August Rain Prevails in BC Derby 2024

August Rain Prevails in BC Derby,
Avana Wins 6th Straight to Capture BC Oaks  

By Greg Douglas

Trainer Barbara Heads nailed it when she said prior to the 77th running of the British Columbia Derby Saturday: “All we can do is hope for the best.  Once that gate opens, it’s up to Amadeo Perez. He’s the leading rider here for a reason.”

Sure enough, Perez worked his patented magic in guiding favoured August Rain to a dramatic 1¼-length victory in a full field of 12 in the $125,000 Grade 3 at Hastings Racecourse.  The 3-year-old gelding sired by Sungold was as far back as seventh when Perez urged him to kick into high gear at the second turn of the 1 1/8-mile course to prevail over runner-up WYN Racing Stables’ Moneyshot.

Bred by BC owner Peter Redekop, the win by August Rain came on the heels of his Canadian Derby victory August 24 at Century Mile in Edmonton.

The combination of Redekop, Heads and Perez was back in the winner’s circle 30 minutes later to celebrate Avana’s victory in the $75,000 BC Oaks for 3-year-old fillies in a dramatic down-to-the-wire finish over stablemate Viva La Diva from the estate of R.J. Bennett and Lois Bennett. It was Avana’s sixth consecutive victory in as many starts this year.  

Earlier on the eight-race card that resulted in a handsome handle of $1.1 million, favourite Mount Doom went wire-to-wire to win the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity for 2-year-old colts and gelding under rider Antonio Reyes for leading Hastings’ trainer Steve Henson. Mount Doom is owned by Willow Creek Farms and Lorie Henson.     

The $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity for 2-year-old fillies was won convincingly by Someday Lady with Kerron Khelawan in the irons for trainer Cindy Krasner and the return to Hastings of a jubilant owner Jeffrey Sengara.

All eight races on Saturday’s BC Derby Day card were won by horses bred in British Columbia.

Live racing resumes Saturday and Sunday with 2:30 p.m. starts at Hastings Racecourse.  There are four featured Stakes races remaining on the 2024 calendar: the $100,000 Ballerina and Premiers G3 on Saturday, October 5 as well as the $50,000 Glen Todd Fantasy and Glen Todd Ascot on Saturday, October 12.