Favourites On Opening Weekend Fall Short At Hastings Racecourse

April 19, 2009

The favourites fell out of favour on opening weekend at Hastings Racecourse.

Against the Sky, winner of six consecutive races last season, settled for a third-place finish in Sunday’s $75,000 optional claiming race as Wind Storm scored a mild upset with Littlemiss Allison in the runner-up slot. Wind Storm, ridden by Richard Hamel, chased the leaders from the rail but gained the lead in the late stretch and won driving. Littlemiss Allison threatened under an encouraging ride by Pedro Alvarado but lost at the wire by a half-length.

Smoke’n Coal, who’d won a stakes race at Belmont Park in his second start as a 2-year-old, was the fans’ choice in Saturday’s $75,000 optional claimer but finished second to Seminole Brave.

Both Saturday and Sunday drew large crowds to Hastings and there was a great sigh of relief after Sunday’s second race when leading jockey for the past two years, Mario Gutierrez, survived a spill at the half-mile pole when Eight Black suddenly bolted for the rail.

Gutierrez was off his mounts for the balance of the afternoon, suffering a badly bruised shoulder.

Gutierrez, Stephanie Fedora and Troy Taylor were honoured on Saturday for their 2008 accomplishments: Gutierrez was leading jockey with 103 wins, including eight stakes wins; Fedora hit the winners circle 40 times and as leading apprentice jockey; Taylor won the leading trainer award for a second consecutive season.

Racing resumes at Hastings next weekend with Saturday and Sunday start times at 1:25 p.m.

DANCING ALLSTAR SHINES

B.C.-bred Dancing Allstar, owned by Bob Cheema and trained by Terry Jordan, was named Canada’s champion 2-year-old filly two years ago. Life as a 4-year-old might not be bad, either.

Ridden by James McAleney at Woodbine Saturday, Dancing Allstar easily held off favoured Smart Surprise in the stretch to win the Grade 3 $160,000 Whimsical Stakes.

Dancing Allstar won six consecutive stakes in 2007-08 and has improved her mark to 9-2-1 in 14 starts with earnings of $496,229. Saturday’s victory was worth $74,070.The chestnut filly was purchased by Cheema in 2006 for $13,800 at the CTHS Spring sale.

For Media & Entertainment Inquiries: Howard Blank @ 604.303.1000