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Dawn Lupul To Have Racing, Communications Role At BC Racebook

With Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, B.C., having rounded the turn for its stretch run to the completion of the 2023 Thoroughbred campaign, a major addition to the BC racing scene becomes official with the appointment of Dawn Lupul as manager of racing and communications effective on Aug. 28.

“We are thrilled to have Dawn join the team,” said Matthew Ruhlman, chief operating officer of BC Racebook. “She is a highly respected professional in the industry, uniquely talented with both breeds and we are excited to bring her fresh perspective to BC as we continue to grow the business.”

Lupul will be overseeing numerous key elements of the live racing operations at both Hastings Racecourse and Fraser Downs when the Standardbred season opens Sept. 14 with a revamped broadcast in high definition.

“I am beyond excited for the challenges this new role brings,” stated Lupul. “It is an opportunity to use every facet of my career to help promote the long and storied history of horse racing in BC.”

Born in Edmonton, her career includes decades of experience as an owner, breeder and trainer in both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing that led to becoming a respected analyst and broadcaster. Dawn was the voice of Woodbine's simulcast broadcasting for 10 years and has appeared in many network television specials, including having been invited to call races at Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Australia.

In her role with BC Racebook, Lupul will apply her vast experience in corporate communications and stakeholder relations in promoting and showcasing live racing at Hastings and Fraser Downs to help elevate both brands.

Hastings Racecourse hosts the third leg of the Western Canadian Triple Crown on Sept. 16 with the $125,000 BC Derby. It follows the $125,000 Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs (Aug. 7) and $200,000 Canadian Derby at Century Mile in Edmonton (Aug. 26).

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Monmouth Park To Host $800 NHC/BCBC Handicapping Contest On Aug. 26

Monmouth Park will host an $800 NHC/BCBC handicapping contest on Saturday, Aug. 26, that will be available to players both on site and online.

TVG, 4NJBETS, HPI and Xpressbet are the available online options.

The $800 cost covers a non-refundable entry fee of $400 and a contest bankroll of $400.

Based on 150 entries, the prize pool will consist of 3 NHC seats, 3 BCBC seats and $15,000 in cash. The top six (6) finishers, in order, will choose between a NHC and BCBC seat. Cash prizes will go to the top five (5) finishers.

The contest consists of races from Monmouth Parka and Saratoga. Contestants must bet a minimum of five (5) Monmouth Park races of $80 each.

The betting format consists of win, place, show, exacta and daily double wagers.

For those playing on site, registration will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first floor of the Clubhouse the day of the contest.

For TVG, 4NJBETS and HPI online players, pre-registration ends at 3 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25. Xpressbet players can register through 12:40 p.m. on Saturday.

Monmouth Park's first race post time on Saturday is 12:40 p.m. Saratoga's first race post time that day for the Travers Stakes card is 11:40 a.m.

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‘They’re Hard To Come By’: Crazy Mason, After 9 1/2-Length Romp At Saratoga, Steps Into Stakes Company At Monmouth

Trainer Gregg Sacco doesn't want to get too far ahead of himself with the potential for Crazy Mason, but after the 2-year-old colt won a maiden special weight race at Saratoga by 9½ lengths on July 20 he knows he could have something special in his barn.

Special enough that Sacco invoked multiple Grade 1 winner Mind Control as a comparison at this stage of his career.

Crazy Mason will take the next step toward trying to fulfill the promise he has hinted at in Saturday's $200,000 Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park, trying two turns for the first time in the one-mile feature race.

“It's a lot of fun when you get one like this,” said Sacco. “Our last real promising 2-year-old like this was Mind Control. They're hard to come by.

“This is a colt we're really excited about and we're looking forward to Saturday to see if he can pass that next test.”

A Kentucky-bred son of Coal Front-Izshelegal by Maria's Mon, Crazy Mason looks to have been a bargain purchase at $27,500. He was picked out at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale in 2022 by Sacco's son Will, who serves as his top assistant.

“They had a reserve on him of $50,000. We bought him post-sale for $27,500,” said Sacco. “He has a nice female line on the bottom. My son and I love first crop sires. Coal Front was a terrific horse for Todd Pletcher.

“You don't know if they're going to be good sires but with a first crop sire you have the ability to get a bargain because it's a first crop.”

Donna Wright owns the colt, with Reeves Thoroughbred Racing purchasing half following the Saratoga win.

Jockey Jose Lezcano was impressed enough with Crazy Mason's performance at the Spa that he will make the trip from Saratoga to the Jersey Shore to ride the colt again, giving up his mounts on Travers Day.

Adding blinkers appears to have made a difference after Crazy Mason was a late-running second in maiden special weight company in his career debut on June 17 at Monmouth Park.

“His first race he ran green but we were really happy with the effort,” said Sacco. “He was wandering a little bit around the turn. Once he got focused he ducked to the rail and came through on the inside, which you don't see 2-year-olds do very often. After that race we put blinkers on.

“We didn't think he would win by 9½ lengths at Saratoga, but we were proud of the effort.”

Sacco doesn't see two turns and stretching out as issues for Crazy Mason, who is named for a milkshake company with locations that stretch from Baltimore to Orlando. His first two races were at five furlongs and 5½ furlongs.

“He's a big colt – 16 hands – with a long stride,” Sacco said. “He did win sprinting but in our mind we saw him as a horse who would start out sprinting and would develop into a two-turn horse. We're hoping he runs to his training Saturday.”

If he does, it would extend the best meet Sacco has had at Monmouth Park since 2019. He currently has an 11-13-10 line from 66 starters at the meet.

“It has been a pleasant surprise,” he said. “It has been a strong meet for us. We did well at Tampa after Monmouth last year and it carried over to this meet.”

The post ‘They’re Hard To Come By’: Crazy Mason, After 9 1/2-Length Romp At Saratoga, Steps Into Stakes Company At Monmouth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Observations: ‘TDN Rising Star’ Alexandroupolis Set for Vinnie Roe Comeback

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Insights features TDN Rising Star Alexandroupolis.

18.55 Leopardstown, Listed, €40,000, 3yo, 14fT
Coolmore and Westerberg's ALEXANDROUPOLIS (IRE) (Camelot {GB}) followed up his 'TDN Rising Star' performance at Galway last September with a third here in the Apr. 2 G3 Ballysax S. and encounters seven rivals in this Listed Aer Lingus College Football Classic Vinnie Roe S. over 14 furlongs. They include Juddmonte's hitherto undefeated Waltham (GB) (Roaring Lion), who is a Ger Lyons-trained grandson of G3 Park Hill S.-winning matriarch Eva Luna (Alleged).

16.35 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, f, 7fT
Dermot Weld debutante EZELIYA (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), who heads a trio of Aga Khan nominees, is out of MGSW G1 Irish Oaks, G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Hong Kong Vase third Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Her opposition features Ballydoyle bluebloods Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a twice-raced daughter of dual G1 Nunthorpe S. heroine Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}); and the once-raced Mayfair (Ire) (Justify), who is out of G1 Cheveley Park S. victrix Clemmie (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

The post Observations: ‘TDN Rising Star’ Alexandroupolis Set for Vinnie Roe Comeback appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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