole and just lasting home for the win for veteran trainer Bruce Unwin. Gary Johnson, Pumpkin and Sharlea Stable's ZETAMARIE was far back early and started to roll late but ran out of time under Antonio Reyes, finishing a flying second for trainer Frank Barroby. Jordan Froelich and Ryan Deyotte's RICHARDS COMMAND showed good gate speed, which resulted in her becoming involved in a pace duel (22.91, 46.04) as they quickened noticeably on the backstretch under Learie Seecharan; and, while she won the pace battle, she could only rescue third money in a race where she deserved better.
Race 4.
The fourth race on the program saw James Redekop and Stefan Ferrario's BLUEBIRD CAFE ($7.80) win a hard fought battle under Kimal Santo for conditioner Terry Jordan. The import from Ohio made a great first impression, showing excellent speed and battling through splits of 22.32 and 46.55 before simply out-gaming her rivals, winning in 1:19.54. Don and Sue Danard's B C CHU CHU was also up on the contested pace with Brian Boodramsingh aboard and was valiant in defeat for trainer Mel Snow. Willow Creek Farm's SHE'S KIND OF HOT made a line of three from the gate but she was the farthest out in the three path under Scott Williams before turning in a determined effort to finish third and she won’t be long in breaking her maiden.
Race 5.
The fifth race of the night saw a powerhouse performance from Rob and Sheena Maybin's OSTRACIZE ($5.00) who was a back marker early but, when given her cue by Ridge Balgobin, looped the field on the backstretch and drew clear for a decisive triumph in 1:46.28 for trainer Rob Maybin. WYN Racing Stables ICE BREAKER was away well under Kimal Santo, securing a good spot just off of the early leaders, who were not going fast (24.31, 48.71, 1:13.70), and ended up a clear second for trainer Larry Grieve. Dreamtime Stable’s AMANDA trailed the field through the opening stages and made a nice three-wide run on the final turn to gain third money.
Claims:
AMANDA was claimed by owner Richard Hunter for trainer Edgar Mendoza
Race 6.
The sixth race of the day went to Lorie Henson and Helen Klimes QUEEN OF ATTITUDE ($3.40) who was patiently ridden by Amadeo Perez who, having to wait a long time to get clear, tipped out three wide and ran on to a good score in 1:45.63 for trainer Steve Henson. Rob and Sheena Maybin's MISS THE HYPE saved every inch of ground with rider Chris Mamdeen taking the lead heading for home, but couldn’t hold off the winner and won the battle for second. Mort Hall and Praven Sorensen's ARTISTIC JEWLER raced wide much of the trip under Antonio Reyes and checked in third for trainer Barbara Heads.
Claims:
MISS THE HYPE was claimed by owner Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds for trainer Edgar Mendoza
Race 7.
The seventh race was abandoned after a bank of grandstand lights went out during the sixth race. Racing was subsequently cancelled due to safety concerns.
In Other News…
Caribbean riders based in Canada are often in the news ‘back home’ and it was the turn of Hastings’ own Learie Seecharan this week. Following his exploits aboard Settecento in the recent George Royal Stakes, Learie was headline news in the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian .
The piece also reports Kimal Santo’s double on the day while Kerron Khelawan gets an honourable mention.
Settecento’s victory was also featured in a local SportsMax TV racing program and we’ve included the feature below.
More locally, CTHS BC President Dairen Edwards celebrated his birthday in the best possible way with two Alberta-bred winners and a third at Century Mile on Friday evening. Edwards’ Willow Creek Farms silks were carried to victory by Dane Nelson on KISS ME HELLO in the second race on the card and, just 30 minutes later, they were back in the winner’s circle aboard GOLDIE SOCKS, this time the silks were worn by Rasheed Hughes. Both $8,000 claimer winners were trained by Robert Kingston.
Seecharan takes feature, Santo rides double
VANCOUVER – Learie Seecharan captured the feature CAN$50 000 George Royal Stakes aboard 17-1 outsider Settecento while fellow Trinidadian jockey Kimal Santo rode a brace, as they dominated proceedings at Hastings Racecourse in Canada on Saturday.
Riding in the penultimate race on the six-race programme, the 26-year-old Seecharan combined with the six-year-old bay gelding to edge the three-year-olds and upward by half-length, in a time of one minute, 15:97 seconds.
Another Trinidadian jockey Kerron Khelawan just missed out aboard second placed Bakken Overdrive.
Going 6-1/2 furlongs, 4-1 chance Stormy Blue duelled with Bakken Overdrive through the half-mile in 45.36, with Seecharan racing Settecento well off the pace.
However, Seeacharan brought the gelding to stalk along the rails down the backstretch before shifting out, surviving a bump with Sunbird turning for home, and outlasting his rivals in the stretch drive…
Broodmare Prospect Available
Eight-time winner BELLAROO has been retired from racing and is available to acquire as a broodmare prospect. The six-year-old daughter of multiple Graded Stakes-winning sprinter SUCCESSFUL APPEAL enjoyed a successful Hastings career, with a record of eight wins, six seconds and two thirds from 21 starts and proved herself to be an extremely tough and genuine claimer. Out of the Ready’s Image mare, WILD IMAGE, she has an international pedigree and would make a perfect ‘starter mare’ for anyone considering taking up breeding. Please contact BELLOAOO’s owner Jordan Froelich via email for further details: jordan@schmunkgattsmith.com
