HorseRacing Central September 19, 2008

BC DERBY POST POSITIONS

Flanked by steward Doug Scott and guest host David Pratt, Racing Secretary Lorne Mitchell put “numbers to names” during the BC Derby Draw Thursday night in the George Royal Room at Hastings Racecourse.

The 63rd running of the $250,000 BC Derby (Race 9) on Sunday, Sept. 21 will present its nine entries this way:

Post Position 1: Papa Time owned by Bar None Ranchers Ltd.; trained by Ron Grieves; ridden by Jake Barton.
Post Position 2: Bears Home Run owned by Bear Stables Ltd.; trained by Dale Greenwood; ridden by Quincy Welch.
Post Position 3: Forest Prince owned by Glen Todd & Patrick Kinsella; trained by Troy Taylor; ridden by Mario Gutierrez.
Post Position 4: Arkhill owned by Neville Davis; trained by Craig McPherson; ridden by Fernando Perez.
Post Position 5: Fear No Evil owned by Chris and Diane Randall; trained by Frank Lucarelli; ridden by Gary Baze.
Post Position 6: Dancingall Theway owned by K.K. Sangara; trained by Lorne Richards; ridden by Justin Stein.
Post Position 7: Texas Wildcatter owned by Glen Todd & Patrick Kinsella; trained by Troy Taylor; ridden by Chad Hoverson.
Post Position 8: Wink At the Girls owned by K.K. Sangara; trained by Rafael Becerra; ridden by Gerry Olguin.
Post Position 9: Krazy Koffee owned by Butch Goertzen; trained by Cindy Krasner; ridden by Dave Wilson.

“We’re pleased with the way things finally fell into place with the Derby field,” said Hastings Racecourse GM Raj Mutti. “There’s a lot of speed in the race and obviously a lot of talent. It’s going to make for an exciting afternoon.”

The BC Derby is the 9th race on Sunday’s 10-race card and is scheduled to go at 5:20 p.m. There’s a $250,000 Hole-In-One contest set for Sunday where 10 names will be drawn to participate on site; Nearly Neil will provide live entertainment throughout the afternoon and some lucky patron will win a trip to Las Vegas.

Supporting the Derby is the $50,000 Sir Winston Churchill (Race 6) where it is expected Winter Warning and Fuhrever Dancing will battle. The card also features two very competitive Overnight Stakes in the $50,000 Derby Bar & Grill Express (Race 7) a 6 Furlong Sprint Race which drew a very competitive and wide open field of 6. Also on the card is the $50,000 Derby Consolation (Race 8) which drew 10 starters and will be a wide open event going 1 1/16 miles. All four races will be featured in a special $25,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 which starts in race 6 at 3:48pm.

BC OAKS SATURDAY

The $125,000 BC Oaks goes Saturday for 3-year-old fillies with a field of eight that includes the Todd & Kinsella entry of Heaven On Hold and Summer Song. Lecturing Lynn has won back-to-back stakes and will probably be the one to catch from the quarter-pole to the wire. Blue Sky Holiday and Broken Hearted also have to be respected but there is talent from top to bottom that also includes Infinite Wealth, Answerwithvictory and Mozambique.

The Oaks is the first half of the BC Oaks – BC Derby double, a new concept that will keep interest at a peak over the two racing days.

Also on Saturday’s card is the $50,000 Delta Colleen Handicap where Holy Nova will be chasing her fifth stakes win of the year. Her main competition will likely come from Against the Sky and Lady Raj.

OUT OF TOWN SCOREBOARD

The 29th running of the $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs goes Saturday with the favourite being Preakness runner-up Macho Again. He was a distant second to Big Brown in the Preakness and later went on to capture the Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. We’ll get it via simulcast at 3:12 p.m.

Also on Saturday is the $125,000 Overskate Stakes at Woodbine with Queen’s Plate winner Not Bourbon making his return against older Ontario-sired horses. Kelowna resident Charles Fipke bred and owns Not Bourbon. The race goes at 12:34 our time and later on the card (race nine) former Hastings runner Affiniti One co-owned by Peter Redekop and his nephew James will compete in a maiden claiming race.

FRASER DOWNS SWING INTO ACTION

Live entertainment, an old-fashioned barbecue/tailgate party, collectible give-a-ways and the top 10 drivers signing their new trading cards are all part of Opening Night tonight (Friday, Sept. 19) at Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino with a 7:30 p.m. starting time.

It launches a schedule that includes 107 dates from September through June. Jackson Wittup has been named Director of Racing at Fraser Downs with a background that includes 25 years as Race Secretary at Stampede Park in Calgary, a director of Standardbred Canada since 2002, four years as Standard Canada Vice President and current Chairman of the Board for Standardbred Canada.

“Jackson is a very welcome addition to racing in British Columbia,” says David Aldred, BCSA Executive Director. “The racing backstretch operations will benefit greatly by his industry experience and knowledge.”

HEAD TO HEAD HANDICAPPING

Players at Hastings, Fraser Downs and the Racebooks at Boulevard and River Rock have a chance to handicap their way to $500 plus a $500 bonus if the winner is an HPI Member. Players can pick the winners from races 3 through 8 at Hastings and Fraser Downs from the live racing cards on Sept. 19 and Sept. 26. Full contest details are available at the HPI Counters at Hastings and Fraser Downs.