HorseRacing Central July 12, 2007
LESAGE FAMILY ROARS WITH THE LIONS
It all started with horse owners Mark and Patti Lesage attending the initial Friday afternoon racing card at Hastings on July 6.
Mark filled out the coupon on page 2 of the live racing program with the hopes of winning two tickets to that night’s B.C. Lions home opener against the Edmonton Eskimos.
The package included a complimentary limousine ride from Hastings Racecourse to B.C. Place Stadium and back to Hastings after the game. Also, Lions’ management said a visit to the sidelines for an on-field look at the pre-game ceremonies would be included.
Lo and behold, Mark’s coupon was drawn. Now, since he and Patti were already planning to take in the Leos’ game and had earlier purchased two tickets, they called their son Chris and daughter Nicole to join them.
While mother and daughter sat in the stands, Mark and Chris eagerly went down to field level prior to the kick-off. Chris, 13, was wearing an old Roy Dewalt jersey. He was thrilled when Lions’ legend Lui Passaglia walked by and said hello.
Terri Baker, the Lions marketing services manager, gave Mr. Lesage and Chris miniature Grey Cup souvenirs.
Meantime, outside at the pre-game Street Party on the B.C. Place Stadium concourse, Mrs. Lesage entered a 94.5 Beat Radio contest and won a Jason Clermont jersey!
“It was quite a memorable day and it spilled over into a memorable night,” Mr. Lesage said. “I’ve had good days at the race track in the past, but this had to be one of the best.” Mr. & Mrs. Lesage own Destiny’s Home and Jet Journey, two promising 3-year-olds at Hastings.
Every Friday afternoon in July and three in August will feature a 2:25 post time. On each date, a draw for B.C. Lions tickets will take place.
THE OLD & THE NEW AT HASTINGS
Heritage Day at Hastings on July 8 was the perfect setting for the inaugural $50,000 Chris Loseth Stakes Race and the mood was made even better with the co-operation of MCL Motor Cars and the Lions Gate Model A Club from North Vancouver.
MCL Motor Cars took on the role as title sponsor for the day and had three premier vehicles on display at Hastings: the Porsche Boxster, Jaguar JK and Land Rover Ranger Rover Sport.
Meantime, president Brian Freestone of the Lions Model A Club delivered 15 antique cars to the Hastings main concourse with the oldest being a 1917 Model T Touring edition. Actually, there were 14 cars on display. One didn’t make it over the Second Narrows Bridge.
Ookashada, last year’s 2-year-old champion at Hastings, held off a gallant bid by Bad Sneakers to win the $54,521 Chris Loseth Handicap. Trainer Toni Cloutier said that Ookashada came out of the race in “great shape” and will now be pointed to the BC Cup Stellar’s Jay on August 6.
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Chris Loseth Signing his Limited |
POWELL POWER TOP HANDICAPPER
In the words of poetic track gadabout Dan Jukich: “Mirror, mirror on the wall … who’s the best handicapper of them all?”
The answer as far as standardbreds go is Dave Powell, winner of the Fraser Downs segment of the TROT National Handicapping Championships. Powell won by a nose (a total of 20 cents) over runner-up Bob Glenn while John Kusch finished third.
All three are heading to Toronto for a chance at the guaranteed grand prize of $20,000 at Woodbine on November 3.
The next challenge for local handicappers is a spot in the Coast Casinos 2008 Horseplayers World Series in Las Vegas next January. Registration begins Friday, July 13 at 10 a.m. at either Hastings Racecourse or Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino. The cost is $100 and is limited to the first 150 entrants.
The one-day contest is slated for Sunday, August 12 at Fraser Downs. The entry fee includes your own seat and personal monitor, lunch and snacks, cash prizes for the top five and the top three will be off to Vegas and the finals at the Orleans Hotel. More information is available by contacting the HPI Centres at either track.
C’MON DOWN TO SANDOWN
Sandown kicks off its three-day summer meet on Saturday, July 14. The other dates to jot down: July 21 and 28.
Federal regulations prohibit the broadcast and wagering on a meet with less than 10 live racing dates. So to play the races at Sandown, you must be at Sandown.
OPEN STAKES AT FRASER DOWNS
Where’s the time go? In less than two months the Canucks will be starting their pre-season games and Fraser Downs will be launching its Open Stakes schedule.
The ‘Clash of the Pacific Open Stake’ launches the new standardbred racing season on Friday, September 28 with $20,000 elimination legs and a $100,000 final at Fraser Downs on October 5.
Also in October the 8000 Claiming Series Stake for fillies and mares with identical purses will go on the 6th and 13th, followed by a 6000 Claiming Series for mares on December 16 and December 26.
The Fraser Downs meet concludes in sensational style with the addition of a month of Open Stakes in June, 2008.
Download Fraser Downs Stake Schedule PDF here
Download Fraser Downs 2007/2008 Racing Schedule PDF here
ASK THE EXPERTS
In each edition of HorseRacing Central we invite readers to email one of our resident racing experts with a question. The person who submits the question we publish wins lunch for two at either Hastings Racecourse or Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino. Our winner in this issue is Dolly Steele who asked Fraser Downs General Manager Scott Sinclair: “With almost year-round standardbred racing, does Fraser Downs ever close the backstretch?”
SCOTT’S ANSWER: “We allow the horsemen to train their horses throughout the calendar year. With our new extended schedule, we figured it only made sense to keep things active on site even when there isn’t live racing.”