Twice as Nice

It's nip and tuck in the leading rider race as Amadeo Perez and Antonio Reyes trade doubles on Saturday, while first-season BC-based stallion RALIS also scores twice to jump-start his stud career

Aug 14, 2022

Highlights

Jockeys Amadeo Perez and Antonio Reyes rode doubles
The handle was $410,131.
The Pick 6 was hit by a single winner and paid $2,859.
The Pick 5 carried over to $5,429.
BC-based first season stallion RALIS gets off the mark with two winners

Mixed and slightly weird weather at Hastings on Saturday, with partly cloudy skies and a warm, humid afternoon interrupted occasionally by a cool breeze. The track was fast.

Saturday’s Race Reviews

Race 1.

The Saturday opener featured a contentious group of five expensive claimers going a mile and a sixteenth and taking home top honours was Dennis Tucker and Brian Albertson’s STEAL HOME($19.60) who led through comfortable fractions of 23.76, 47.73 and six furlongs in 1:12.53 and when asked for his best by Antonio Reyes he responded with a good turn of foot late to win in 1:44.75 for trainer Cindy Krasner. Don Musgrove and Lyle Johnson's PARKER POINT was away last and watched the field from afar until the final bend when he and Silvino Morales put in a dynamic late rush and was flying in the lane but had to settle for the runner-up prize. Russ and Lois Bennett's BLACK METAL was away well and in a perfect striking position but wasn’t quite good enough today and ended up in he third spot.

STEAL HOME (Antonio Reyes) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 2.

The second race was won by the Canmor Farm's ABOVE AVERAGE ($4.30) who showed far better gate speed in her second career start as she cruised to the front in 23.86 and 47.65 and began to distance herself from the field on the stretch turn and won for fun under Amadeo Perez in 1:12.75 for trainer Mark Cloutier. Sandra Corsan’s TEX TONIC had an encouraging debut getting up to be second under Gabriel Morales for trainer Mel Snow. The JDP Holdings FORCE TO REKN WITH raced wide throughout much of the journey which cost her as she lost the battle for the second and finished third.

CTHS Yearling Sale & Mixed Sale Catalogue Update:
Hip# 61 - Numaany half-sister to ABOVE AVERAGE

ABOVE AVERAGE (Amadeo Perez) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 3.

The third of the afternoon went to the Shamrock Racing Stables SILARONE ($15.30) who rallied from well off of the pace looking like a seasoned pro and getting up nearing the wire under Ridge Balgobin in 1:14.20 for trainer Brian Phillips. The Renfrew Racing, B and B Racing , No Trump Stable, Matt Elder and Bill Breen's MATSQUI raced three wide throughout much of the trip and battled on gamely and had the lead in midstretch but was just nailed approaching the finish. The Blue Willow Dairy and Forster Stable's CHI CHI’S SONG was alert at the start and settled on the pace which was sensible (23.88, 48.24) she won the pace battle but couldn’t hold off the closers and she ended up a much improved third.

CTHS Yearling Sale & Mixed Sale Catalogue Update:
Hip# 7 - full-brother to SILARONE

SILARONE (Ridge Balgobin) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 4.

The fourth event on the card went to Don Tetaranko's JUST JIMMY ($14.20) who relaxed beautifully off a very slow pace 25.33, 49.52 and 1:14.06 then outran them all to the wire under Efrain Hernandez in 1:45.55 for trainer Craig MacPherson. There was a dead-heat for the runner-up spot between the Leslie Reid’s WHISKEY TALK and Roger Snow, Don Danard and Conrad Rozenek's BOITANO who had an encouraging Hastings debut after chasing slow fractions got for be on even terms for second money.

JUST JIMMY (Efrain Hernandez) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 5.

The fifth on the day went to the Ironside Stables PRETTY ARIA ($11.30) who broke on top and settled into a nice rhythm just off of a very slow sprint pace of 23.06 and 47.11 then started to inch away turning for home and hit he line first under Kerron Khelawan in 1:17.30 for trainer Rob VanOverschot. Christine Ammann's REA MEA spent much of the trip out wide and was closing well at the end but just ran out of racetrack and finished second for trainer Edgar Mendoza. The Side Pot Stables ARIKARA was afforded a pretty easy lead and led the field of mares into the stretch but couldn’t stay the trip ending up a game third.

PRETTY ARIA (Kerron Khelawan) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 6.

The sixth of the afternoon saw an impressive debut performance fro Nick and Pauline Felicella's SUNBIRD ($5.70) who was hung three wide on a quick pace yet still managed to find a way to gain an impressive victory under Amadeo Perez in 1:13.40 for trainer Terry Jordan. Russ and Lois Bennett's FREESTYLE was the lone filly in the race and she put in a good late run to make things interesting and grabbed the second spot. The Canyon Farm's ROAD CLOSURE was away in good order today and set a contested pace of 23.34 and 46.91 was a factor in the lane and just got a little tired ending up a close third.

SUNBIRD (Amadeo Perez) — photo Patti Tubbs

Race 7.

The last on the day was won by the WYN Racing Stables ICE BREAKER ($5.40) who was put on the lead by Antonio Reyes galloping through easy splits of 24.25, 48.47 and 1:14.18 then gradually started to sneak away and had enough left in reserve to hold the late challenge of TEXAS HUMOR to win in 1:46.50 for trainer Larry Grieve. The Canmor Farm's TEXAS HUMOR settled just in behind the speed and rallied on the stretch turn gamely to be a close a second. The Pocket Aces Racing Stable's SILVER ARROW was given a perfect ride by Silvino Morales saving every inch of ground from an outside draw and ran on to be third.