By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: Heavy rain and cold winds failed to dampen the spirits of New Stride supporters two Sundays ago for a seven-race card that featured the 89th running of the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity. As recipients of the Community Day Program sponsored by Hastings Racecourse, a gathering…
Reyes & Hamel Add to Suspense with Stakes Wins Vancouver, B.C. – (Sept.29/19) – Antonio Reyes rode Brave Nation to victory in the Grade 3, $100,000 BC Premiers Sunday at Hastings Racecourse. Richard Hamel rode Here’s Hannah to victory in the Grade 3, $100,000 Ballerina Saturday. Reyes and Hamel. Hamel and Reyes. They are…
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: Hastings Racecourse is familiar territory to The Honourable Wallace T. Oppal, O.B.C., Q.C., today’s guest decorator for the 73rd running of the $100,000 BC Premiers Stakes. But as the man himself will suggest, he is much more comfortable being recognized as just ‘Wally’, born and…
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: Without a lot of fanfare, our very own Peter Redekop was back in the limelight earlier this week when his five-year-old Kentucky-bred Anyportinastorm was named 2019 Horse of the Meeting at Emerald Downs. Trained by Blaine Wright, Anyportinastorm ran season-fastest times at both six and…
Vancouver, B.C. (Sept. 22/19) – As has been noted down through the years, horse racing and intrigue have always been bedfellows. Trainer Barbara Heads and jockey Antonio Reyes can testify to that philosophy following back-to-back victories on the weekend in a pair of $100,000 stakes named in honour of Sadie and Jack Diamond at Hastings…
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: – Astute racing aficionado Drew Forster brought up an interesting bit of trivia the other day. Noting Phil Hall’s mind-blowing 46 wins heading into this weekend, Forster mentioned he could never recall a trainer at Hastings finishing a season with more wins than the leading…
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: Local track historians cannot recall the last time four riders were so closely bunched in the running for Leading Jockey honours as summer turns to fall and the racing season takes a chilly turn into the home stretch. With just a dozen race days left…
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport SCENE & HEARD: Grant Watson, president of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (BC Division), isn’t one to pull any punches. “Our business is fragile,” he says. “It’s tough everywhere.” In the next breath, though, Watson adds: “But when push comes to shove in British Columbia, we have the…