By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: When Friday Night Live racing was introduced at Hastings Racecourse several years ago the philosophy was quite simple: (a) to give a new and younger demographic the opportunity to enjoy live thoroughbred racing as a form of night-time entertainment heading into the weekend and (b) to…
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: Today marks the official halfway mark of this 2017 thoroughbred season at Hastings Racecourse. One year ago this weekend Richard Hamel was leading the jockey standings with 47 wins; Mike Anderson led his training rivals by sending 18 horses to the winner’s circle and Swift Thoroughbreds…
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: Veteran journalist Bob Mackin showed up for the wiener dog races last weekend bearing a nostalgic gift in the form of a July 15, 2000 racing program from what was then known as ‘Hastings Park Racecourse’. What practically jumped off Page 3 was a large black…
Event Details The most stylish event of the summer returns for its 9th year on Saturday, July 22nd 2017 for another year full of rousing derby action at Hastings Racetrack. The day long event will be bigger and better than ever before, with one giant marquee and concourse playing host to 5000 derby revelers. July…
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: Hastings Racecourse GM Darren MacDonald was the bearer of good news when he paid Nick Felicella a visit on a rainy Tuesday afternoon this past January. And what better place to deliver the message than Nick’s Spaghetti House on Commercial Drive? That’s where Mr. Felicella…
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: The return of the Wiener Dog Races can mean only one thing: Hastings Racecourse is officially – and happily – looking forward to its very own “spring into summer” mode. With the recent nasty weather behind us, our ‘darling little dachshunds’ (as TSN Radio’s Brook…
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: A week from Sunday, July 16 – the champion of the 9th annual Wiener Dog Races at Hastings Racecourse will be crowned and track announcer Dan Jukich will gladly file his script away for another year that begins with: “Ladies and Gentlemen, start your wieners!” The…
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: There was no mistaking the distinguished-looking man in the black fedora sitting in Silks at Hastings Racecourse on Canada Day. Bill Chisholm, honoured member of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, was a guest of Felix Ayarra, one-time horse owner who’s daughter Rebecca is Mrs.…