HorseRacing Central June 30, 2010

Special Canada Day Edition

CANADA DAY CARD FEATURES THREE STAKES AT HASTINGS

Will Teide – 2009 Horse of the Year – bounce back from a second-place finish in his last start?

Can the new super star on the grounds, Concert Music, make it six wins in a row?

Which horse will beat the deadlock in their head-to-head rivalry: Otero or Dearest Princess?

All of these questions will be answered Thursday afternoon at Hastings Racecourse with the running of three Canada Day $50,000 stakes races: the Lieutenant Governors; the Vancouver Sun and the Supernaturel.

They are all part of an action-packed nine-race card that starts at 1:40 p.m.

Lt. Governors:

Teide, trained by Dino Condilenios for Swift Thoroughbreds Inc., lost to his stablemate Almost Time in the John Longden 6000 on June 6. Almost Time, Ganbei and Spaghetti Mouse provide the opposition in Thursday’s third race. Teide, the morning line favourite, is expected to go to the lead with regular jockey Chad Hoverson. A three-time winner of the Lt. Governors – Spaghetti Mouse – is coming off a win against Ganbei in an earlier $50,000 optional race on May 30. Spaghetti Mouse has been a fan favourite at Hastings for years and trainer Terry Dubois says the 8-year-old gladiator is in excellent shape.

Vancouver Sun Handicap:

Concert Music has won five in a row sprinting for trainer John Snow and stretches out to one and one-sixteenth miles for the Canada Day Vancouver Sun in a tough six-horse field for 3-year-olds and up. Summer Song appears to be the main threat to stop Concert Music’s winning streak. Trained by Troy Taylor, Summer Song has four wins and a second at this distance in five starts.

Supernaturel:

The rivalry continues between Otero and Dearest Princess. Otero will probably be the favourite coming off a win over Dearest Princess in the Emerald Downs at Hastings on May 24. It was her third win in four starts with her only loss coming at the hands of Dearest Princess in a $75,000 optional race on May 1. Dearest Princess has also won three of her last four. This showdown goes as the 8th race on the card over one and one-sixteenth miles for 3-year-old fillies.

“It most certainly will be one of our most entertaining days of the season,” says Paul Reyneveld, Director of Racing at Hastings. “These should be three great stakes races with talent running deep in all three.”

Stu Ballantyne, recently appointed Chief Operating Officer of the Vancouver Giants, will be guest decorator for the Lt. Governors. Cam Cole, syndicated columnist for the Canwest chain, will decorate the winner of the The Vancouver Sun Handicap.

DESIGNATED FAMILY AREA IN SILKS

Hastings Racecourse General Manager Raj Mutti and Stephen Bain, Regional Manager, Food & Beverages, are pleased to announce that the racetrack’s food primary license application has been approved and minors are again welcome to join their families in Silks Restaurant.

Families will have their own designated entrance into Silks (west elevator) where a 44-seat area will be available. All family reservations are to be made by calling 604-216-5200 or contacting Adrienne Rebek at arebek@hastingsracecourse.com

Because of the exclusive, limited seating, guests are requested to identify the fact they intend on being accompanied by minors.

OUT OF TOWN SCOREBOARD

The longest running stakes race in North America goes on Sunday, July 4, at Woodbine with the running of the 151st Queen’s Plate for Canadian bred 3-year-olds. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 and His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh, will be on hand to preside over the presentation to the winning owner. The Woodbine card gets underway at 9:25 a.m. Many of the major U.S. tracks will be running Sunday and Monday because of the July 4 holiday weekend. Check the Hastings Racecourse website for the full list available tracks on our simulcast coverage.

VIP QUEEN OR KING FOR A DAY

This unique contest runs from 9:00 a.m. Saturday, July 3 through until 4:00 p.m. Sunday, July 4 during live racing at Hastings Racecourse with participants welcome to deposit one ballot per day during the weekend. The prize package includes four VIP seats to the B.C. Lions home opener at Empire Field on July 10, lunch for four in Silks, complimentary parking and shuttle service to the game. The winning entrant must be present at Hastings Racecourse Sunday, July 4 to win.