Hoss Talk

If the past few months are any indication of what racing fans can expect at Hastings Racecourse and Fraser Downs, we'd better make sure our seatbelts are strapped on because it is going to be a wild ride!

Saturday at Hastings, Linwood Stables' outstanding filly Regal Red captured the $40,000 Strawberry Morn, racking up her seven consecutive win.

Ridden by jockey Frank Fuentes and trained by Robbie Anderson, Regal Red stalked the pacesetter Pretty Meadow and won in convincing style.

Regal Red paid $2.80 and ran the 61/2 furlong race in 1:17.2

"A filly like this does not come around often," said owner Fred Gumprich. "We have been blessed to have bred not only her mother [Sophie J] but also Regal Red."

Asked if there was any chance he would be selling his superstar filly, Gumprich smiled and said: "As we've said in the past, the Not For Sale sign still remains on Regal Red."

On the standardbred side, race fans attending Fraser Downs next Saturday evening will have a chance to see their version of Hastings' Regal Red, when J.J.J. Stables & Alan and Mark Anderson's, unbeaten, untouched Betterfrombehind puts her unbeaten record of 10 consecutive wins in a row on the line.

Betterfrombehind paces in the $100,000 Stallion Stakes for Fillies.

Word has it that racing experts believe Betterfrombehind is such an extraordinary filly that if she was to be beaten, there would probably be an investigation launched.

Unlike her name, Betterfrombehind has a versatile pacing style which driver Bill Davis uses to place her anywhere he chooses. Truly a delight to watch and enjoy.

Other races scheduled for so-called Super Saturday include the $100,000 Stallion Stakes (Colts) and two $25,000 stakes races for four-year-olds.

MAJOR PURCHASE

Adding one more racetrack to their properties, Great Canadian Gaming Corp., recently acquired Georgian Downs, a harness racetrack in Barrie, Ont. The deal included acquiring all issued and outstanding shares of Georgian Downs Ltd. and Georgian Downs Holdings Inc. for about $25 million.

With this news and recent hype centred around the opening of Hastings, horsemen at Fraser Downs have begun wondering what is in store for their future?

"That is a fair question and I understand their concerns," said Chuck Keeling, Great Canadian vice-president of race operations on Saturday.

"Because it is the beginning of our new season at Hastings, we have been concentrating our efforts on thoroughbred racing. And we will be refocusing our efforts on the standard sector in the summer and be moving forward."

twolski@shaw.ca

(Tom Wolski can be seen on the Sport of Kings, 11 a.m., Saturdays on Citytv)

Source: Vancouver Province
E-mail Tommy Wolski at twolski@home.com