HorseRacing Central October 10, 2008

CHAMPIONSHIP RACING AT HASTINGS

Ballerina – Saturday

Thanksgiving Weekend at Hastings Racecourse serves up an appetizing three days of action that gets started Saturday with the $125,000 Ballerina for fillies and mares in a rematch involving top older mare Holy Nova going against giant killer Against The Sky. Holy Nova and the consistent Lady Raj. Adding even more drama to 1 1/8-mile test is Tanika – the best from Alberta who finished a close second to Holy Nova the last time they met at equal weights. Two of the top three finishers from the BC Oaks, winner Blue Sky Holiday as well Lecturing Lynn are set to take on the older mares with recent claim at Woodbine Elkhart rounding out an extremely talented field.

Premiers – Sunday

Horse of the Year honours for 2008 will be on the line in the $100,000 Premiers on Sunday with Krazy Koffee, who captured his fifth straight win in the BC Derby, trying to steal the trophy away from Spaghetti Mouse as ‘The Mouse’ goes for his fifth consecutive victory in the older horse division. In a rather strange twist, neither Krazy Koffee or Spaghetti Mouse is likely to be the favourite because of the reigning Sovereign Award champion True Metropolitan. He’s on an unusual four-race losing streak but ran perhaps his best race of the season in the $300,000 Longacres Mile where a tough post and wide trip cost him the win.

True Metropolitan packed 129 pounds in the Premiers last year and it cost him as he narrowly lost to Sir Gallovic. Because of the allowance conditions Sunday, ‘True Met’ goes to the post at a more reasonable 122 pounds. Also, a major break will be enjoyed by Texas Wildcatter at only 109 pounds. He’s hit the board in the top races this summer but hasn’t won, which is the reason he gets in so light. He gets 17 pounds from Spaghetti Mouse and 13 from both True Metropolitan and Rosberg, who enters the race following an unlucky loss in the S.W. Randall Plate when he was bumped in the stretch by Spaghetti Mouse. After a lengthy enquiry, the final result went unchanged. All of the runners appear to be comfortable at the 11-furlong distance and the Premiers truly does have the makings of being the ‘Race of the Year’ at Hastings.

Marathon – Monday

Another edition of the Pacific Customs Brokers Marathon series will be the highlight of the 10-race card on Thanksgiving Monday. It gives Lord Vic and Vintner a chance to resume their marathon rivalry.

All three days of racing starts at 1:25 p.m.

OUT OF TOWN CALENDAR

Keeneland – Saturday

The richest race of the weekend is the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth 11 Challenge Cup (2:10 p.m.) at 1 1/8-miles on the turf. Part of the 11-horse field includes Lickety Lemon who runs for Canadian trainer Mark Casse. Also on the Keeneland card is the $200,000 Perryvilel Stakes (1:10 p.m.) for 3-year-olds on the polytrack.

Woodbine – Saturday

The feature at Woodbine is the $150,000 Durham Cup at nine furlongs on the polytrack and heading the field is Marchfield, winner of the Breeders’ Stakes last year, which is the third jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown. Ghost Hours will be one of the favourites (he’s out of BC Oaks winner Dark Hours) and Head Chopper – second in the BC Derby two years ago behind Halo Steven – will also be a favourite of the Woodbine customers.

Santa Anita – Sunday

Casino Drive makes his return to Santa Anita in an allowance race after missing the entire summer with a hoof injury. Casino Drive was billed as the horse that could beat Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes after his impressive win in the Peter Pan Stakes but went to the sidelines a week before the Belmont. Casino Drive is a half brother to Jazil and the great filly Rags To Riches. Should he win Sunday, his connections have said he’ll run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic against Curlin and Big Brown.

Holiday Monday

There are several interesting stakes races on the Holiday Monday in the U.S. as our American friends celebrate Columbus Day. Santa Anita has the $65,000 Kangaroo Court for older horses on the turf at 6 ½ furlongs. Belmont features 3-year-old fillies on the grass in the $100,000 Pebbles Stakes while the $125,000 Bull Page for 2-year-olds on the polytrack will headline the Monday card at Woodbine.

BEHIND THE SCENE WITH WOLSKI

An in-depth preview of the Ballerina and Premiers will be two of the features of Tommy Wolski’s “Sport of Kings” a 11 a.m. Saturday on Citytv. The popular feature Road to the Breeders’ Cup features three “Win and You’re In” races with a Canadian tie-in and the Salute to the Legends continues its countdown of the best of the Breeders’ Cup. The charming Stephanie Mercier will have her weekly update, including an interesting visit with a horse that has two jobs at Hastings.

CLASH OF THE PACIFIC AT FRASER

The $100,000 Clash of the Pacific Final goes on Friday, October 17 with Dave Hudon armed with plenty of ammunition. Hudon is set for tonight’s (Oct. 11) second leg with defending champion Grand Bend Turbo and co-track record holder Rodeo King. Bill Boden shares in the ownership of both Grand Bend Turbo and Rodeo King, coupled as an entry for the $25,000 second leg.

Grand Turbo, the highest money winner in the Clash with earnings of $760,371, returned to Fraser Downs last week with an impressive third-place finish by swooping down the outside of the track from the number 7 post in 1:54.3 in the leg won b y Round Table Review.

The top nine money winners from legs one and two go into next week’s $100,000 showdown.

JIM KEELING, JR. MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Recipients of the 2008 Jim Keeling, Jr. Memorial Scholarships are Steffanie Godlien, Ryan Millitaire, Tess White, Ellen Gagnon and Jeanine Zahara. Presented by BC Standardbred Association president Jim Vinnell and Directors Barry Treen and Jim Marino, the winners share $5000.

To be eligible, recipients must be furthering their education and a family member of a registered horse person who is a member in good standing with the BCSA.

EXCLUSIVE TO HORSERACING CENTRAL SUBSCRIBERS:

We want to acknowledge our dedicated HorseRacing Central readers & subscribers by offering a share of a $1,000 draw at the end of October, 2008. $500 will go to our first ballot drawn with $250, $150 and $100 available in that order. Again, this HRC offer is for members and subscribers only. Members can enter by filling out this coupon and dropping it off at an HPI Centre at Hastings or Fraser Downs.

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