BC Racebook Newsletter - June 28, 2022
TIME TO DUST OFF THE FASCINATORS & FEDORAS
FOR ‘BEST DRESSED’ CANADA DAY CELEBRATIONS
By Greg Douglas – Dr. Sport
The Canada Day July 1 celebration at Hastings Racecourse Friday afternoon is shaping up as a ‘must stop’ on the local holiday scene.
Over and above a first-class race card that features three legendary $50,000 stakes races, an anticipated huge crowd will also enjoy the traditional festive atmosphere that includes live music, food trucks and friendly wagering ambassadors throughout the grounds.
This year, courtesy of BC Racebook, a special Taste of Canada “Best Dressed” competition will take place with two delightful Canada Day gift baskets as well as a ‘Fan of the Day’ $100 wagering voucher. Details will be available at the BC Racebook tent on the Hastings Racecourse tarmac where a host of other souvenir prizes will be distributed by staff members.
If you happen to look skyward and see drones hovering over the racetrack during the Canada Day celebrations, rest assured we are not being invaded.
Shanel Pratap and John Strocel, co-founders of Parlay One Media in Vancouver, will simply be hard at work adding racing footage to the Hastings Racecourse archives.
The two former Global Television employees recently went into private business and one of their initial clients was TBC Teletheatre/BC Racebook under the direction of general manager Matthew Ruhlman.
“The drones will be operating high above track level,” says Pratap, an on-air sportscaster at Global TV for 10 years. “It will be safe for everyone, including the horses. We will also be filming the Canada Day celebrations throughout the barns and grandstands as we interview trainers, jockeys and fans. Our crew is looking forward to being part of the fun.”
Friday, July 1, 2p.m. at Hastings Racecourse (PNE Gate 6)
Be in a Canada Day Outfit and a fabulous Canada Day gift basket can be yours! Come celebrate Canada Day at Hastings Racecourse! FREE ADMISSION for ALL AGES.
BEST OF THE BEST PREPPED FOR STAKES RACES
Heading into the Canada Day seven-race card the leading trainers and jockeys will be sharing in the excitement of the $50,000 stakes that include The Spaghetti Mouse for two-year-olds, The Monashee for fillies and mares three years old & upward and The Lieutenant Governors for three-year-olds & upward. Amadeo Perez currently leads in the Jockey Standings with 23 wins followed by Antonio Reyes at 19 and Scott Williams with 12 after his riding triple last Sunday. Barbara Heads continues to hold down the Trainer Standings lead with 14 victories. Edgar Mendoza picked up two more wins last Sunday to make it 13 on the season with Mark Cloutier chasing him with 11 wins.
The Canada Day card gets underway at the normal 2:00 p.m. start time and as always, admission is free. Live racing will then resume on Sunday, July 3 at 2:00 p.m.
Bailey On The Backstretch
By Bailey Williams
Our Hastings Racecourse backstretch family has lost many near and dear horsemen and horsewomen in the year 2022 and among those, sadly, was the passing of Donna Wyn Kopp this past February.
Donna and husband Victor bred, raised and raced many thoroughbreds under K&G Farms and as she bravely fought a battle with cancer, one of the promises the family made was to carry on Donna’s love of horse racing in honour of their sister, mother and granny.
That led to the newly-formed WYN Racing Stables and trainer Larry Grieve, better known as ‘Uncle Larry’, captured his first win in memory of his sister Donna with Von Dom on May 15 of this year. The entire WYN family was on hand to celebrate the victory.
Though most of the family is new to the backstretch, the goal is to continue to grow their current four-horse stable to a minimum of eight. They have been encouraged by the overwhelming kindness, encouragement and overall support from the backstretch community.
All of those traits had been mentioned to them frequently by Donna, who cherished the environment of everything to do with the horse racing industry.
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Father’s Day brought a good-sized crowd of enthusiastic race fans and they enjoyed some very competitive racing
Hard-working outrider ponies relax between races with a cooling mist fan.
Shaquil McIntosh, his first winning as a jockey on June 18, 2022. CERTIFIABLE & S McIntosh, Congratulations!