HorseRacing Central March 28, 2008

HORSERACING CENTRAL HAS A NEW STARTING QUARTERBACK

Greetings Racing Fans:

I played hockey and baseball while growing up in Vancouver’s East End but never had the chance to play football. As the new ‘point man’ of HorseRacing Central, I’ve taken the liberty of writing my own headline and the reference to “starting quarterback” is just to get the attention of my old school buddies at Templeton Secondary.

We used to sneak into the racetrack as kids and never in my wildest dreams did I think my future career would be in the industry. More than a career, actually. A marriage, too. I bought my first horse in 1983 and met the love of my life, Barb, at Hastings. She has always been one of the best trainers on the grounds. We were married in 1999. I guess you could use the corny old line that “two heads in racing are better than one”. We’ve shared a lot of fun and thrills but nothing to match Halo Steven winning the BC Derby in 2006 with Barb playing such a big role as winning trainer for Marta Racing Ventures.

With our 2008 thoroughbred season a month away at Hastings Racecourse, our mandate at HorseRacing Central will be to provide you with insight and information you won’t get anywhere else.

And having said that, please feel free at anytime to drop me a note at mheads@hastingsracecourse.com if you have any suggestions about how we can improve our HRC newsletter that now reaches over 5,000 racing fans on our mailing list and through our distribution outlets. It’s a list that continues to grow and we want to grow with it.

Enjoy. – Mike Heads

MIKE HEADS has done it all at Hastings. Born and raised in Vancouver 46 years ago, he’s handled everything from pre-race TV shows with Dan Jukich to newspaper selections and handicaps in the Province to establishing the morning lines for the live racing program. Now we’re proud to present Mike Heads’ HorseRacing Central as he oversees our bi-monthly coverage for Hastings Racecourse and Fraser Downs Race Track.

BIG DAY IN DUBAI

It’s the annual Dubai World Cup extravaganza Saturday with the final three races available throughout British Columbia via our TBC simulcast outlets. Horses from around the globe compete for more than $21 million in purse money and the marquee player on the card is Curlin – 2007 Horse of the Year. Listed as the morning line favourite at 2-5, Curlin easily won his prep race earlier this month over the Nad Al Sheba course toting 132 pounds. Top prize money in the $6 million Dubai World Cup is $3.6 million. The field of 13 blasts out of the gate at 10:30 a.m. Pacific time, running 1 ¼-miles on the dirt.

Coverage from Dubai begins at 8:55 a.m. with the $5 million Duty Free, followed at 9:40 a.m. by the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic.

AND THEN THERE’S THE FLORIDA DERBY

The Dubai World Cup gets Saturday started for racing enthusiasts, followed at 2:45 p.m. Pacific time by the $1 million Florida Derby from Gulfstream Park as top 3-year-olds continue their march to the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 3. The Florida Derby produced 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro. Other upcoming major prep races for the Kentucky Derby include the Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial from Aqueduct and Illinois Derby from Hawthorne – all on April 5 – as well as the Blue Grass from Keeneland on April 12. Racing fans throughout B.C. can see them all on simulcast coverage.

OUT OF TOWN SCOREBOARD

Hey, hey: the opening weekend at Stampede Park saw three locally-owned and trained runners hit the win column: Glen Todd and Patrick Kinsella’s Call Me Tomorrow cruised to an easy win in a $32,000 optional claimer. Also visiting the Calgary winner’s circle were Bob Leffler’s If I’m Spared, outlasting Dan Lee’s Fury’s Allstar. Simichiello Racing Stables’ Launch Our Star completed a big weekend by crushing a field of $15,000 claimers.

WHAT’S AHEAD

Stately Endeavour (Canvasback Farms), Shantico (Bellevue Oaks) and Northern Captain (Bob Shwora) all try to continue the Vancouver-owned success story at Stampede Park Friday night. On Saturday, the Todd/Kinsella combo sends out Secret Allstar while Michael and Linda Loynes have the speedy Eagle River Man running in a non-two allowance event.

At Santa Anita there’s an exciting matchup in Friday’s feature between Ross McLeod’s Gotaghostofachance and Brother Derek, owned by Cecil Peacock and making his first start since a third-place finish in the Strub Stakes in February, 2007. On Saturday, in race 4 Seven Secrets bred by K.K. Sangara battles a solid group of $40,000 claimers at Santa Anita.

At Bay Meadows Friday locally-owned Code Magic (Mike Anderson) goes for her fourth win on the Northern California circuit and later on the program trainer Barbara Heads sends E Bee Girl for her first career win in a maiden allowance. Saturday Peter Redekop’s Amazin Blue (2007 Alberta Derby winner) tackles a tough field of $50,000 optional claimers.

SEAT AS HOT AS A FRANK-FURTER AT FRASER

Surrey’s Dale Frank happened to be in the right place at the right time when he won a new Chevy Cobalt in the Fraser Downs Casino Hot Seat Draw. Qualifier number 91 out of 100 contestants, Frank’s Good Friday became a Great Friday.

DALE FRANK is a regular customer at Fraser Downs Race Track & Casino and on Good Friday he became an extremely happy customer when he won a 2008 Chevy Cobalt as winner of the Hot Seat Draw as qualifier #91 in a field of 100 contestants. Dan Jukich is seen here handing over the keys.

FATHER KNOWS SECOND BEST

It was a sight to behold: A father-son exactor on Good Friday had the Fraser Downs crowd in an uproar when rookie driver John Abbott posted his first win of 2008 in unique fashion by nosing out his dad, Gord, for a $21.80 exactor payoff.

Young John began driving late last year and had registered his first victory in early December with Slot Money, a horse trained by his father.

John drove Yo Ho Rojo to victory on Good Friday by taking control of the race on the final turn to win it in 1:57.2. Lucky Lamont Kid, driven by Gord, was a charging second in 1:57.4. On the same card, Jim Marino scored a hat trick with three victories including the fastest mile of the day – 1:54. – with Armbro Black Tie, the 2007 Horse of the Year.

ALMIGHTY DUCA

Duca won his second straight $17,000 Open Pace in as many weeks for trainer/driver Dave McKellar. Owned by Robert Murphy, Duca is a 26-time career winner with earnings of $367,239.

SEEING RED STARS

The Robert Murphy-owned entry of Red Star Hottie and Red Star Striper are the morning line choices in Saturday’s $30,500 Delta Pace for 3-year-old fillies. Both pacers are coming off wins and have drawn the rail and three-hole. Brent Beelby will drive Hottie while Dave McKellar will handle the lines behind Striper. The 3-year-old colts are in the spotlight on April 12 for the Sandown Plate.

FASTRACKING …

After this Sunday there are just three Sunday dates left on the Fraser Downs schedule. Five lucky HPI members will receive 20,000 bonus points for using their cards on Sundays. Listen and watch for your name on the Fraser broadcast and you’ll have 15 minutes to report to the HPI window to claim your points … Hastings Racecourse has introduced a $7.99 Prime Rib Dinner in the Gaming Floor Racebook every Tuesday night ... There’s also a chance for Hastings Gaming Floor customers to win a 32-inch HD Ready Flat Screen television just by entering a draw a guest services. And don’t forget to check hastingsracecourse.com for the free bus shuttle schedule and times.