Hastings Racecourse – Lt. Governors’ Stakes
Happy Canada Day to our Canadian readers, and since it is Canada Day today, I thought it would be interesting to go north of the border for their federal holiday today as we head to Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, British Columbia. We have nine horses going a mile and a sixteenth here with a post time of 8 pm Eastern time.
The first thing you will notice when you watch this race is that this race will be a three-turn race. Hastings is a five-furlong bullring track, so the field will traverse three turns and passing under the wire twice for today’s race. Also, I’ll reminisce about the TV show The X-Files as Hastings was used for the race track scenes on the show.
The 2 Bold Arch (3/1 morning line) is favored in this race after winning his 2024 debut at Hastings going six and a half furlongs. He is a gelding that will go for the lead, and it doesn’t matter if it is the two-turn six-and-a-half-furlong race or the three turn races like this, He will be on the lead, and if he isn’t, there is a problem.
The 3 Stormy Blue (10/1 ML) might be right there at the start with the morning line favorite. He does tend to tire after going for the lead, and today, he will be dealing with other speed horses at the start. He might ruin the fortunes of the favorite here today.
The 6 At Attention (4/1 ML) was near the back of the pack and made a move on the backstretch only to check near the finish of George Royal Stakes last month here at Hastings. That was a six and a half furlong race, and will love the stretch out to today’s distance as he is five for ten lifetime at this distance with three seconds. He will be closer to the pace and rolling late.
The 7 Soaringforthesun (6/1 ML) was declared a non-starter last month in the George Royal as he reared up at the start as the gates opened with the starter still holding his reins, preventing him from a fair start.
The 9 Settecento (8/1 ML) shocked everyone in the George Royal closing well on the outside after riding the rail into the first turn until tipping out near the end of the second turn. He will appreciate the extra ground here and might surprise again today.
The 4 Big Union (12/1 ML) just missed in last year’s edition of this race at Hastings, but he showed little last time out. He had a nice work last week and should like the extra ground as well. He looks very versatile and could surprise here.
I admit this is the first time that I have looked at a race from Hastings in a couple of years, as I used to play this track on Sundays when an ADW gave extra rewards points for playing Hastings through them. I will warn you this track is going to be very tricky for us since this is a five-furlong track and seeing horses go three turns.
But I do like the fact that these horses are stretching to a longer distance here. I think that works best for At Attention, and he will be my pick in this Canada Day feature at Hastings Racecourse. I’ll call this my first QPW race of July 6-9-7-4 and my play is $20 to win on the 6. Good luck everyone!
Check out my show “Also Eligible” on Saturday mornings at 10 am Eastern/7 am Pacific as AJ Johnson and I discuss the big races, the latest news in horse racing and much more on the Bleacher Brothers Twitch, YouTube, Facebook and X
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