HorseRacing Central October 16, 2009

TEIDE EYES BREEDERS’ CUP

Already being touted as 2009 Horse of the Year in British Columbia, Teide just might be extending his reputation to the major U.S. market and in particular, the prestigious Breeders’ Cup. Following Sunday’s $100,000 BC Premiers at Hastings, trainer Dino Condilenios will confer with Teide owners Swift Thoroughbreds about the prospects of entering the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita next month.

“It’s a bit of a waiting game at this point,” says Condilenios. “We’ll monitor how many horses are nominated for the Breeders’ Cup Mile and go from there. For now, we’re focused on the Premiers.” Swift Thoroughbreds is owned by Mark and Naudie Mache and Horatio and Jackie Kemeny.

The 2009 Breeders’ Cup World Championships annually attracts the best horses from North America and Europe. It is the richest prize-money event in sports, consisting of 14 races and purses totaling $25.5 million over two days: Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7.

Teide has dominated the older stakes division at Hastings this year and gained ‘super star’ status by winning the Sir Winston Churchill on Sept. 27 by nine and one-quarter lengths. The one-mile and three-eighths BC Premiers has drawn five horses for Sunday’s feature, with Krazy Koffee, Spaghetti Mouse, Surprisal and Trick of the North challenging Teide.

LA ROCCA READY FOR BIG EFFORT

La Rocca will try to maintain her winning ways Saturday at Hastings in the $125,000 Ballerina for older fillies and mares. Trained by Terry Jordan, La Rocca will be the only 3-year-old in the 1 1/8-mile feature that includes a three-horse entry trained by Troy Taylor: Holy Nova, Summer Song and Lady Raj. While she is facing tougher competition in the Ballerina, La Rocca easily won the BC Oaks at Hastings and the Sonoma at Northlands Park in Edmonton earlier this season. One of the favourites Saturday will be trainer John Snow’s Blue Sky Holiday, winner of the Delta Colleen Handicap on Sept. 26

EDITOR’S NOTE: STILL TIME TO ENTER

There are a few spots still available for the Hastings Racecourse Qualifying Tournament Sunday for the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship to be held in early 2010 in Las Vegas. Hastings is again offering three spots for the national tournament and contestants can register at the HPI Centre located in the Upper Racebook at Hastings; by telephone at 604-216-5271; or by email at hpicentre@hastingsracecourse.com

Top prize for Sunday’s qualifying tournament at Hastings is $10,800. Second place is worth $3,600; third place $1,800; fourth place $1,260; fifth place $540 and sixth to 10th place finishers will receive a Hastings Prize Pack.

CLASH OF THE PACIFIC AT FRASER DOWNS TONIGHT

Lilsharkshooter, Lil Dude Starrbuck and Stiletto Hall have all shared the spotlight as winners of the elimination legs of the 2009 Clash of the Pacific. Now it’s “showtime” with the $75,000 Final tonight at Fraser Downs. Driver/trainer Scott Knight, who also serves as president of the B.C. Standardbred Association (BCSA), will be gunning for a Clash of the Pacific repeat. He drove Round Table Review to victory last year and handles the lines tonight behind favoured Lil Dude Starrbuck.

The “Clash” goes as the 10th race on tonight’s agenda with post time set for 10:12 p.m. The 12-race card gets going at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday night’s card also begins at 7:30 p.m.

WHAT’S ON TAP OUT OF TOWN

Saturday

Three “biggies” are on Woodbine’s agenda. Hosting three very important and rich turf races, the action gets started with the $500,000 Nearctic Stakes (1:23 p.m.) featuring Jungle Wave (Todd Kabel) as the 5-2 morning line choice. Then the European invasion begins with the $1 million E.P. Taylor Stakes (2:03 p.m.) for fillies and mares at a mile and a quarter on the turf. Six of the eight starters have arrived from overseas. Next up is the $2 million Canadian International (2:40 p.m.) with Jukebox Jury as the slight favourite after having won graded stakes in three different countries: Britain, France and Germany. The second choice is Marsh Side, the unlucky loser of the Northern Dancer Stakes via disqualification last month. Jonathan Sheppard’s Just As Well was the grateful recipient of the winner’s cheque after the steward’s ruling.

The 3-year-old turf fillies take the limelight at Keeneland in the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2:05 p.m.) with Gozzip Girl installed as the favourite. Her main challenger will be the Canadian import Lady Shakespeare, who is riding a four-race winning streak. She is owned by Kelowna’s Charles Fipke and will have her regular rider Emma-Jayne Wilson in the irons.

More turf mares will be competing for added money in the $100,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes (4:00 p.m.) at Santa Anita.

Sunday

Woodbine hosts the richest event for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds with the $250,000 Cup And Saucer Stakes (1:30 p.m.) at a mile and a sixteenth on the polytrack. At Keeneland, turf 3-year-olds will vie for $125,000 in the Bryan Station (1:35 p.m.) going a mile. Belmont Park has the $100,000 Knickbocker Handicap for older runners going nine furlongs on the giant main track, amazingly round only one turn.

All of these out-of-town attractions can be viewed on our Hastings simulcast network throughout the weekend.