Santo Arrives in Time

Santo put on a superlative riding display at Hastings on Sunday with a three-timer that included a powerful display aboard FORT LANGLEY in the day’s feature event

Sep 26, 2022

HIGHLIGHTS

Kimal Santo had three wins on the day
Amadeo Perez had a riding double
The Pick 5 carryover is at $11,557 and the Pick 6 is up to $5,624
The handle was $497,778

It was t-shirt order again for racegoers, as summer took a curtain call in a jewel of an afternoon at the East Van oval. The track was fast.

Hastings Race Reviews, Sunday Sept 25

Race 1.

The Sunday opener was won by Roy and Dixie Jacobson’s COULTERBERRY ($5.70) who bided his time as usual at the rear of the field early then approaching the far turn started to pick off rivals under Amadeo Perez. Turning for home the pair secured the lead and drew off to an easy score in a quick 1:16.96. Rob and Sheena Maybin's THE ALL BUTTON was up close early and ran on well late to get up for second money just ahead of Rob Thacker and Nicole Guolo’s AIRAFFAIR who was prominent (22.71, 46.04) on the pace and just got caught late for second ending up third.

COULTERBERRY (Amedeo Perez) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 2.

The second race of the day went to Warren Wilson, June Sutherland, Neil Stajkowski, Barry Hickman and Lesley Small's WISELY PLAYED, who showed good speed early and kept in a perfect striking position under Kimal Santo and ground out a hard fought victory for trainer Charlene Miller in 1:45.76. Rob Scott, William Long and Dan McLeod’s HE’S A SAINT set all the fractions which were comfortable 24.34, 48.20 and 1:13.30 under Amadeo Perez and couldn’t stay with winner but was a clear runner-up. The WYN Racing Stables ROYAL AIR FORCE spent much of the trip on the rail and checked in third.

WISELY PLAYED (Kemal Santo) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 3.

The third race of the afternoon was won by Peter Redekop's ASKMENOQUESTIONS ($14.30) who tracked the early speed under Amadeo Perez then pounced on the pacesetter on the final turn and edged clear for the win in 1:19.92 for trainer Barbara Heads. Jamie Demetrick's SWANGIN ran very well in her debut showing brilliant gate speed setting fractions of 22.34 and 46.40 and she took the lead to the stretch and remained game to the wire ending up a close second. The Canyon Farm's BACK SHACK ran a much improved race showing good speed and was up in contention throughout and was traveling well at the end finishing a close third.

ASKMENOQUESTIONS (Amedeo Perez) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 4.

The fourth was won by Willow Lake Farms and Stables ROLLIE'S SPIRIT ($12.20) who was up on a hotly contested pace (22.52, 46.37) under Kimal Santo and fought on bravely after being passed in the stretch to come back on for the victory for trainer John Snow in 1:19.11. Don Danard and Mel Snow's DRILL BABY DRILL was far back off of he quick early tempo and made a sharp four wide move on the turn and just missed. Peter Redekop's ABRIERWIN was void of early speed and made a late run to get he third spot.

ROLLIE’S SPIRIT (Kimal Santo) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 5.

The fifth of the day was a competitive group of $25,000 claimers going long and getting top honours was Joe and Gloria Russo's FORT LANGLEY ($17.20), who settled in midpack through the easy stages then breezed by the leaders at the top of the stretch to win easily under Kimal Santo in 1:44.41 for trainer Patty Leaney. Warren Wilson, June Sutherland, Neil Stajkowski, Ross Switzer and Barry Hickman's PAY MY WAY ran another solid race for trainer Charlene Miller using his successful style of being held in reserve early and producing a wide final move which ended up getting him second money. The Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds STAY FANTASTIC had no luck with the trip after a tardy beginning he then tried to make an inside move at the three-eighths pole instead of rallying five wide which proved to be his undoing today as he was barely able to rescue the third spot after being stuck for quarter mile behind tiring horses.

FORT LANGLEY (Kimal Santo) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 6.

The sixth on the program was #2 of the Endurance Series and at the end of the eleven furlong journey Lance Giesbrecht and Gord Christoff’s ERLICH ($10.00) was the one that hit the finish line first under Kerron Khelawan, who gave the Rob Anderson trainee a perfect ride, settling on the rail for the first mile then shifted him to the four path for the final three-eighths and got up for the victory in 2:20.10. The Willow Creek Farms and Fabio Chiesa’s FRANKIE MACHINE set a contested but moderate pace of 24.94, 48.66, 1:14.87 and got the mile in 1:40.89 and stayed strong to the finish to win the battle for the runner-up spot from his Willow Creek Farms stablemate LAUGH WITH ME who just missed the second spot ending up a very close third.

ERLICH (Kerron Khelawan) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 7.

The seventh and final event of the Sunday card went to Rob and Sheena Maybin's DONE THAT ($61.60), who shocked most of the crowd at 25-1 to win coming from miles back after watching a very fast pace duel unfold then split horses at the sixteenth pole to get up late for the victory under Silvino Morales for trainer Rob Maybin in 1:47.36. The Canmor Farm's TEXAS HUMOR was up close to the very quick early fractions (23.44, 47.06 and 1:12.84) then pounced on the leaders midway on the final bend and led into the stretch but couldn’t hold off DONE THAT in the lane. Don Tetaranko's SILK STILETTOS was alittle slow to begin which led to her having to change running styles and come from off the pace and she responded with a good effort and just missed second ending up third.