Blog Post
Nigel Reid • July 24, 2020
Saddling three winners in an afternoon is a special occasion for any trainer, but when two of the winners are also owned and bred by the same trainer, it’s a whole other level of satisfaction.
And, when the two homebreds in question are siblings from the same mare, then it is probably safe to assume that trainer Christine Ammann’s Monday afternoon hat-trick at Hastings will live long on her personal highlights’ reel.
The two-year-old filly REA MEA (Lent) was the first of Ammann’s three, handling the three-and-a-half furlong speed test with aplomb while shooting down a handful of better-fancied rivals in the process.
STAY FANTASTIC (Stay Thirsty), who Ammann trains for her main patron Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds, took the penultimate race of the Monday card before the barn then struck in the nightcap with SHRUG’S LOVE (Shrug) who, like Rea Mea, is out of the winning Tiznow mare, STRANGELOVE.
Strangelove was bought in Keeneland by Swift Thoroughbreds and raced by them at Hastings. Interestingly, the mare is from the same family as Glen Todd’s BC Derby hero, FIVE STAR GENERAL (Distorted Humor).
Hammann’s treble moved her on to four winners for the young season, joint-third numerically behind Steve Henson (4), Glen Todd (5) and Barb Heads (6).
Heads’ impressive total was supplemented away from Hastings last Friday when the in-form barn’s day trip to Edmonton ended with SUNBURST (Sungold) landing the $40,000 RedTail Landing Stakes.
The barn’s winning run continued back at headquarters. SYNERGY (Sungold), who like Sunburst is bred and raced by “RJ” and Lois Bennett, followed up his opening weekend victory by taking Monday’s feature event, the $40,000 Chris Loseth Handicap Stakes, while yet another Bennett homebred, the three-year-old BACK ALLEY CAT (Sungold), broke his maiden on Tuesday.
Heads then landed the nightcap on the same day with BAMBOO ELEVEN (Cause To Believe), who followed up on her opening week second-place finish for owner Praven Sorensen.
Supernaturel Stakes
Sunday’s feature race, the $40,000 Supernaturel Stakes went to the BC-bred FLORAL. Owned by Michal Jilek, Craig Winnick and breeders, Canyon Farms, Floral took the contest for handler Craig MacPherson and rider Alex Marti with less fuss than perhaps the form guide suggested. The daughter of Stone Ridge Farms stallion BAKKEN (Distorted Humor) only broke her maiden tag last October and won the Supernaturel off the back of a week-1 prep race.
BC-breds
Floral was a significant contributor to another bumper couple of days for BC-breds. Impressively, 13 of the 16 contests were won by horses bred in the Province, while the Rob Maybin-owned-and-trained APPELLANT (Midnight Lute) was bred in Kentucky by Glen Todd – of which there have been a few already this season.
Now pensioned, CAUSE TO BELIEVE (Maria’s Mon) continues to be represented by winners on a regular basis. Bamboo Eleven was his third at Hastings this week, along with the magnificently consistent GENOA BAY (who got trainer Pat Jarvis off the mark for the year) and FOURTOWIN. The latter’s victory was a second on the bounce this season (and a third consecutively) for the John Snow barn and owners Gordon Christoff, Ron and Ryan Basran and James Galbraith.
SMART DEAL (Skimming) stepped up on a third-place finish on opening day to double trainer Mel Snow’s total for the young season and catapult him into the top ten on the standings list.
Starting gate issues
“Twink” Baumgartner’s stable has also been in good form already and she greeted SUZY MASCARA (Second in Command) back to the winner’s circle for the second time this season. The White House Stables homebred followed up an eye-catching win earlier in the month and is an improving sort - although how this race would have turned out without the debacle at the starting gate is anyone’s guess.
Nothing should be taken away from the winner, but the chaos at the start made for embarrassing viewing and could easily have resulted in serious injury to any of the horses or riders involved. It was reassuring, therefore, to learn that the management team has promised a review of the incident.
New racing dates
Beginning on August 2, racing at Hastings will be held on Sundays and Thursdays with the first race scheduled for 4:30 pm on both days. One of the very few positives of spectators not being allowed to attend the racecourse is the flexibility that gives racing’s rulers to run on days that might help boost betting turnover. Any initiative that attempts to addresses the downturn in handle is obviously very welcome.
Prize-money
Purses at Hastings will also receive a small, but very welcome, boost it was announced this week. Going forward, there will be a little more money for $6,250 claimers who will now race for $8,500, while $8,000 claimers will run for $9000.00. The increases are effective from August 2. Management has also increased all $40,000 Stakes contests to $50,000, effective the same day.
Huge blow to Hastings as CTHS President passes just two weeks after his Willow Creek Farms secures its second consecutive leading-owner title
Current leading 3rd crop sire in Canada, the son of Smart Strike, COUNTERFORCE is on the move. COUNTERFORCE who stood in 2024 at Stride Away Thoroughbreds (Steen and Cathy Reggelsen) in Armstrong, BC will be relocating to Empire Equestrian in Ardrossan, AB. For breeding information contact Lori Neyka 780-719-0400 or [email protected] .
The office will be closed Wednesday, December 20, 2023 - Wednesday, January 3, 2024 The office reopens on Thursday, January 4, 2024 Wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season and good racing in 2024! The Directors and staff - CTHS BC
Plan to attend on Monday August 7th BC Cup Day at the Marquis Tent area
On the Move: Current leading second-crop sire in Canada COUNTERFORCE (seen with Jack Bennett at Road's End Farm)
An Inspiration for 2023 CTHS BC Yearling & Mixed Sale
To: All members of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (BC Division) NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING TAKE NOTICE THAT the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (BC Division) will be held: Time: Commencing at 11:30 am Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2023 Place: CTHS (BC Division) Office - Boardroom #7 – 5492 Production Blvd. Surrey, BC The main purpose of this meeting is for the following: 1. to receive the annual reports of the Society; 2. to approve the appointment of the auditor for the 2022 fiscal year; 3. to transact such business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting. Dated this 30th day of May, 2023. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Note: Copies of the 2022 financial statements and minutes of the June 23, 2022 annual general meeting will be available at the meeting or upon request by contacting the office. As per Article XI, Section 9 (a) of the CTHS By-Laws, new business proposed to be discussed at the meetings of the Society, or any Regional Division thereof, shall be delivered in writing to the National Executive Secretary or Regional Secretary/General Manager as the case may be. Proposed new business, endorsed in writing by at least three (3) members entitled to vote at the meeting and received prior to the mailing of the Notice of the Meeting, shall be included in the agenda and may be subject of a vote at the meeting. Only voting members who are present are eligible to vote (no proxies).
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