HorseRacing Central October 23, 2009

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY NOV. 7

Hastings Racecourse General Manager Raj Mutti, in agreement with The Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association (HBPA), has announced the cancellation of the final day of the 2009 live racing season. The economy and ongoing decline in wagering throughout North America were two key factors in making the joint decision.

The Hastings season will now end on Saturday, Nov. 7 in culmination with the simulcast of the 26th running of the Breeders Cup at Santa Anita. Mutti said Hastings Racecourse will thank its loyal live thoroughbred racing fans with a ‘Thank You Customer Appreciation Day’ on Nov. 7 featuring one dollar food and beverage specials.

With the Breeders Cup held over two days – Nov. 6 & 7 – the mutuels opening times will be 9:00 a.m. in the Racebook on both days; the Diamond Club and Silks at 9:00 a.m. and the Mezzanine at 11 a.m. The Diamond Club will open for self-serves only on Friday but Diamond Club Guest Services will be closed. Only Jerome’s (9:00 a.m.) and the Eclipse Lounge (11 a.m.) will be open for food and beverages on Friday with regular hours resuming Saturday, Nov. 7.

TWO MAJOR STAKES THIS WEEKEND

Vying Ty Grr will go for her second consecutive $100,000 stakes win on Saturday in the Fantasy for 2-year-old fillies traveling a mile and a sixteenth for the first time. Vying Ty Grr won the Sadie Diamond Futurity on Oct. 3 by a comfortable four lengths over runner-up Victorious Vye. Trained by Barbara Heads, Vying Ty Grr was a five-length winner in the BC Cup Debutante. Heads has also entered Ebony N Ice in the Fantasy, a six-horse field.

Huitzilopochtli will try to make it six wins in a row on Sunday in the $100,000 Ascot Graduation for 2-year-olds. Trained by owner Juan Olmos, Huitzilopochtli stretches out to a mile and a sixteenth for the first time .Olmos has also entered Macondo and Tequisquiapan and all three will run as an entry. Start time is 1:50 p.m. on both days.

THEY CAME FROM AFAR …

There were 135 contestants in last Sunday’s Hastings Racecourse Qualifying Tournament for the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas next year. Entries came from as far away as Nova Scotia, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, Washington State, California and the overall winner was an out-of-towner, Mark Petersen from Seattle. Mark’s total earnings were $170.70. Tab Nakano finished second ($149.70) and John Arendt ($143.90) was third. So those three are off to Vegas in January.

WHAT’S ON TAP OUT OF TOWN

Saturday

It’s New York Cup Day at Belmont Park with five added money events for New York-breds. The first stakes is the $100,000 Maid Of The Mist (12:34 p.m.) with the 10-race program featuring four stakes as part the $350,000 guaranteed Late Pick 4 pool beginning at 1:06 p.m.

Keeneland’s premier race is the $300,000 Raven Run (2:13 p.m.) with the morning line favourite being the Darley Stables’ Flashing (Richard Migliore). At Woodbine, the $125,000 Bunty Lawless Stakes (12:24 p.m.) for turf milers will showcase Charles Fipke’s talented colt Society’s Chairman trying to knock off favourite Rahy’s Attorney. The feature at Santa Anita is the $100,000 Harold S. Ramser (4:00 p.m.) for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on the grass.

Sunday

Woodbine has two stakes events, starting with the $150,000 Fanfreluche (11:26 a.m.) for 2-year-old Ontario-foaled fillies followed by the $100,000 Chief Bearhart (12:55 p.m.) going 10 furlongs on the E.P. Taylor grass course. The $125,000 Dowager for fillies and mares at the demanding test of 12 furlongs will feature California import Black Mamba (Albarado) as the morning line choice. Ontario-based Soul of Nataka (Calvin Borel) is listed at 15-1 despite being a recent Woodbine stakes winner. At Santa Anita, local Hall of Fame trainer Alan May will be sending out Big Bertha in a $32,000 claiming event (12:30 p.m.) on the grass in the opener.

CASIE COLEMAN AT FRASER DOWNS NOV. 11

The buzz around Fraser Downs this week had to do with the return of Casie Coleman for a special guest appearance as part of BC Breeders Classic Day on Wednesday afternoon, November 11. The two-time O’Brien Award winner as Canada’s Trainer of the Year was born in Surrey, attended Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary and began her harness racing career as a groom for Bill Davis. Casie was severely burned as a 19-year-old in a barn accident at Sandown Park in Victoria in 2000. She suffered third degree burns to 22 per cent of her body, including both legs and right arm. There were first degree burns to the cheeks of her face and neck. Casie spent three months at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria and underwent six skin grafts in intensive care.

She has designated the Royal Jubilee Hospital Burn Unit as the recipient for funds raised at Fraser Down on Nov. 11 through auctions, door prizes and a 50-50 draw.

Casie has two horses entered in Saturday’s Breeders Crown races at Woodbine, the hot one being world record holder Sportswriter with seven wins in a row and more than $700,000 in earnings. Sportswriter is listed as the 6-5 favourite in the $720,000 Breeders’ Crown 2-year-old Pace (7:21 p.m.) Casie also has Western Silk in the Breeders Crown 2-year-old Fillies Final (6:30 p.m.).

Live racing continues at Fraser Downs tonight and Saturday with 7:30 starts.