$2.7 MILLION IN HASTINGS STAKES PURSES SET THE TONE FOR 2008 RACING SEASON
Posted: January 08, 2008
Vancouver, B.C. (Jan. 8/08) – Hastings Racecourse General Manager Raj Mutti has announced that 40 stakes races with purses totaling $2.7 million will highlight the 68-day thoroughbred racing season in 2008. “We’re returning all Stakes to a $50,000 minimum purse and couldn’t be more pleased,” said Mutti, who was promoted to GM last month. “There’s even been a $50,000 stakes races added – the Hastings Speed – for 3-year-olds & up on Aug. 30.”
While the 2008 thoroughbred season launches on Saturday, April 26, the initial stakes race will be the $50,000 George Royal on Saturday, May 3, the same day as the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. The first of ten at $100,000 or over is the Lieutenant Governors on Canada Day, Tuesday, July 1.
BC Cup Day on Monday, August 4th will once again highlight BC racings richest day with over $450,000 in purses.
Championship Weekend at Hastings is traditionally the biggest weekend, headlined by the $250,000 BC Derby on September 21st and the BC Oaks with a purse of $125,000 will be run on September 20th.
The Friday afternoon cards (1st race 2:25pm) that were increasingly popular last season will again be staged in July and August, six in total. There are five Monday matinee attractions (May 19, June 30, Aug. 4, Sept. 1 and Oct. 13 with the balance of the schedule being 1:25 p.m. starts on 28 Saturdays and 28 Sundays.
At the same time Mutti was named GM at Hastings, it was also announced that Michael Mackey will be returning to a consultancy position, working proactively with Mutti on issues related to the conduct of live racing, operations and other projects as they arise.
The entire 2008 Hastings Racecourse schedule is listed at http://www.hastingsracecourse.com/
