HorseRacing Central December 19, 2008

FINAL WINTER MEETING AT HOLLYWOOD PARK

This weekend brings the close to what could be the final winter meeting at Hollywood Park as development of the property is scheduled to start as early as next August. The highlight of Saturday’s card is the Grade 1 $750,000 Cashcall Futurity for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles over the cushion track. Pioneer of the Nile (5th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile) will be the likely favourite ridden by Garrett Gomez despite being on a two-day suspension for careless riding at Sha Tin in Hong Kong last week.

Also on Saturday the BC Derby runner-up Wink At The Girls will be one of the favourites in a 6 ½ furlong allowance test. Also entered is Anita Dawson’s B.C.-bred Gold Star Status, a recent winner in a starter allowance race. The closing day feature at Hollywood Sunday will be the Grade 2 $150,000 Dahlia Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

LOCALS BUSY AT GOLDEN GATE

Bill Decoursey’s Montero in entered in an optional $25,000 claimer at Golden Gate Saturday while Terry Clyde will saddle Dream Baby Dream for her first start in Northern California. Leif Nordahl’s Diamond Berries will be one of the preferred choices in a starter allowance race Sunday at a mile on the Tapeta surface.

HOLIDAY RACING GEARED TO GO

Santa Anita starts its 72nd winter meeting on Boxing Day – Dec. 26 – and Fraser Downs once again will stage its popular California Dreamin’ contest with the winner heading off to the “Great Race Place” for an April weekend for the Santa Anita Derby. The traditional opening day stakes race on Dec. 26 is the $250,000 Malibu for 3-year-olds. There are 10 stakes races between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve at Santa Anita.

After a 12-day break Aqueduct resumes racing on the 26th featuring the start of a $150,027 carryover in the Pick 6 pool. Undefeated Old Fashion and recent winner of the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct, is one of the top 2-year-olds in the U.S, and will likely be pointed to the Kentucky Derby. His dam, Collect Call, won the BC Oaks this past summer at Hastings.

Note to local fan For the first time in several years there will not be simulcast coverage on Christmas Eve. Racetracks and Teletheatres will be dark for two days. As in previous years, fans can ring in the New Year with simulcast racing from Hong Kong at regular wagering sites.

EAST DOMINATES SOVEREIGN AWARDS

The best of the thoroughbred industry for 2008 were honoured last weekend in Toronto and it was almost a clean sweep for the easterners. The lone winner from the west was Alberta’s Danny Dion Bear Stables as top owners in Canada. Horse-of-the-Year went to champion sprinter Fatal Bullet who was second in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in his final start of the season.

Hastings Racecourse had three Sovereign finalists: Against The Sky (3rd behind Bear Now); Spaghetti Mouse (3rd to winner Marchfield); trainer Terry Jordan (3rd behind Mark Casse and Roger Attfield.

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH T.W.

Tommy Wolski’s Sport of Kings television show had also been in the running for a Sovereign but, like the others from the west, failed to make the winner’s circle. On this week’s Show (Citytv 11 a.m.) the Western Regional Championship will be featured from last weekend and the Race of the Week – Mr. Vancouver – finishes in a dramatic four-horse cluster. You have to see it to believe it.

DAVIS COUNTOWN CONTINES AT FRASER

Bill (The Dominator) Davis advanced to the National Driving Championship next March along with Alberta’s Kelly Hoerdt after finishing two wins and 62 points in the Regional Final last weekend at Fraser.

Now Davis’ attentions are focused on hitting the charmed circle of 5,000 career driving wins. He heads into this weekend with 4,991 lifetime driving victories and has seven drives on Friday and Saturday and seven more on Sunday’s card.

“Everybody at the track is excited and counting down with him,” says veteran trainer Wayne Isbister. “Nailing 5,000 career wins is like an NHL player scoring 500 career goals or a baseball player hitting 500 career home runs. I’m proud to say that probably 500 of Bill’s wins came while he was driving for me in the 1990’s. I’ll be one of the first in line to congratulate him when number 5,000 is officially in the books.”

ALDRED HEADING HOME

David Aldred has been appointed as the new head of Harness racing for South Australia and has resigned as executive director of harness racing in British Columbia. Aldred is in his third term as executive director of the BC Standardbred Association and BC Standardbred Breeders’ Society.

“David’s resignation is a huge blow to us and horse racing in B.C.,” says BCSA president Jim Vinnell. “We were hoping he would take us forward for another three years.”

Until his departure at the end of January, Aldred plans to focus on achieving the short term priorities for the BCSA and BCSBS and assist the board in identifying his replacement.