Stakes schedule shuffled as meet opens

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The 2015 meet at Hastings begins Saturday with seven races and significant changes to the stakes schedule that was released earlier this year.

The Grade 3 British Columbia Derby, originally worth $200,000, now is the richest race in western Canada and in the Pacific Northwest with a $250,000 purse.

The 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds on Sept. 21 will be supported by the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks, the $50,000 S.W. Randall Plate for 3-year-olds and up, and the $50,000 Delta Colleen for fillies and mares.

For the first time since its inception in 1995, the B.C. Cup Classic and B.C. Cup Distaff will not be part of the B.C. Cup Day card. They have been moved to Aug. 21, when they will be part of an evening card that will feature six $50,000 stakes races.

B.C. Cup Day on Aug. 3 will be enhanced with the $100,000 Redekop Classic for 3-year-olds and up and the $100,000 Pegasus Distaff for fillies and mares.

The 1 1/8-mile races will be open to horses bred or owned in British Columbia. The other four stakes on the card are restricted to horses bred in the province.

“The two $100,000 races on B.C. Cup should make a big difference on the card,” said Darren MacDonald, general manager at Hastings. “It hurt us last year with the Classic and Distaff having five-horse fields. I think it is going to be a great day. I am also looking forward to what could be a special Friday night here with six stakes races.”

MacDonald gave credit to the three groups representing horsemen for the changes and is impressed how the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society, the local Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association have come together to create a positive atmosphere at Hastings this year.

“Everyone is willing to play ball to make this work,” MacDonald said. “I can’t remember seeing people this positive on the backstretch. The three groups have certainly come together for the betterment of racing here.”

A version of Gulfstream Park’s highly successful Rainbow 6 will be offered at Hastings this year. Dubbed the Sea-to-Sky Pick 6, it will have a 20-cent base with 50 percent of the pool carrying over if there is more than one ticket with all six winners. To get it started, Hastings is seeding the opening day pool with $5,000.

Without a racing secretary in place, MacDonald and racing manager Joe Gray put together 15 races for the opening weekend.

The opening-day feature is a $16,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds and up. Sunday’s eight-race card is bolstered by two strong stakes races, the $50,000 George Royal for 3-year-olds and up and the $50,000 Brighouse Belles for fillies and mares.

“I thought it went very well,” Gray said. “A few more horses would have been nice, but there are two decent cards, and both stakes on Sunday have great fields.”

MacDonald said Hastings was close to having a racing secretary in place.

Missing from the opening weekend is last year’s leading rider, Amadeo Perez. According to his agent, Trapper Barroby, Perez is waiting for his work visa to be issued from the Canadian Department of Citizenship and Immigration.

Veteran jockey Frank Fuentes also is out and likely gone for the year with a torn rotator cuff.

Making a comeback is four-time leading rider Pedro Alvarado, who tried his hand at training last year. He won nine races with 54 starters.