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Hastings Kicks Off Abbreviated Summer Meet On Monday

Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, British Columbia, starts its 2020 live meet with an abbreviated racing schedule consisting of 25 race days, beginning Monday, July 6.

The race meet will be conducted with all areas of the facility closed to the public, and all racing participants will be adhering to strict health and safety protocol, as part of the ongoing effort to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hastings' live races will be available for viewing and wagering through the industry's simulcast network as well as at hpibet.com.

“Recognizing the hundreds of horse owners, trainers, grooms, jockeys and other support personnel who depend on racing for their livelihood, this abbreviated meet is critical to the ongoing sustainability of the industry,” said David Milburn, President of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association of BC, the organization that represents thoroughbred racing participants in the province.

The 2020 live racing season at Hastings was scheduled to begin on April 26 and run through October 18 with 51 race days in total but was suspended due to COVID-19.

The schedule includes Monday and Tuesday afternoons in July, August and September with start times at 1:15 p.m. PT, as well as one Wednesday afternoon in August and another in September. The lone Saturday date at Hastings will be September 5 which is also the date of the 146th running of this year's Kentucky Derby.

“The BC racing industry, like so many other sectors, has been extremely challenged by the impact from COVID-19. Although we will greatly miss our on-track guests, we want to thank everyone that has worked so hard to prepare for the upcoming race meet,” stated Hastings general manager Michael Zerebeski.

The post Hastings Kicks Off Abbreviated Summer Meet On Monday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Finnick The Fierce, Man In The Can Breeze In Advance Of Blue Grass

Arnaldo Monge and trainer Rey Hernandez's Finnick the Fierce and JRita Young Thoroughbreds' Man in the Can, two horses expected to make their next starts in the July 11, $600,000 Toyota Blue Grass (G2) during Keeneland's unprecedented Summer Meet, each turned in bullet works on the fast track at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday morning.

According to Keeneland clockers, Finnick the Fierce worked a half-mile in :46.20, the fastest of 90 works at the distance, and Man in the Can covered five furlongs in :59.60. His time was the fastest of 18 works at the distance.

Finnick the Fierce, a gelding by Dialed In, was third in the second division of the May 2 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park and at Fair Grounds was fourth in the Jan. 18 Lecomte (G3) and seventh in the Feb. 15 Risen Star Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2). He is coming off a third-place finish behind another Toyota Blue Grass hopeful, Art Collector, in a June 13 allowance race at Churchill Downs.

A colt by Can the Man, Man in the Can has won his past three races: Rainbow Stakes on April 17 and Arkansas Breeders' Championship on May 1, both at Oaklawn, and an allowance race at Churchill on June 12. The latter win was by 1½ length over eventual Ohio Derby (G3) winner Dean Martini.

Ron Moquett was pleased with the work turned in by Man in the Can, who will be his first starter in Keeneland's most famous race.

“He handled the track really well,” Moquett said about the Arkansas-bred. “I was really glad to see that. It should set him up well for the race.”

Asked about the COVID-19 pandemic that is resulting in the Toyota Blue Grass being run in July during the unique Summer Meet, Moquett said, “We're living in uncertain times. With everything going on, it's been a really good thing to know we can continue to do what we need to do, and that's to take care of these horses.”

Moquett said Grade 1 winner Whitmore, who has earned more than $3 million, is scheduled to turn in a second work at Keeneland on Sunday. He said the 7-year-old gelding by Pleasantly Perfect, who races for Robert V. LaPenta, Southern Springs Stables and Head of Plains Partners, is being pointed at the Oct. 2 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) on opening day of Keeneland's Fall Meet with the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland the ultimate goal.

Among the other potential Summer Meet stakes horses that worked Saturday are:

July 10 stakes

Maker's Mark Mile (G1) – M and J Thoroughbreds and Riverside Bloodstock's Emmaus (IRE) (4 furlongs on turf in :50.40) for trainer Conor Murphy; Calumet Farm's Everfast (4 furlongs on turf in :50.20) for trainer Jack Sisterson.

July 11 stakes

Central Bank Ashland (G1) – Juddmonte Farm's Bonny South (5 furlongs on dirt in 1:00.40) for trainer Brad Cox.

Shakertown (G2) – Owner and trainer Wesley Ward's Bound for Nowhere (5 furlongs on turf in 1:05); Amy Dunne, Brenda Miley, Westrock Stables and Jean Wilkinson's Leinster (4 furlongs on turf in :50.2) for trainer Rusty Arnold; Inchy Bridge Stables' Sabador (FR) (4 furlongs on turf in :51.00) for trainer Conor Murphy; Jim and Susan Hill's Totally Boss (4 furlongs on dirt in :48.20) for Arnold.

Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association – Michael and Reiko Baum's Ivyetsu (4 furlongs on dirt in :49.00) for trainer Rusty Arnold; Manganero Bloodstock'sMariafoot (GB) (4 furlongs on dirt in :49.20) for trainer Cherie DeVaux; Marc Detampel, TSF Thoroughbred Racing and Rebecca Hillen's Outburst (GB) (4 furlongs on turf in :51.00) for trainer Eddie Kenneally; Merriebelle Stable's Walk In Marrakesh (IRE) (4 furlongs on turf in :49.00) for trainer Ignacio Correas IV.

July 12 stakes

TVG Elkhorn (G2) – Silverton Hill's Hellorhighwater (5 furlongs on turf in 1:05) for trainer Darrin Miller; Bloom Racing Stable's Henley's Joy (5 furlongs on turf in 1:01.80) for trainer Steve Asmussen.

The post Finnick The Fierce, Man In The Can Breeze In Advance Of Blue Grass appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Shivaree Tunes Up for Blue Grass

Shivaree (Awesome of Course), who belied odds of 80-1 to complete the exacta behind future GI Belmont S. hero Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 28, worked five furlongs in 1:01.65 Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park in advance of the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland July 11.

A homebred for Fred Brei’s Jacks Or Better Farm, Shivaree required five starts to break his maiden, but has since proved he belongs in the 3-year-old discussion with a pair of stakes scores prior to his Florida Derby effort. The Ralph Nicks trainee was a latest third to Belmont also-ran Sole Volante (Karakontie {Jpn}) in a salty one-mile allowance in Hallandale June 10.

“It was a very good work–1:01 and change and 1:14 and change in the gallop out,” Nicks said. “I hope he reproduces his Florida Derby race in the Blue Grass, then he’ll get a big piece of it. If he doesn’t get it all, he’ll get a big piece of it.”

The post Shivaree Tunes Up for Blue Grass appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Monomoy Girl Breezes Towards Ruffian

Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables’ Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) breezed a half-mile in company in an easy :49.30 over the Belmont main track Saturday morning as she completed her preparations for the July 11 GII Ruffian S. at Big Sandy.

Partnered with Javier Castellano, the 5-year-old worked in the company of her multiple stakes-winning stablemate A Bit of Both (Paynter) and was timed in splits of :12.30 and :24.40 before galloping out five-eighths of a mile in 1:02.10.

“Today it was a very straightforward work, a half-mile from the half-mile pole with another horse inside. I was outside tracking the other horse,” said Castellano, who was subbing for regular rider Florent Geroux. “She handled the track well. Even at the beginning when we started galloping, she was splashing nice and smooth in a good rhythm, good balance and good mind. These good types of horses, they do that.”

Geroux retains the call for the Ruffian.

A $100,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, Monomoy Girl won the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff to cap her championship season at three, her lone blemish coming when she was disqualified to second behind Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in the GI Cotillion S. The chestnut missed her entire 4-year-old season, owing to a bout with colic and later a hamstring injury, but returned to action with a better-than-it-looked 2 3/4-length allowance victory going Churchill’s one-turn mile May 16. Connections bypassed a clash with Midnight Bisou in the GII Fleur de Lis S. last weekend in favor of the Ruffian.

The one-mile event, which carries purse money of $150,000, is the final graded stakes on the abbreviated Belmont stakes schedule. Monomoy Girl won the GI Acorn S. over the same course and trip in 2018.

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