HorseRacing Central September 24, 2010

OAKS & DERBY FEVER HITS HASTINGS RACECOURSE

“DERBY GOES OUT WITH BAZE OF GLORY” -- Vancouver Sun

“RACING EXTRAVAGANZA AT HASTINGS” -- Vancouver Province

“VANCOUVER RACING GREAT COMES HOME” -- 24 Magazine

It’s the biggest – and richest – thoroughbred racing weekend of the year at Hastings Racecourse and not even Vancouver’s esteemed weather forecasters can rain on this parade.

With more than $550,000 in purse money and a combined eight major stake races on the Saturday-Sunday cards, the excitement only heightened with news that the world’s winningest jockey will be reconnecting with his Vancouver roots.

Russell Baze flies in from California Sunday morning and will ride Cherokee Notion in the 65th running of the $150,000 BC Derby. The 52-year-old super star will also be aboard Trick of the North in the Winston Churchill, Too Much Dirt in the Ascot Graduation and Distorted Glamour in the Derby Bar and Grill Express.

With a total of more than 11,000 career wins, Baze also has 77 major U.S. riding titles to his credit. He was born in Vancouver in 1958 while his father Joe was a trainer at Exhibition Park. Russell will be signing a special commemorative Hastings picture card for fans beginning at 1:00 p.m. Sunday.

BC DERBY POST POSITIONS

Owners, trainers and jockeys turned out in full force Thursday night for the annual BC Derby Gala Dinner with the highlight being the post positions draw for Sunday’s long-awaited showdown of 3-year-olds.

By luck of the draw, the 2010 BC Derby post positions are as follows:

1. Cherokee Notion (Russell Baze)
2. Ain (Isaias Cardenas)
3. Distorted Dave (Pedro Alvarado)
4. Crew Leader (Chad Hoverson)
5. Foxcreek (Keveh Nicholls)
6. Smart Spending (Amadeo Perez)
7. Silly Fella (Ryan Pacheco)
8. Majesticality (Richard Hamel)
9. Victor’s Magic (Frank Fuentes)
10. Prince Intent (Mario Gutierrez
11. Charterhill (Dave Wilson).

BC Oaks Day focuses on the fillies and mares and also all ladies in attendance Saturday with two special promotions: Hastings management and guest services will distribute ballots to all females wearing hats for a chance to win a diamond pendant or a spa package; plus the Pink Stiletto private party will take place in Silks Restaurant, a fund-raiser for breast cancer awareness. Tickets for this event are available at 604.534.8703.

The $75,000 BC Oaks showcases some of the best 3-year-old fillies in the Northwest, particularly Dearest Princess and Northland Parks invader Notoriously. Both have three stakes wins. Otero, Wando Woman and Emerald Downs Oaks winner Zenovit are also stakes winners competing in the nine-horse field.

The Delta Colleen, Fantasy and Derby Bar and Grill Ladies Express are also on the Oaks Day card. Start times both Saturday and Sunday will be the regular 1:40 p.m. but with all of the festivities attached to both days, fans are urged to get to Hastings early.

This season’s final Friday Night Live card goes tonight (Friday, Sept. 24) at 7:00 p.m.

NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

The spectacular ColossoVision screen has been set up in the Hastings infield and over the weekend a variety of video features will be shown, including the past 10 BC Derby winners. After the Friday Night Live card the movie “Let It Ride” will be shown and following Saturday’s races the movie “Seabiscuit” will be on the big screen … Veteran trainer Frank Barroby, recently named to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, will be guest decorator for Sunday’s Sir Winston Churchill. BCLC president & CEO Michael Graydon will decorate the winner of the BC Derby while long-time racing supporters Merv Peters and Archie McDonald will decorate the winner of the Ascot Graduation … Keeping with the ladies theme on BC Oaks Day, Christina Thompson from MCL Motor Cars will decorate the winner of the Oaks on Saturday … There will be a special retirement presentation for the great mare Against the Sky following the second race Saturday with owner Bob Leffler accepting the ceremonial blanket … Heading into the weekend, Richard Hamel has taken over the lead in the jockey standings with 71 wins, one more than Fernando Perez, who is finished for the season due to injuries.

OUT OF TOWN SCOREBOARD

With the calendar flipping to autumn, Arlington and Emerald Downs close their seasons on Sunday. Hawthorne will take over the Illinois thoroughbred racing scene and as for the Northwest, Portland Meadows opens in October as does Turf Paradise in Arizona. Also starting next month is the fall Keeneland meet. The Oak Tree at Hollywood Park meet starts next Thursday with a night card at 7:05.

FRASER DOWNS SEASON SET TO OPEN OCT. 1

Things are starting to get busy at Fraser Downs Racetrack with the opening of the 2010-2011 season set to go on Friday, Oct. 1 at 7:00 p.m. Last year’s leading driver and trainer Ed Hensley has returned with between 20-25 horses. His Edmonton arch rivals Gerry Hudon and Keith Clark have also settled into the Fraser Downs backstretch with plenty of pacing product.

Harness Racing BC is hosting a Backstretch Open House on Saturday (Sept. 25) at 11:30 a.m. Qualifiers will be taking place prior to an open luncheon in the newly renovated Backstretch Restaurant. Standardbred fans will also be invited to take barn tours as part of the Open House presentation.