HorseRacing Central October 31, 2008

HASTINGS RACING SEASON AT THE WIRE

For more than 43 years and 50,000 races, the distinctive voice of the late Jack Short could be heard to wrap up his day’s work from the broadcast booth with the words: “Adios Amigos”.

Mr. Short passed away in 1992, a proud member of both the BC Racing Hall of Fame and the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame.

But his memory lives on and closing day at Hastings Sunday, Nov. 2, will again honour him with the $30,000 Jack Short Adios Amigos Allowance to conclude the 2008 thoroughbred racing season. Mr. Short’s daughter – Carole Logan – will decorate the winner of Sunday’s feature: the 12th and last race of the day.

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY SUNDAY

Sunday is also Customer Appreciation Day at Hastings. To start things off we have our final draw in the Pick Your Horsepower Giveaway (which has been receiving entries since September 8th). One of 10 draw finalists will have a chance to win a choice of a brand new Infiniti EX (approximate value $40,000) or ownership of a horse at Hastings that will include one year’s barn fees, feed, trainer and jockey fees (approximate value $40,000). Following Sunday’s parade to the post for Race 7, the 10 qualified finalists will meet outside the winner’s circle and be given car keys, one set of which will open the door to the Infiniti. Ballots are available through Saturday’s card in the live racing program and at Gaming Floor Guest Services, until Saturday at 11:50pm.

It will be a busy final weekend at Hastings with 11 races on the Saturday card highlighted by the fifth and last leg of the Pacific Customs Brokers Ltd. marathon series. The prize at the end of the challenging 14 furlongs for the seven starting marathon stars is a hefty $30,000.

WHAT’S ON TAP OUT OF TOWN

Saturday: It’s a rare occasion at Churchill Downs as all 11 races on the program are for 2-year-olds. Two stakes are included: the $100,000 Pocahontas (1:34 p.m.) for fillies and the $100,000 Iroquois (2:02 p.m.) for colts, both at a mile on the main track.

Woodbine also features the 2-year-olds as Canadian-bred fillies run for $250,000 in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes (12:35 p.m.) at 1 1/16 miles on the polytrack. It’s also opening weekend for the winter Aqueduct meeting with the headliner being the $150,000 Long Island Handicap (12:16 p.m.) for fillies and mares. Hollywood Park opens its winter meet with the feature being the $100,000 Sharp Cat (1:30 p.m.) for 2-year-old fillies.

Sunday: Local owner Peter Redekop has two entries at Woodbine: Jungle Wave (11:30 a.m.) and Gimme S’Mor (2:00 p.m.), both conditioned by Terry Jordan. Another added money event on the Woodbine program is the $150,000 Ontario Fashion Stakes (1:30 p.m.) for filles and mares.

Churchill Downs has the $150,000 Chilukki for fillies and mares on the dirt as its main attraction while Hollywood Park offers $65,000 to fillies and mares in the In The Air Stakes.

TRUE METROPOLITAN RUNS AGAIN

Jot down this date: Sunday, Nov. 19. That’s the $150,000 Autumn Stakes at Woodbine where True Metropolitan will be defending his title and perhaps have the chance to avenge his loss in the $100,000 Premiers stakes to Rosberg, who’s also expected to make the trip east.

HANDICAPPERS HEAVEN

Albert Wong, Sylvia Christensen, Ken Bell and Alan Harrison will be representing ‘Team Hastings’ at the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas next January. Wong finished first in the Hastings qualifying tournament, winning top prize of $12,150. All four will be competing for more than $1 million in prize money at the national tournament Jan. 23-24 at the Red Rock Casino in Vegas.

Leni Caldwell, who qualified at Fraser Downs, was the runner-up in the TROT Canada National Handicapping Championship and won $5,000 after selecting seven winners out of 20 races.

CHRIS LOSETH STILL WINNING

He retired in 2005 as the all-time leading jockey in B.C. thoroughbred racing history with 3,665 winners but Chris Loseth is still riding tall in the saddle following his $1.5 million win in the 2008 Winfall Ocean View Lottery this week. Loseth works as the assistant trainer to his wife Tracy McCarthy. The day after his name was drawn as the major prize winner, Loseth was back at the work in the barns at 5:30 a.m.

BEHIND THE SCENE WITH T.W.

Tommy Wolski and his talented crew with the “Sport of Kings” television show (11 a.m. Saturdays on Citytv) present this week a retrospective of some of the highlights from the 2008 stakes season. Also, there will be exclusive footage of previous interviews with Jim Morgan, Ross McLeod and Terry Jordan.

BIG MONTH AT FRASER DOWNS

With the thoroughbreds winding down at Hastings, things quickly pick up at Fraser Downs. The BC Breeders Stakes (2-year-old & 3-year-old finals) take place on Nov. 11; the Surrey Cup Qualifying Leg is set for Nov. 15 with the Surrey Cup Final on Nov. 22; the BC Sales Stakes legs for 2 and 3-year-olds go Nov. 21/22 and Nov. 28/29 and then several other major stakes are scheduled for December.

An estimated $400,000 will be on the line for BC-bred pacers participating in the Nov. 11 Stakes. Heading the big day will be the $100,000 inaugural Robert Murphy BC Breeders Stakes (colts & geldings) and the $100,000 Mary Murphy BC Breeders Stakes (fillies).

B.C. race drivers have until the completion of the Fraser Downs race card on Nov. 16 to see if they can win a spot in the Fraser Downs National Driving Championship team. The three drivers with the best winning records (Sept. 19-Nov. 16) will be the top candidates for selection to compete in the Western Regional Driving Championship at Fraser on Dec. 13. The top driver from this trio then goes to the Nationals at Fraser on March 21, 2009, with the national champ representing Canada at the World Driving Championship in Norway.