HorseRacing Central June 25, 2010

THREE MAJOR STAKES READY TO GO ON CANADA DAY

Regular racing resumes Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Hastings Racecourse with eight races on each card. Friday Night Live starts at 7:00 p.m. with the normal 1:40 p.m. start on Saturday and Sunday.

The next major date at Hastings is Thursday – July 1 – Canada Day with a 1:40 p.m. holiday start. Three major stakes are on the agenda: the Lt. Governors, Supernaturel and Vancouver Sun.

Racing fans get another chance to see the great Teide in action in the Lt. Governors that could be dominated by as many as five horses from Swift Thoroughbreds Inc. and trainer Dino Condilenios. Despite suffering a loss to stable mate Almost Time in the John Longden 6000 on June 6, Teide remains ranked as the top older horse on the grounds. Condilenios is expected to run Teide, who again could face Almost Time.

The Supernaturel on July 1 will see another showdown involving Otero and Dearest Princess. Otero won the battle by a neck in the Emerald Downs at Hastings on May 24.

Sports columnist Cam Cole will be on hand to decorate the winner of the Vancouver Sun stakes and that could very well be the undefeated Concert Music, who stretches out to a mile and a sixteenth for the first time for trainer John Snow.

Concert Music’s biggest threat could be Summer Song, who finished fourth in the Senate Appointee on June 12. Summer Song ran well in her last two starts at Hastings last fall, finishing second to Blue Sky Holiday in the Delta Colleen and third in the Ballerina.

APRIL FRIESEN DAY A BIG SUCCESS

The horse racing industry gathered like family last weekend to help raise money for April Friesen’s medical expenses after the veteran jockey was seriously injured in a three-horse spill at Hastings on May 15. April has had 12-inch titanium rods inserted into her fractured spine and suffered a fractured neck, three broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Saturday, June 19 was declared April Friesen Day and while the numbers are not yet official, it appears as though a silent auction, cash donations, a 50/50 draw, a draw for a trip to Las Vegas and $5,000 donated by Hastings Racecourse and Great Canadian Gaming Corporation raised close to $35,000.

“I am so blessed to have such wonderful family, friends and fans,” April said. “I want to thank these wonderful, caring people. This is above and beyond anything I ever expected.”

**NOTE TO MEDIA**: A cheque presentation to April Friesen will take place in the winner’s circle following the parade to the post for the 6th race Sunday (approximate time: 3:45 p.m.)

OUT OF TOWN SCOREBOARD

The big feature at Belmont on Saturday is the $250,000 Mother Goose for 3-year-old fillies racing a mile and a sixteenth. Devil May Care is the morning line favourite at 6/5. Post time is 2:17 p.m.

Hollywood Park on Saturday has the Beverly Hills Stakes going at 4:35 p.m. for fillies and mares at a mile and a quarter on the turf. Monmouth has back-to-back money events with the Boiling Springs for 3-year-old fillies (1:52 p.m.) and the Lighthouse for fillies and mares at a mile and a sixteenth on the dirt.

BACK-TO-BACK AGAIN AT MONMOUTH

Sunday at Monmouth there is the Blue Sparkler for fillies and mares followed by the Crank It Up for 3-year-old fillies. At Emerald Downs the Sunday feature is the $50,000 Pepsi Stake, a one-mile test for 3-year-olds going at 4:38 p.m.

ED HENSLEY ‘THE KING’ AT FRASER DOWNS

The 2009-2010 harness racing season ended at Fraser Downs Racetrack and Casino last weekend and the aptly named At Last equaled his lifetime mark of 1:52 in winning the final $10,000 Open Pace. The victory was At Last’s fourth in a row from starts at Fraser Downs and eighth of the year in 22 races, pushing his earnings to $47,604.

It was no surprise that Ed Hensley walked off with both the leading drivers and leading trainers titles. He drove 159 winners this season for earnings in excess of $865,000. As a trainer, Hensley had 118 wins in 376 starts, good for $859,000 in earnings.

STAKES RACES GALORE AT MOHAWK

It’s a big weekend at Mohawk with the $1.5 million North America Pepsi Cup with the favourite being Rock N Roll Heaven listed at 2-1 and driven by veteran John Campbell. The second choice at 3-1 is All Speed Hanover and Sportswriter, out of the Cassie Coleman barn, is third choice at 4-1.

The race goes as the 7th on the card at 6:40 p.m. The card is littered with stakes races, much to the delight of harness racing enthusiasts.