Fan favorite Square Dancer faces tough challenge in Redekop

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Easily the most exciting moment at the 2015 Hastings meet came when Square Dancer won a $50,000 optional claimer in his first start here July 18. On paper, it looked like he might be able to finish third in the 1 1/16-mile race. However, after breaking sharply, jockey Richard Hamel made a quick and wise decision.

“I saw there were a couple of them gunning for the lead, so I decided to see ease him back,” Hamel said.

Hamel was licking his chops when he saw a wicked duel developing in front of him. Anyone watching the race could see at the quarter pole that Square Dancer was going to win the race. He was in full flight, and the leaders were running out of gas.

What made the race so memorable is that Square Dancer, who is trained by Steve Henson, is the first horse to start for the newly formed Hastings Racing Club. Due to most of the 200 people involved in the club being on hand to watch the race, there wasn’t enough room in the winner’s enclosure to take the traditional win picture. There was a lot of high-fiving going on in the middle of the track when the picture was snapped.

The goal of forming the club was to get new people into the game and hopefully get them excited enough about the industry to go out and buy horses on their own.

Because of his strong performance in his first start at Hastings, Square Dancer will be running in the $100,000 Redekop Classic on Monday. The 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up headlines six stakes that make up the bulk of the nine-race B.C. Cup card.

“What a way to get people excited about racing,” Hastings Racing club manager Richard Yates said. “Miracles apparently do happen. I’ve heard from some members that they are looking at forming syndicates to buy horses and bring them here. It would really be something if Square Dancer wins the Classic.”

Henson is happy with the way he is coming into the race.

“On paper, it looks like he’s in tough,” he said. “But we know he is going to go out and lay his body down. He really likes it here, and in a perfect world, they will be coming back to him.”

This year’s B.C. Cup Day card is much better than last year’s version, when there were three five-horse fields and one race that had eight starters but only six betting interests. If the card holds together, the shortest field will be seven horses in the $75,000 Pegasus Distaff, and there will be an average of 8.7 starters per race.

The Classic and Distaff, both of which drew five horses last year, were certainly enhanced when they were opened up to B.C.–bred or -owned horses. Peter Redekop put up $50,000 of his own money to make the Classic $100,000, and Dr. Mark Dedomenico embellished the Distaff purse by $25,000.

Mr. Bowling is clearly the one to beat in the Classic, which drew 10 horses. Trainer Troy Taylor said he wasn’t sure if he was going to start, however.

“It depends how he comes out of his work,” Taylor said.

Mr. Bowling worked five furlongs Thursday morning in 1:02.80 seconds with David Lopez aboard. It was his first work since he won the $50,000 Lieutenant Governor’s on July 1.

Mario Gutierrez rode Mr. Bowling in his last two starts, which included a win in the $50,000 John Longden. However, Gutierrez, who through July 30 is winning races at a 27 percent clip at Del Mar and is tied for fifth with eight wins in the jockey standings, isn’t making the trip. Using a poker term, that could be a “tell.”