HorseRacing Central February 1, 2007
FRASER DOWNS IN NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Standardbred Canada is introducing a new format to determine Canada’s representative for the 2007 World Driving Championship and Fraser Downs has been named as host for one of the four regional events leading up to the national final.
This year’s World Driving Championship will be held in Australia and New Zealand October 31 - November 9. Traditionally determined by a formula that included earnings, wins and UDRS rating, the 2007 Canadian rep will now have to beat out 31 of the country’s finest drivers to be declared National Driving Champion.
The four regional championships will produce eight finalists - two from each region - and they will travel to Charlottetown, P.E.I. for the annual Old Home Week Festival in August. The driver crowned Canadian champ will have a chance at winning $25,000 at the World Driving Championship that is held every two years in conjunction with the World Trotting Conference.
The dates and locations for the regional events are as follows:
Western Region (B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) at Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino on Saturday, March 24th
Ontario Region at Western Fair Raceway, London, Ont. at the end of April.
Quebec Region at Hippodrome de Montreal on Sunday, May 27th
Atlantic Region (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., Newfoundland) at Charlottetown Driving Park at the end of May.
The two drivers in each region who accumulate the most points in each region’s eight-race competition advance to Nationals.
Legendary Herve Filion won the inaugural world competition in 1970 and since that time only two other Canadians have won the title: Sylvain Filion in 1999 and Jody Jamieson in 2001.
“We’re thrilled to be included as a host for one of the regional events,” says Scott Sinclair, General Manager of Fraser Downs. It’s another indication of Fraser Downs’ reputation on a national level.”
$500,000 GUARANTEED!
Every Saturday from now through the middle of April, the last race from Laurel Park in Maryland will be the first leg of an exciting new concept called the Magna 5 Pick 5.
For a minimum $2 wager, you can bet on the last race at Laurel Park and then four other designated races from Gulfstream, Santa Anita and Golden Gate. The guaranteed minimum pool is $500,000. If there isn’t a five-race winner then 25 per cent of the pool will be awarded to those with the most wins and the balance will be carried over to the following week.
Santa Anita simulcast television coverage will provide updates and results of the Magna wagers.
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’
Continuing at Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino, every Saturday until March 3rd, local racing fans can test their Southern California handicapping skills for a chance to win a trip to the 2007 Santa Anita Derby on April 7th. The contest is simple: Contestants are allowed to pick any three races using races 3 to 8 on the designated Santa Anita Saturday cards. Each selection will have a mythical $20 across-the-board wager with prices capped at $42.00 for a win; $22.00 for second; and $12.00 for third.
Each week a contestant with the most winnings will have a chance to compete in the finals for the dream trip to Santa Anita. A winner will be declared following the March 3rd races.
FUN FOR THE LADIES AT FRASER DOWNS
It’s as close as we could get on a racing day to acknowledge your favourite Valentine! Sunday, February 11th is Ladies Day at Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino featuring a Craft Fair and fun-filled hat contest sponsored by the Arts Council of Surrey with first prize being $250! There will be complimentary gifts and prize draws throughout the day exclusively for our female patrons.
NEW LOOK IN THE WORKS
Scott Sinclair, General Manager of Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino, advises that Pacers Lounge located to the right of the Casino entrance will be closed for construction beginning February 12th. “We’re excited about the new look that will be unveiled on February 26th,” Sinclair says. “The former betting lounge is being transformed into a casual dining area. I know it’s going to be a big hit with our customers!”
KUNG HEI FAT CHOY!
Hastings Racecourse will be celebrating Chinese New Year during Hong Kong Racing Night on Monday, February 19th. Complimentary lucky Chinese God of Fortune gifts will be distributed in the main lobby beginning at 8 p.m. along with complimentary Chinese tea, Chinese cookies and fortune candy.
Don’t miss the glittering Lion Dance that begins at 8:15 p.m. and winds its way through Jerome’s, the Racebook, Diamond Club and Silks Restaurant.
There will also be the traditional Chinese Lion Dance at Boulevard Casino on Sunday, February 18th at 11:00 a.m. and at River Rock Casino at 4:00 p.m. Both casinos will be celebrating Chinese New Year with the world premiere of the dance and musical show Phoenixia. It's a spectacular display of Chinese dance and music featuring a cast of over 60 dancers and martial artists. Show times: February 15th (2 p.m. & 6 p.m.), February 16th (2 p.m., 6 p.m., 10 p.m.) at the Red Robinson Theatre at Boulevard Casino; February 17th (2 p.m., 6 p.m., 10:30 p.m.), February 18th (2 p.m., 6 p.m., 10 p.m.).
It's the perfect opportunity to visit the Racebooks at River Rock and Boulevard between shows!
ASK THE HANDICAPPER
In each edition of HorseRacing Central we invite readers to email our resident analyst Mike Heads (mheads@hastingsracecourse.com) with a race-related question. The person who submits the question we publish wins lunch for two at Hastings Racecourse or Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino. Our winner in this issue is Ron Wagner of Vancouver who asks:
“I have often wondered what the schedule is for a thoroughbred during the off-season. How do they train through the winter months? And how far in advance of the season starting do they begin preparing at the Hastings track? Can you walk me through the actual preparation schedule a horse goes through in getting ready for the racing season?”
MIKE’S ANSWER: Once a season concludes, each horse leaves Hastings for his/her respective farms to basically rest and relax. The winter schedule is really a supervised holiday that consists of being turned out in nice-sized paddocks so the horse can run freely or just graze and enjoy the freedom of being out of its stall. Generally speaking, a horse will be turned out for a few hours (weather permitting) and brought back to the stall at feeding time around 5 p.m. The horse resides in the stall until the next morning.
Most handlers will bring their horses to Hastings 75 -90 days prior to the start of the meet. The track opens for training in late January. Light training begins with easy gallops and after a couple of weeks things become more intense. A lot of trainers like to “breeze” (workout) their horses 35-45 days after first arriving at the track.
The first work will be either an easy quarter-mile or three-eighths distance. This is just a prep for the next workout that comes in another seven days and if all is well after six or seven works at different distances, a horse should be ready for its first start.
PLEASE WAIT AN EXTRA LAP BEFORE CHEERING
Traditionally all standardbred races are one mile, however in the past month race secretary Keith Quinlan has carded races at a mile and 5/8ths. With Fraser Downs being a 5/8ths of a mile track this new distance amounts to one extra lap for the pacers. The two races that have been carded so far have produced some exciting finishes but with the same result. Both races have been won by the five year old Skippy Blue Shoe. With trainer\driver Randy Rutledge calling the shots for “Skippy”, it appears that he likes the extra distance he is asked to race. Both of the extra distance races have been for 4,000 colts and geldings. Watch in the near future for this distance to be offered to the filly and mares also.
HOCKEY & HORSES
Born and raised in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, the Vancouver Canucks’ high-scoring twins - Daniel and Henrik Sedin - took a keen interest in standardbred racing as youngsters and eventually became horse owners in their native land.
NHL Productions, a specialized television division of the league, made arrangements for the Sedin brothers to be at Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino on Wednesday morning, January 10th, for the taping of a show that would go to air later this hockey season.
The original format was to have the Sedins don some driving gear and go through an on-site workout for the cameras. Canucks’ General Manager Dave Nonis thought about it for less than a second and decided mid-season was hardly the time to take any unnecessary chances on two-thirds of his top forward line being injured. All parties agreed that the Fraser Downs “shoot” would be restricted to Daniel and Henrik visiting the barns and talking to backstretch workers.
The plan became academic when the players’ limousine approached the Port Mann Bridge and it was unanimously decided that the driver take a quick exit and avoid the skidding, snowbound traffic lineups. The NHL Productions crew that had arrived from Los Angeles was sent back home with instructions that a return visit would be scheduled for sometime in March.
Daniel Sedin Henrik Sedin
ENJOY THE SUNSHINE
The Sunshine Millions feature races from Santa Anita and Gulfstream on January 27th turned out to be a huge success. A lot of times events such as this don’t live up the hype but this one certainly did.
California warrior Lava Man won the 1 1/8-miles Sunshine Millions Turf with authority under Corey Nakatani and sprinter Smokey Stover scored a convincing win in the Sprint at Santa Anita. Gulfstream was the scene of a major upset in the million dollar Sunshine Millions feature with McCann’s Mojave with Frank Alvarado in the irons going wire-to-wire in 1:49.89 over the 1 1/8-miles distance. McCann’s Mojave was a 33-l longshot.
Congratulations to all our HorseRacing Central Sunshine Millions Simulcast Handicapping Contest Winners who each won $1000 – double the prize because they were all HPI members. Winners will be notified by phone:
Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino - Syd B.
Hastings Racecourse & Online entries - Ben S.
Boulevard Casino - Ravi K.
River Rock Casino Resort - Phillip L.
TEAM HASTINGS HANDICAPPERS
Team Hastings did pretty well at the seventh annual DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championships in Las Vegas. With a field of more than 255 competing, our Hastings Racecourse representatives saw Darrell Bauder finish in 59th place; Susan Milburn finished 80th and Mike Brady was 108th. Not bad when you consider they were up against some of the best handicappers in North America.
After 30 mythical win-place wagers were placed over the two-day tournament, Stanley Bavlish of Virginia Beach was at the top of the leader board and took home $400,000 in top prize money.
