HorseRacing Central March 19, 2010

COUNTDOWN CONTINUES AT HASTINGS

Hastings Racecourse is a beehive of activity as preparations for opening day on Saturday, April 24 continue both on and off the track.

Director or Racing Paul Ryneveld says there are currently 700 horses on the grounds and Thursday the starting gates went up for schooling some of the young talent that will be making racing debuts in the early portion of this year’s 71-day event schedule.

In an effort to attract new owners, trainers and horses to Hastings in 2010, Ryneveld has been traveling the thoroughbred circuit from Seattle to Oregon to Kamloops to Alberta and is spending this weekend renewing acquaintances and making new contacts at Golden Gate.

Hastings Racecourse General Manager Raj Mutti announced this week that the Hastings Eclipse Lounge will become the pre-game broadcast home on Team 1410 for the complete BC Lions schedule, home and away. Check the Hastings Racecourse website in the upcoming weeks for more details relating to several cross-promotions with the Lions.

OUT OF TOWN SCOREBOARD & SIMULCAST ACTION

The focus Saturday will be on Gulfstream with five consecutive stakes on the program starting with the $200,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1:11 p.m. Next up at 1:42 p.m. is the $150,000 Rampart Stakes for fillies and mares. This is followed at 2:14 p.m. with the $100,000 Appleton with nine turf runners going 7 ½ furlongs. Then comes the $150,000 Swale (2:45 p.m.) for 3-year-olds and finally, the big $750,000 Florida Derby at 3:20 p.m. Talk about action! Eleven 3-year-olds will go 1 1/8 miles in a Kentucky Derby prep with the favourite listed as Rule from the Todd Pletcher stable, ridden by JR Velazquez.

Both weekend features at Santa Anita are on the turf with the $150,000 San Luis Rey Handicap going Saturday at 4:07 p.m. The Sunday headliner is the $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap with post time also set for 4:07 p.m. Eight fillies and mares will go the 1 1/8 miles.

SCHEDULE CHANGE

Advance notice to Hong Kong simulcast players: Coverage was originally scheduled for Friday, March 26 but has been moved to Saturday, March 27. Also on the 27th, the final three races from the new Meydan racecourse in Dubai will be simulcast starting at 8:55 a.m. on World Cup Day. First up will be the Dubai Duty Free, followed by the Sheema Classic (9:35 a.m.) and the feature of the card – the Dubai World Cup – at 10:45 a.m.

AWARDS BANQUET

There are still tickets available for the Harness Racing BC Standard Awards Banquet on Monday night (March 22) at Newlands Golf and Country Club. Diane Pennington is accepting reservations at 604.574.5558.