Big fields, four stakes justify later opening day for Hastings

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Hastings racing secretary Nichelle Milner said she was “stoked” about the opening-day card Saturday at Hastings. She had good reason to be excited about the first of 51 days scheduled for the 2019 meet, which concludes Oct. 27.

On opening day last year, 40 horses started in the seven races carded. Saturday there are 75 horses entered in eight races, including 11 3-year-olds in the $50,000 Jim Coleman Province. The Province is part of the all-stakes pick four that includes the Brighouse Belles for fillies and mares, the Swift Thoroughbred Inaugural for 3-year-olds and up, and the Ross McLeod for 3-year-old fillies. The four stakes are worth $50,000 apiece and will be contested over 6 1/2 furlongs.

The meet was originally scheduled to start April 20, but due to unseasonably cold weather in February, opening day was moved to Saturday.

“The track was frozen for most of February, and we just weren’t going to have enough horses ready to run,” Hastings general manager Darren MacDonald said. “Considering how strong the opening-day card turned out, it was obviously the right decision. We should have a good meet, mostly because we have more horses on the grounds than last year.”

Racing will be held on Saturdays and Sundays until July 19 when Fridays will replace Saturdays through Sept. 6. There are a couple of non-holiday Mondays, Aug. 19 and 26, scheduled during the annual fair held on the same site as Hastings. Saturdays are dropped during the fair. Post time for the Mondays are 6 p.m.

Post time for Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays is 1:50 p.m. Fridays will start at 7 p.m.

The highlight of the meet is the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby on Sept. 7. Owner Peter Redekop donated $100,000 to enhance the purse for the 1 1/8-mile race to $250,000. It will be supported by the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks, $50,000 S. W. Randall Plate, and the $50,000 Delta Collen.

The Derby card will have a special post time of 12:50 p.m., as will B.C. Cup Day on Aug. 5.

Other important races at Hastings are the Grade 3 Ballerina on Sept. 28 and the Grade 3 B.C. Premiers on Sept. 29.

There are no standout singles in the all-stakes pick four. It begins with the Brighouse Belles in race 5.

Last year’s leading trainer Phil Hall has a horse in each of the stakes, and he has two solid chances with Toni Ann’s Miracle and Good Luck to You in the Brighouse Belles. Toni Ann’s Miracle should be part of what figures to be a hotly contested pace. Good Luck to You will be rolling late.

Hall could win the wide-open Swift Thoroughbreds Inaugural with Apalachee Bay. The 4-year-old son of Malibu Moon is coming off a fourth-place finish in a second-level allowance race with a $62,500 claiming price at Golden Gate on March 8. He has speed and will use it breaking from the rail with Amadeo Perez riding.

Hall also entered last year’s provincial champion older horse Calgary Caper, but Hall does not think he will be able to get up in time.

“Calgary Caper is training very well, but he wants more distance,” he said. “We need to get a race into him before we stretch him out.”

Trainer Craig MacPherson is expecting a strong performance from Weekend Wizard in the Swift Thoroughbreds Inaugural. The 4-year-old son of Rosberg was the champion 3-year-old at Hastings last year. He will be making his first start since he was the runner-up in the $100,000 Getaway Day on Sept. 23 at Emerald Downs.

“He has been training well and should go on,” MacPherson said. “He has cost himself at the start a few times, so he will need to break well in order to secure a good spot early.”

Moro Texas looks like the one to beat in the Jim Coleman Province. He is almost perfect sprinting and is coming off a win for trainer Burl McBride in a $40,000 claimer at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 10. The Texas-bred son of Moro Tap was claimed out of the race and will make his first start for trainer Steve Henson.

The Hall-trained Summerland, whose only loss came in the Grade 2 Sorrento at Del Mar won by Bellafina, will try to keep her perfect record in Canada intact in the Ross McLeod.

She could have her hands full with Im Evin Im Leavin, who was very impressive beating older fillies and mares in back-to-back allowance races at Sunland Park on March 16 and April 6 for trainer Greg Tracy.

They both have speed and could set the table for Dancin Shoes, whose only loss in three starts was a runner-up finish behind Summerland in the $75,000 Fantasy on Sept. 29.