Under Starter's Orders
Opening day is finally here and, despite awful spring weather, Hastings' trainers have responded magnificently to fill seven highly-competitive fields — bet early and bet often!
Race 1.
TEXAS LEGACY and FILLY FATALE are possibly a little unlucky to still be maidens after some promising efforts in tough company last term. Filly Fatale is now with WYN racing after being claimed late last season and her neck second to subsequent CTHS Sales Stakes winner Loveaboveandbeyond may well be good enough to get the ball rolling for last year’s leading rider, Amadeo Perez. MILO’S COMMAND should be a different proposition this year after learning the ropes in a couple of warm-looking contests last year.
Race 2.
MISS THEY HYPE was snapped up at the claims box by Tod Mountain when dropped in class on her final run of last season and this looks a perfect opportunity for her to finally break her maiden following several promising efforts. DRILL BABY DRILL found one too good in her three final races of the 2022 campaign and has been working solidly enough this spring, while this represents a lowering of sights from which LILSISTERLEE should benefit.
Race 3.
I’M A CHI TOO makes his Hastings debut after being brought in from Woodbine by connections as part of the vital “fresh horse program” that helps to maintain the Hastings horse population. He has been working well enough and can go close if he adjusts to the East Van bullring. DON W beat today’s rival BARNEY GOOGLE when they clashed on closing day last season. The Tara Neigel-trained 4yo has worked eye-catchingly of late and should be thereabouts again.
Race 4.
PINEAPPLE TIDBITS received the award for leading lower-level claimer on Wednesday evening and the 5yo mare starts here looking to improve on a remarkable 2022 campaign that saw her win five of her 10 starts. The main danger may come from Woodbine import IMA DAREDEVIL. The 5yo was a consistent, hard-knocking sort back east and she will have the assistance of Amadeo Perez. Stablemate ANOTHERSUNNYDAY lost her way a little towards the end of last year but any repetition close to her win over Jersey Lilly last August puts her in the frame.
Race 5.
A wide-open contest for non-winners of four races that features some of the toughest horses at the track. There’s little to choose between most of these, although both JUVEE TOO and MR QUALITY both won in tougher company than this last season and should be a threat again today. There’s little to choose either between AVE’S IN COMMAND, who had a three-furlong “pipe opener’ earlier this week, and APPELLANT, with preference marginally for the former.
Race 6.
The Barbara Heads-trained duo STORMY BLUE and AROLLERCOASTERRIDE look to hold the key to Opening Day’s feature event. The latter notched three impressive second-place finishes to round out his 2022 campaign, going down by the shortest of margins in the BC Derby, the Premier Handicap and a valuable Allowance contest – where he lost out to today’s rival, PRINCE CAIRO. Stormy Blue may be seen to better effect when stepping up in distance, but he did have Cairo Prince well behind when landing an allowance contest prior to his fourth-place finish in the BC Derby.
Race 7.
FORT LANGLEY should certainly be fit enough after a winter spent racing in Arizona, and that also goes for STAR ENTRY, who makes his Hastings debut after being claimed out of Turf Paradise. However, BIG UNION has been working well of late and can get novice trainer Nicole Rycroft off to the best possible start as a fledgling handler. SMART LAD, meanwhile, is no slouch and won over this distance on his debut last season.
Canadian-Bred Juvenile Brings $375,000 in Ocala
And Vancouver's Peter Redekop purchases two two-year-olds during the first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales April Spring auction.
An Ontario-bred two-year-old filly from the first crop of OMAHA BEACH (War Front) brought a bid of $375,000 during the first session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring auction which began on April 25. The filly, whose sire won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, among other races, worked one furlong in :10 for consignor Off the Hook, LLC, agent.
The buyers were Siena Farms and Maverick Racing.
Meanwhile, Vancouver’s PETER REDEKOP purchased a pair of juveniles from the sale. Redekop bought a filly from the first crop of Vino Rosso for $175,000 from Top Line Sales, LLC. The filly had worked one furling in :9.4 at the gallop show.
Redekop then went to $310,000 to buy a colt by Into Mischief from the mare Curlina through agent Mike Agent from de Meric Sales.
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Awards Dinner Pictures
Don’t Forget
