HorseRacing Central March 26, 2010

PRE-SEASON EXCITEMENT MOUNTS

With the arrival of veteran jockeys Pedro Alvarado, Dave Wilson and Mario Gutierrez for early-morning training sessions at Hastings Racecourse, there’s a feeling of growing enthusiasm in the air.

The opening of the 2010 thoroughbred season is less than a month away and the number of horses on the track escalates daily. From 60 earlier in the week on a daily basis to more than 120 on Saturdays and Sundays, they are methodically advancing from three-furlong workouts to a half-mile, then five furlongs.

Hastings Racecourse opens its 2010 campaign on the weekend of April 24-25, marking the beginning of a 71-day card that wraps up on Thanksgiving Monday, October 11.

OUT OF TOWN SCOREBOARD & SIMULCAST ACTION

While Hastings Racecourse is busily preparing for the start of its season, things are winding down at Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Saturday’s features include the $300,000 New Orleans Handicap at 1 1/8 miles with morning line favourite Awesome Gem (David Flores) at 5-2 odds. It’s a 12:39 p.m. start our time.

Next up on the Fair Grounds program is the $300,000 Mervyn Muniz Jr. Handicap (1:10 p.m.) with a field of 11 going 1 1/8 miles on the turf. That’s followed by another of the Kentucky Derby preps: the $750,000 Louisiana Derby with morning line favourite Discreetly Mine at 7-2 in a 13-horse field.

At Turfway on Saturday the $500,000 Lanes End for 3-year-olds (2:12 p.m.) holds the spotlight with rail horse Commemara favoured at 9-5. Flying in for the ride is North America’s winningest rider Russell Baze.

There’s a big day scheduled for Sunland Park in New Mexico on Sunday with several stakes, the feature being the $800,000 Sunland Derby at 1 1/8 miles. The favourite is undefeated Conveyance and regular rider Matt Garcia gets the mount. Post time is 4:45 p.m.

DUBAI WORLD CUP

Seven races will be on the simulcast network from the newly opened palace of horse racing – Meydan Racecourse. With the first of the races starting at 6:20 a.m. our time, the B.C. network will be showing races 6, 7 and 8. Early risers can catch the others on HPI.

Race 8 is the $10 million Dubai World Cup and has drawn a large field with the early favourite being Gio Ponti at 7-2. The race will showcase the female star from Japan, Red Desire. She finished a bang-up third in the Japan Cup against the boys and her comeback race was a winning one over the Meydan Racecourse, closing from well back.

$25,000 DELTA PACE AT FRASER DOWNS

Can Mystic Maiden make it 8-for-8? The answer comes Saturday night at Fraser Downs with the feature race of the card being the $25,000 Delta Pace for 3-year-old fillies. Seven will go to the post but there will be just five wagering interests because of entries. While Mystic Maiden is the morning line favourite at 6-5 there will be plenty of competition, particularly with Shes With Me and So Relentless from the JJJ Stables and Al Anderson stable.

Seven lady drivers will be taking part in a special race Saturday as part of the 3rd annual Harness The Hope promotion in support of Breast Cancer Research. The non-betting race goes after Race 8 on the card and the willing drivers will be seven young ladies with various harness racing backgrounds locally.

They include Donna Cunningham (Ed Hensley stable), Alivia Gogush (Justin Currie stable), Dana Lawrence (Red Star Stables), Amber Lancaster (Ray Gemmill stable), Alana Main (former trainer; works in the track paddock), Kayla Mills (Wayne Isbister stable) and Cherie Paskaruk (Grant Hollingsworth stable).

Harness The Hope is an arm of the Nite of Hope organization that serves White Rock, South Surrey and Cloverdale. The evening begins at 6:00 p.m. with a special Clubhouse buffet and includes dancing, a blackjack tournament, silent auction and, of course, live harness racing. A few reservations are still available at 604-575-5603.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE CHANGES

Fraser Downs General Manager Chuck Keeling notes there are changes in the works with an early June 19 closing of the 2010 season and re-opening October 1, 2010. Watch, too, for the return of Saturday afternoon racing during the 2010-2011 campaign.