Saturday's Previews
Six highly-competitive heats for fans to solve on Saturday, including a valuable Allowance contest featuring the return of last season's Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes third, SUNBLAZE
Recent B.C. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Terry Jordan saddles the lightly-raced EVANDERKEEN. The half-brother to fellow Jordan trainee and former B.C. Premier’s Handicap winner, Sunbird, drops a little in class and looks to hold a leading chance. Fellow four-year-old, THISONESONME, should benefit from his racing debut, regardless of where he finishes. That said, he represents a barn that has already had a winner, has had plenty of morning work and may not have to be top class to play a hand in this. MAX BOOSTER went down by just a head in a similar contest at the end of last season and he will be a popular choice to break his maiden at the 11th time of asking.
Trainer Dino Condilenios hit the board with all three of his runners last weekend and he saddles THIRSTY FRIEND, claimed out of Turf Paradise in March, for his Hastings debut. The gelding’s winter campaign in California and Arizona included a maiden win at Pleasanton in December at a higher level than he faces today and he can make full use of his fitness advantage. Traditionally a closer, WISELY PLAYED would be close to a lock against these if it was over further. Even so, he was a neck second in Allowance company on his debut last season over six-and-a-half furlongs and, with leading jockey Amadeo Perez at the helm, shouldn’t be too far away. SILARONE ran just once last season, but he’s been working solidly all spring, is a winner over this distance and represents a Rob Maybin barn that has already had a winner.
BAKBURNER has joined the Hastings Racing Club team and is dropped in class by trainer Steve Henson for her season debut. She’s been working solidly and a repeat of anything close to her first two outings last year would make her hard to beat. FOOTHILLS BLVD. won at the first time of asking last season and represents an in-form Keith Pedersen barn that bagged a winner and two thirds on opening day. She won’t be far away. I’M ALL SHOOK UP has been showing up well in the mornings and will be a threat if she can repeat the level of form that saw her close out last year with a win and a second in similar company.
CASCADE BILLY didn’t reappear until July last season but ended a curtailed campaign with two wins over 6½ furlongs. A repeat of that standard would give him a favourite’s chance. ROCKCLIFFE’s season ended in June but, prior to that, he showed consistent form in good company, including an Allowance win at a similar level to this. He’s been working well and, while untested at six furlongs, could give the favourite plenty to think about. PETER FLIES makes his Hastings debut after arriving from Emerald Downs last year. Clearly a speedy sort on his day, his two wins last season were at six furlongs and he’s definitely one to note.
A first runner of the season for trainer Barbara Heads, SUNBLAZE may eventually be seen to better effect over further. However, she did break her maiden over 6½ furlongs last term, has had a couple of eye-catching workouts this spring and looks a major threat, especially with leading rider Amadeo Perez in the plate. MISS UNION should be game-fit after a winter campaign in Arizona where she notched a win and two seconds in three starts. The ultra-consistent ARIKARA, meanwhile, won at this distance on her debut last year and looks to add to her ten lifetime wins.
BRIAN’S DE LEIGHT won at the first time of asking last season and in deeper waters than he faces here. He’s been working well for trainer Charlene Miller and on, or near, his best form, should give his rivals plenty to think about. Although without a win last term, FOOT SOLDIER missed the board just once in five starts and that level of consistency can serve him well again today. After missing a year, FOREIGN PROTOCOL understandably took a race to get sharp last July. However, he had Foot Soldier behind him when winning in October and, if able to repeat that standard, shouldn’t be far away .
Lisa & Mike’s Picks
Statistics
HBPA Spring Meeting
This Saturday, May 10, at 11:30am on the Grandstand Patio
Coffee and Sweets Provided
Meeting Agenda
11:30 am – Welcome and Introduction – Neil Stajkowski
11:40 am – Government Lobby update – Denise Praill
11:40 am – President’s Report – David Milburn
11:50 am – 2025 Horse Population, Conditions and Purses – David Milburn and Race Secretary Scott Henson
12:20 pm – Operator, Hastings Racecourse - Ryan McCartney, AGM to present
12:30 pm – Thoroughbred Racing BC Report – TRBC Chair Gary Johnson to report
1:00 pm – Meeting Adjourned
FROM THE PROVINCE:
Hastings Racing Club Helps Parlay Casual Fans into Full Fledged owners
Netflix’ series on Horse Racing may have sparked interest in the sport, but the trick is to convert once-a-year racegoers into permanent fans
by Nigel Reid, Staff Reporter
Last weekend’s Kentucky Derby drew its largest North American TV audience in 30 years with an average of 17.7 million viewers tuning into NBC to see Sovereignty win the 151st running of the storied race, according to Nielsen and Adobe Analytics.
How much of the six per cent uptick in interest was due to the recent Netflix series Race for the Crown is a matter of opinion. However, as we also saw with the surge in popularity of Formula One following the streaming service’s Drive to Survive reality series, it can’t have hurt.
While there was certainly a larger-than-normal crowd watching from the Hastings’ grandstand last weekend, the difficult trick for Vancouver’s racing industry is turning new, or once-a-year, racegoers into regular fans and ultimately, horse owners. Horse Racing, despite being described on the Netflix show by former Major League Baseball star-turned-race horse-owner Jayson Werth as the “most underrated sport on the planet,” can be daunting to the newcomer.
At Hastings, which hosts live racing this weekend, the path to ownership and understanding the sport is simplified through the popular Hastings Racing Club which, with an annual membership fee of $300, puts the Sport of Kings within the reach of ordinary fans.
Now in its tenth year, the Hastings Racing Club has around 150 members who, as part of their membership, are also registered as individual owners. And they will be out in force at Hastings this weekend with Bakburner, one of the club’s three horses, slated to carry the club’s distinctive blue and white silks. The club is managed by Mark Freeman and Matt Elder, both of whom began their Horse Racing adventure as members.
“The experience for people once they join up and get here is incredible,” Freeman said. “And the benefits you get as a partial owner of a horse just fosters more interest in the game.”
Get it On, Bang A Gong!
Celebrate Your Win & Champion Thoroughbred Aftercare!
Join our winner’s circle recognition and “Bang the Gong” for aftercare
As part of our 2025 fundraising campaign, we are inviting owners, trainers and their representatives to take part in our “Bang the Gong” program – a public way to acknowledge your commitment to Horse – First Retirement and Aftercare.
If you win today and sign up for our program with the Horsemen’s Bookkeeper, Cristan Gossen, a $50 donation will be deducted from your account but only if you chose to
“Bang the Gong” on that day.
All donations support Wild Hearts Thoroughbred Adoption Society, helping rehome and transition retired racehorses.
For more information about the “Gong” program please contact the Horsemen’s Bookkeeper, Cristan, or to learn more about working with aftercare, please visit:
www.wildheartsthoroughbredadoption.com and click ‘owners/trainers’.
Be recognized for making retirement part of your racing legacy!