Vancouver, B.C. (March 8/19) – Opening day of the 2019 live racing season at Hastings Racecourse has been moved to Saturday, May 4 after an interruption of training schedules in February and March due to inclement weather.

 

“Excessive February freezing temperatures in Vancouver limited our opportunities to train at Hastings,” said Darren MacDonald, Regional Director, BC Racing. “At the request of the HBPA, BCTOBA and CTHS-BC, we have canceled the first three days of our original schedule and will go with the May 4 start date, extending our 2019    racing calendar through the final weekend of October.”

 

Opening day festivities at Hastings will include four $50,000 stake races – the Swift Thoroughbred Inaugural, Brighouse Belles, Jim Coleman Province and Ross McLeod – as well as live coverage of the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs. The 2019 season will now conclude on the Oct. 26-27 weekend.

 

MacDonald earlier announced the popular Friday Night Live 7:00 p.m. cards have been increased to eight, beginning on July 19 and continuing on consecutive Fridays through August, concluding on September 6.  He also noted the start time for the season’s traditional showcase events – BC Cup Day on August 5 and BC Derby/Oaks Day on September 7 – will be moved to 12:50 p.m., one hour earlier than in in past years.

 

The revised 2019 racing calendar and stakes schedule are available at hastingsracecourse.com.

Please Note:  The CTHS Horse of Racing Age Sale Preview is set for Saturday, March 9 at noon at Hastings Racecourse with the Sale one week later on Saturday, March 16 at noon.  All two-year-olds and some three-year-olds are Sales Stake eligible.  The Preview video is available at cthsbc.org.

 

For further information:

Darren MacDonald                                                                 Greg Douglas

dmacdonald@hastingsracecourse.com                                 drsport@telus.net

604.216.5234                                                                         604.736.4469