NO WEEKEND RACING AT HASTINGS DURING FAIR AT THE PNE

4 p.m. Start Times on PNE ‘Dark Mondays’ Aug. 18 & 25

Vancouver, B.C. (Aug. 13/14) – It is that time of year when thoroughbred racing fans are asked to exercise patience as scheduling changes take place at Hastings Racecourse during the annual Fair at the PNE.

There will not be any weekend live racing at Hastings during the PNE Fair. But the ponies will run on the two Monday afternoon dates when the PNE Fair is closed: August 18 and 25 with 4:00 p.m. starts.

“On those two racing days our customers will be granted complimentary parking,” says Hastings Racecourse General Manager Darren MacDonald. “We never charge an admission to enter our facility on race days so without a parking fee on those two Mondays, fans can enjoy our product 100% free.”

There are two Friday Night Live dates on the Hastings racing calendar during the PNE Fair: Aug. 22 and 29, both with 7:00 p.m. starts. Racing fans will pay the PNE Fair parking rate ($16) but will have private entrances to the racetrack to avoid having to pay a PNE Fair admission fee.

The traditional Labour Day Monday matinee card with four CTHS Sales Stakes starts at 1:50 p.m. on September 1, the same day the PNE Fair closes.

A couple of $50,000 stakes share the spotlight in this week’s Friday Night Live card (7:00 p.m. start) with the New Westminster for 2-year-olds and the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver for 2-year-old fillies.

HASTINGS HORSES IN CANADIAN DERBY SATURDAY

The 85th running of the Canadian Derby presented by CIBC goes at Northlands Park in Edmonton on Saturday at 4:40 p.m. with two Hastings hopefuls in the field of 11 running for a purse of $200,000.

Remembertobreathe has drawn the number 4 post position with Ryan Pacheco riding for trainer Sylvea Gregory. The team of Sylvea and husband David Gregory own Remembertobreathe. Off the Top goes from the outside 11 post with Frank Fuentes up for owners Linwood Stables and trainer Robbie Anderson.

INAUGURAL RUNDOWN @ SUNDOWN A BIG SUCCESS

The Vancouver Firefighters’ Charitable Society staged its RunDown@SunDown in support of a number of local charitable organizations on Friday, August 8 at Hastings Racecourse. A total of 14 four-person relay teams ran the five-furlong track from the official starting gate. Including a $5,000 donation from Hastings Racecourse and Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, the event raised $26,000.