HorseRacing Central August 21, 2009

NIGHT RACING AT HASTINGS DURING PNE FAIR

Two key stakes races on our 2009 racing calendar will be under the lights next week with the running of the $30,000 Lassie next Wednesday (Aug. 26) followed by the $30,000 New Westminster on Friday, Aug. 28. Start time on both dates is 7:00 p.m.

That will launch us into September where one of the busiest months of the season gets started with our major Holiday Monday card on Labour Day – Sept. 7. There will be a $25,000 guaranteed Pick Four to add to the excitement. What a lineup: five stakes races including the Strawberry Morn, Hong Kong Jockey Club, PNE Presidents Speed, Richmond Derby Trial and SW Randall Plate.

The following weekend – Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept. 13 – will feature the two $60,000 CTHS Sales Stakes. Then comes the biggest weekend of the year with the $100,000 BC Oaks and the $50,000 Delta Colleen on Saturday, Sept. 26. Our “Crown Jewel” –the 64th running of the $250,000 BC Derby on Sunday, Sept. 27. Also on the Derby Day stakes program are the Sir Winston Churchill and Derby Bar & Grill Express.

Fasten your seat belts, folks … the racing at Hastings will be going full throttle over the next five weeks.

WHAT’S ON TAP

Saturday

The big event of the day is the $300,000 Canadian Derby (2:47 p.m.) at Northlands Park and will be shown live on TSN. It features a dozen 3-year-olds carrying a hefty 126 pounds over the demanding distance of a mile and three eighths. The morning line favourite at 8-5 is Stylish Citizen with regular Woodbine rider Jim McAleney. Stylish Citizen is on a two-race winning streak. Scorewithcater will take a lot of action as he makes the trip north of the border from Del Mar. Top trainer Doug O’Neill has shipped him up to Jim Meyaard after his game third place finish in the Grade ll Swaps at Hollywood Park. Earlier this year he defeated eventual Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the Borderland Derby at Sunland Park.

HASTINGS CONTINGENT IN EDMONTON

Our Hastings reps are headed by Peter Redekop’s recent private purchase It Happened Again (Quincy Welch) who is 4-1 on the line. He was second in his last start at Delaware Park in the Grade lll Barbaro Stakes and has been moved to the Terry Jordan barn. The one-two finishers in the BC Cup Stellar’s Jay are in the Derby: Tommy Danzigger (Pedro Alvarado) and Almost Time (Frank Fuentes) made the trip across the Rockies on Thursday morning.

Earlier on the card the $75,000 Edmonton Distaff (2:06 p.m.) at a mile and a sixteenth will see Todd and Kinsella’s Summer Song (Mario Gutierrez) try to extend her winning streak. Her main rivals are Alberta champ Tanika and Littlemiss Allison.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER

At Saratoga Racecourse on Saturday the headliner is the $600,000 Alabama (2:47 p.m.) for 3-year-old fillies at a mile and a quarter on the dirt. There are eight fillies in the lineup and all breathed a sigh of relief when Rachel Alexandra opted to run elsewhere. So now two Ontario-based fillies will be in the limelight: Careless Jewel (Robert Landry) is the recent winner of the Delaware Oaks; and Milwaukee Appeal (John Velazquez) won the Woodbine Oaks and had narrow defeats against the boys in the Queen’s Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes.

At Woodbine the feature is the $125,000 Eternal Search Stakes (12:24 p.m.) for 3- year-old fillies while the Del Mar Oaks at nine furlongs on the turf goes for 3- year-old fillies, as well.

SUNDAY

Woodbine is the host for two stakes with the first being the $100,000 Belle Geste (11:29 a.m.) for fillies and mares going seven furlongs on the turf. That’s followed by the Grade ll $250,000 Sky Classic (1:38 p.m.) for older horses at a mile and three-eighths on the turf. Rahy’s Attorney, Marchfield and Champs Elysees appear to be the main contenders.

The $100,000 Yaddo Stakes (2:30 p.m.) is the main event on the Saratoga program while out west the $75,000 Sonoma Stakes (2:42 p.m.) at Northlands Park will feature Peter Redekop’s recent acquisition La Rocca as the 8-5 favourite. The $100,000 Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar is the final stakes race of the weekend for fillies and mares on the turf and goes at 5:30 p.m.

FRASER DOWNS OPENS SEPT. 11

The 107-day racing season at Fraser Downs clicks into gear on Friday, Sept. 11 with the regular starting time this year being 7:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon cards have been moved to Saturday evenings with 7:30 p.m. starts.

Opening Night includes all kinds of promotions and giveaways totaling $3,000. Mystery Cash Envelopes will be filled with up to $250 (one per person per day). And don’t forget at Fraser Downs there is no admission and free parking. How’s that for a good bet!

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS

There’s a great lineup of movies for Baby Boomers coming up at Hastings Racecourse. See your favourite films on Free Movie Nights on the big screen located on the infield by the tote board. Dirty Dancing (Sept. 8), Grease (Sept. 9) and American Graffiti (Sept. 10) are on the marquee starting a half hour after sunset, weather permitting … Daily Cash Giveways continue through Sept. 7 at Hastings Casino where you can enter to win $250 in cash everyday. Draw time is 7 p.m. And don’t forget that every Sunday at Fraser Downs the Derby Bar & Grill presents a $1000 Weekly Handicapping Challenge. Pick up your ballots on Saturday for a list of contest tracks and mandatory races. Ballots must be handed in prior to the start of the first contest race to qualify.