VANCOUVER, British Columbia - As usual, The Grade 3, $250,000 British Columbia Derby, on Sept. 24 this year, is the highlight of the Hastings stakes schedule. Beginning with the April 14 opening-day feature, the $50,000 George Royal, Hastings will run 42 stakes in 2006 - seven fewer than in 2005. Still, the total stakes purse money is only slightly less than last year, $2,895,000 compared to $2,935,000 in 2005. Accounting for the comparable dollar figure despite the fewer number of races is a $10,000 increase to the minimum stakes purse from $40,000 to $50,000. A revised B.C. Cup Day has been set for Aug. 7. Since its inception in 1995, B.C. Cup Day had held seven stakes for B.C.-breds. This year the three races for older horses - the Sprint, Distaff, and Classic - are open to horses bred or owned in B.C. The reason for the change is to try increasing field size for what is usually the biggest crowd of the year. The purse of the B.C. Premiers, on Oct. 15, has been raised $25,000 to $125,000 and the race has been given Grade 3 status. Other major races on the schedule are the Grade 3, $125,000 Lieutenant Governors' on July 1; the Grade 3, $150,000 B.C. Breeders' Cup Oaks on Sept. 23; and the Grade 3, $150,000 Ballerina Breeders' Cup on Oct. 14. 2006 stakes schedule DATEEVENTCONDITIONSDISTANCEPURSE Fri.,April 14GEORGE ROYAL3YO & Up6 1/2 furlongs$50,000 Sat.,April 15 BRIGHOUSE BELLESF&M, 3YO & Up6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Sat.,April 22SUPERNATUREL3YO F6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Sat.,May 6KLONDIKE3YO6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Sat.,May 13VANCOUVER SUNF&M, 3YO & Up6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Sat.,May 20 LANGLEY3YO F6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Mon.,May 22JOHN LONGDEN 60003YO & Up1 1/16 miles50,000 Sun.,June 4JIM COLEMAN PROVINCE3YO1 1/16 miles50,000 Sat.,June 10STRAWBERRY MORNF&M, 3YO & Up1 1/16 miles50,000 Sat.,June 24CTHS SALES FILLIES3YO F*1 1/16 miles50,000 Sun.,June 25CTHS SALES COLTSC&G, 3YO*1 1/16 miles50,000 Sat.,July 1LT. GOVERNORS HANDICAP (G3)3YO & Up1 1/8 miles125,000 Mon.,July 3SENATE APPOINTEEF&M, 3YO & Up1 1/16 miles50,000 Sat.,July 8TIMBER MUSIC2YO F6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Sun.,July 9LADNESIAN2YO6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Sat.,July 15BURNABY BC3YO1 1/16 miles75,000 Sun.,July 16EMERALD DOWNS3YO F1 1/16 miles50,000 Mon.,Aug. 7B.C. CUP CLASSIC3YO & Up**1 1/8 miles75,000 Mon.,Aug. 7B.C. CUP DISTAFFF&M, 3YO & Up** 1 1/8 miles50,000 Mon.,Aug. 7B.C. CUP SPRINT3YO & Up**6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Mon.,Aug. 7B.C. CUP STELLAR'S JAYC&G, 3YO**1 1/16 miles50,000 Mon.,Aug. 7B.C. CUP DOGWOOD3YO F**1 1/16 miles50,000 Mon.,Aug. 7B.C. CUP NURSERYC&G, 2YO**6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Mon.,Aug. 7B.C. CUP DEBUTANTE2YO F**6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Sat.,Aug. 19 COVER GIRLF&M, 3YO & Up 6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Sat.,Aug. 26LASSIE2YO F6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Sun.,Aug. 27NEW WESTMINSTER2YO6 1/2 furlongs50,000 Sat.,Sept. 2HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB3YO F1 1/16 miles50,000 Sun.,Sept. 3RICHMOND DERBY TRIAL3YO1 1/16 miles50,000 Mon, Sept. 4 S.W. RANDALL PLATE3YO & Up1 1/8 miles50,000 Sat.,Sept. 9 CTHS SALES FILLIES2YO F*6 1/2 furlongs60,000 Sun.,Sept. 10CTHS SALES COLTSC&G, 2YO*6 1/2 furlongs60,000 Sat.,Sept. 16DELTA COLLEENF&M, 3YO & Up1 1/16 miles50,000 Sat.,Sept. 23B.C. BREEDERS' CUP OAKS (G3)3YO F1 1/8 miles150,000 Sun.,Sept. 24BRITISH COLUMBIA DERBY (G3)3YO1 1/8 miles250,000 Sun.,Sept. 24SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL3YO & Up1 1/8 miles50,000 Sat.,Sept. 30SADIE DIAMOND FUTURITY2YO F*6 1/2 furlongs100,000 Sun.,Oct. 1JACK DIAMOND FUTURITYC&G, 2YO*6 1/2 furlongs100,000 Sat.,Oct. 15BALLERINA BREEDERS' CUP (G3) F&M, 3YO & Up1 1/8 miles150,000 Sun.,Oct. 15B.C. PREMIERS (G3)3YO & Up1 3/8 miles125,000 Sat.,Oct. 28FANTASY2YO F1 1/16 miles75,000 Sun.,Oct. 29ASCOT GRADUATION BC2YO1 1/16 miles100,000 *Can.-bred; **B.C.- bred