15 FRIDAY NIGHTS UNDER THE LIGHTS AT HASTINGS RACECOURSE

Photo Michael Bye

Hastings Racecourse staged four Friday Nights Under the Lights race cards in 2023 with each of them attracting enthusiastic crowds and noticeable increased wagering both on and off track.

“In fact, the response was so positive our Board of Directors was unanimously onside to increase Friday Night racing to 15 dates in 2024,” says David Milburn, President of The Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association (HBPA-BC). “Improving betting handles is the lifeblood of our industry.”

The 2024 Live Racing Calendar at Hastings launches Saturday, April 27 and ends Sunday, October 20.  The 15 Friday Night cards begin May 10 and run through September 6, all with 7 p.m. PDT start times. 

“We’re so pleased the Hastings horsemen and horsewomen were willing to be flexible and go with 15 Friday Nights,” says Dawn Lupul, Manager of Racing & Communications. “Not only do Friday nights attract a younger demographic on site, they also fill a void for our simulcast audience in different markets with different time zones throughout North America and worldwide for that matter.”

The total 45 race dates in 2024 also include 21 Saturday afternoons and six Sunday afternoons with new 2:30 p.m. PDT start times, two holiday Monday matinee cards on Canada Day July 1 and BC Day August 5, as well as a 7 p.m. start on Monday, August 26 during the PNE Fair. (Hastings Racecourse 2024 Live Racing Calendar).

The 2024 Hastings Stakes schedule will be announced in the new year.