Hamel rides six winners on Saturday card

Jockey Richard Hamel had a banner day Saturday at Hastings, winning six of the seven races carded. The leading rider at Hastings, Hamel won the first race aboard Dream Baby, who paid $9.10. Just two of the horses he rode were favorites, Bearrock N Roll, $4.00, in the second, and Cowboy Commander, $4.50, in the fourth.

His highest priced winner was Irish Lyric, who paid $12.80 for her upset win in the third race.

After finishing last aboard Wings of Time in the fifth, Hamel gave Slice of Red a perfectly timed ride to edge favored Aspen Getaway by a half-length in a 6 1/2-furlong conditional allowance race.

Slice of Red, trained by Robbie Anderson, paid $5.60. He will need a new rider when he makes his next start Aug. 4 in the $50,000 B.C. Cup Stellar’s Jay. Hamel has the mount on Koffee Grinder, who is currently the top-ranked 3-year-old in Western Canada.

Hamel closed out the day with a three-length win aboard Irish Romeo in a $16,000 claiming race. The Pat Jarvis trainee paid $9.20. Jarvis also won the fifth race with Contact Man, who was ridden by Freddy Manrrique.