Patience Rewarded
Horse of the Year Infinite Patience returned to action in style on Saturday, helping rider Antonio Reyes' to a Stakes double in the process
HIGHLIGHTS :
Antonio Reyes rode four winners on the day.
Efrain Hernandez booted home two more winners.
Trainers Edgar Mendoza and Barbara Heads had training doubles.
The Pick 5 carried over to $37,900 and the Pick 6 is at $28,467.
The handle was $591,183.
A glorious afternoon at Hastings as Canada Day revellers turned out in force to enjoy an afternoon of top-class racing. A light breeze kept everyone smiling and the track was fast.
Race 1.
The Canada Day opener went to George Gilbert's ARIKARA ($4.60) who dropped in from the $16,000 ranks to comfortably win this $8,000 conditional claimer for trainer Mark Cloutier in a quick 1:17.18. She broke well and sat on the outside of a sensible pace and started to gain command at the far turn and cruised to an impressive score under Amadeo Perez . The Goonshow Stables BELLAROO turned in a big effort in her first run off the claim although couldn’t match strides with the winner but was an easy second. Jordan Froelich's SKY FACTOR set the early fractions 22.61 and 46.11 with ARIKARA then started to lose ground with her rival but did very well to stay on for third.
Claims:
ARIKARA was claimed by Side Pot Stables and trainer Dino Condilenios
BELAROO was claimed by Rob & Sheen Maybin and trainer Rob Maybin
Race 2.
The second of the afternoon was won by the Wil-A-Way Farm's CALAMAZEUS ($10.70) who broke smartly and attended the pace seemed relaxed the entire trip and got the better of them all in the lane winning in 1:17.35 for trainer Pat Jarvis and jockey Antonio Reyes. The Hammer Racing Stables AIRAFFAIR had a perfect trip sitting in behind the pace setters then rallied sharply in three path and was traveling well at the end but had to settle for second money. The Hawaiian Shirt Guys and Rob Moretto's FLYUNDERTHEGRAYDAR was fastest of all early and set splits of 22.82 and 46.36 and led the field turning for home but was outrun to the finish and ended up third.
Claims:
AIRAFFAIR was claimed by Robert Thacker and trainer Kevin Scott
Race 3.
The third event was taken down easily by the Willow Creek Farms owned filly JERSEY LILLIE ($3.20) who was away best but chose to settle in the second spot early under Efrain Hernandez then approaching the far turn the tandem started to assert their superiority and drew off under Efrain Hernandez to a convincing victory in 1:16.87 for trainer Steve Henson. Demetris Topouzis KOALA demanded the early lead and got it through fractions of 22.22 and 46.01 tried to stay with the winner but couldn’t and did well to be a clear runner-up. The D & E Racing’s LIZZIES GIRL had a nice trip in behind the leaders unfortunately they never backed up and finished in a very quick time for the level and was only able to get third money.
Claims:
JERSEY LILLIE was claimed by Jordan Froelich and trainer Dino Condilenios
KOALA was claimed by G.O. Stables and trainer Erick Gutierrez
Race 4 — The Spaghetti Mouse Stakes
The fourth of the day was the first of three consecutive stakes races and the two year olds were in the spotlight in the $50,000 Spaghetti Mouse named after the winningest BC bred ever. Taking home top honours was the Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds and James Redekop's LEGACY SQUARE ($11.50) who settled in mid pack early then cruised up four wide on the final turn to engage the leaders and breezed by in the stretch to win stylishly in 1:13.06 in a very impressive debut under Efrain Hernandez for trainer Edgar Mendoza. The Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds and James Redekop's BAK TO LIBERTY was equally impressive in his debut and did everything right but was simply outrun by his stable companion giving the connections the Exactor. Mauro Comensoli's MS. STANFORD parlayed her experience to be able to break on top and led field to the stretch through fractions of 23.76 and 47.83 but could not stay with the top two and ran third.
Race 5 — The Monashee Stakes
The fifth on the program was named after Monashee who one of the greatest fillies to run at Hastings Racecourse and the blanket presentation in the winners circle went to Bill DeCoursey and the RNH Stables INFINITE PATIENCE ($3.40) as she returned to her winning ways strutting through easy fractions of 22.98 and 46.38 then sprinted home to win in 1:16.18 under Antonio Reyes for trainer Barbara Heads. Russ and Lois Bennett's SOLARITY ran another game race sitting off of her stable mate through the slow splits and ran strongly to the finish but was simply second best today. The Willow Creek Farm's WE B THREE turned in a huge effort under Learie Seecharan for trainer Steve Henson and just missed getting second after encountering troubles at the quarter pole.
Race 6 The Lieutenant Governors’ Handicap
The sixth race on the card was the $50,000 Lieutenant Governors’ for older horses sprinting six and a half furlongs and the fastest was the White Hall Farm's BE QUICK ($15.70) who got back on track after turning in a subpar performance first time out and gave us a brilliant run today showing more speed and challenged the early pace through splits of 22.36 and 45.67 then put away SIR BREGOVIC and out-gamed everyone to the wire in a rapid 1:15.97. The Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds PORTER GENT ran another huge race and was probably best but was stuffed inside and had to wait for racing room then sprung out late and just missed by a nose. Don Danard and Mel Snow's CASCADE BILLY was let settle off of the easy pace and made a solid three wide move and looked a winner in midstretch but had to take home third money.
Race 7.
The last on a successful Canada Day afternoon was won by Larry Potozny and Peter Langelaan's FLORIDA GATOR ($4.00) who made a successful debut in Vancouver as he shipped from Kentucky to score for trainer Barbara Heads. He was away reasonably well then was asked to join the slow pace that ensued (25.20, 48.74 and 1:14.15) and on the final bend he started to inch away and held his advantage to the wire under Antonio Reyes in 1:46.58. Wayne Oliver and Stu Carmichael’s VISENYA was allowed to relax in last position early and she made an amazing run considering the slow early tempo to come flying to get second under Jose Gomez. The Canmor Farm's MAKEITORBREAKIT was usually keen early and went to the front under Amadeo Perez and battled gamely to the wire and ended up a close third.
Standings:
OWNERS
Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds – 5
George Gilbert - 5
Joe and Gloria Russo - 4
TRAINERS
Barbara Heads – 16
Edgar Mendoza - 15
Mark Cloutier - 12
JOCKEYS
Amadeo Perez - 24
Antonio Reyes - 23
Efrain Hernandez -12
After a rare Saturday off at Hastings Racecourse, racing resumes Sunday, July 3rd. Headlining will be two $50,000 stakes races, the Chris Loseth Handicap for three-year- olds going a mile-and-sixteenth and the Supernaturel Stakes for three-year-old fillies and also at a mile and a sixteenth. First race 2:00 p.m.
Mike & Drew’s Derby Bar & Grill Picks - Sunday Jul 3rd
And finally…
In case you missed it, and due to the current stabling issue with Northern California racing, the date of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Northern California sale has been changed to Wednesday, Aug. 17, eight days later than originally planned. It will still be conducted in the Amador Pavilion at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton beginning at noon.
The catalog was made available at www.ctba.com beginning June 27 and can also be downloaded to devices through Equineline App. The catalogs will be mailed on or before July 11.
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