Hastings Racecourse Slashes Takeout
 

The 2011 thoroughbred racing season at Hastings Racecourse & Slots launches on Saturday, April 16 with exciting changes in store for the 71-day meet.

Overnight purses are increasing by 19% and stakes horses will compete for 23% more with the retooled 41-race stakes schedule. An unprecedented 15 per cent takeout for followers of Hastings racing; resulting in increased payoffs for Win, Place and Show wagering. Added to the lower WPS takeouts are the Pick 4 Wager and the newly added Pick 5 Wager which will be a jackpot-type bet. Both will feature a low 15% takeout.

A new start time of 1:20 p.m. will apply on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, with the exception of major stakes days on Monday, August 1 (BC Cup Day) and Sunday, September 11 (BC Derby Day). Start times for both will be 12:20 p.m.

Recognized as the most important and richest race of the year, the 66th running of the $200,000 BC Derby on September 11 is the crown jewel of every Hastings Racecourse season. Added to the Derby Card is the BC Oaks, and four additional stakes, for over $500,000 in purses. The $50,000 Redekop BC Cup Classic is the feature attraction of eventful BC Cup Day August 1, when seven stakes races totaling $350,000 in purses make up the spectacular holiday card.

Fan-friendly “Afternooner” starts of 3:20 p.m. will be introduced at Hastings this year to accommodate BC Lions home games at Empire Field and the annual Fair at the PNE. The 10 dates affected are July 8, 22 and August 5 for Lions’ Friday night games plus Saturday afternoon, September 10. Twilight 3:20 p.m. starts at Hastings during the PNE Fair will be August 24, 25, 26, 31 and September 1 and 2.

The 71-day live racing schedule that ends on Sunday, October 2 and the 2011 stakes schedule are available on the Hastings Racecourse website at hastingsracecourse.com

Hastings Racecourse & Slots is located in Vancouver, BC and features live and simulcast wagering, vibrant gaming floor, numerous dining options, private and public event facility rental opportunities, spectacular views of the North Shore Mountains, and outstanding guest service.

Source: Horseplayers Association of North America

I wonder how this takeout reduction bodes for Woodbine itself this year. Hastings is owned by Woodbine Entertainment.

Woodbine's season opener is only a month away - always a harbinger of Spring in these parts :)

Ted

Real owner of Hastings
 

Hi gang...

You are over half a decade out of date on ownership of Hastings. Great Canadian Casinos owns Hastings Park as well as harness tracks Fraser Downs, Georgian and Flamboro.

As Director of Great Canadian's Players Advisory Panel, a group I chaired consisting of 4 harness players and 4 thoroughbred plays, we have had a great deal of input into GC's policies on takeout.

So, if you want to see the takeout at YOUR track reduced, complain(suggest?) early and often.

It might not happen overnight, but think of it like the drip, drip, drip of the famous "Water Torture."

Start today!

Regards,
overdog

a.k.a. Fraser Rawlinson

Hey Fraser,

I wish I could say my little error above was intended misdirection in order to draw you out after being a member here for nearly 5 years! But not so - I spoke out of true ignorance :) I get that glossy little 'Q' (?) magazine each quarter from Woodbine Entertainment and it always has a blurb about Hastings in it (i.e. and not Fort Erie) so I guess I presumed still a common ownership. Thanks for updating us!

And your encouragement to make a noise in support of reduced takeout is well-taken. For myself, I'm not sure if that extends to boycotts and foaming at the mouth, but with 6 horse fields at Santa Anita and Aqueduct, who needs a boycott anyway when searching for sufficient ambiguity to make a race worth betting on. Give me Gulfstream, or Fairgrounds, or Tampa Bay, or Oaklawn this time of year - or give me Woodbine's typical fields for the rest of the year.

Do you think Hastings will have 8+ field sizes this year - I hope so and look forward to paying more attention there.

Thanks again, and feel free to keep us informed on events out your way!

cheers,

Ted

Hastings field sizes in 2011
 

Raising average field sizes is always a challenge at any thoroughbred track unless you can pull a "Monmouth 2010" trick. (Sharply decreasing the race days will multiplying purse sizes.

At Hastings, we have the winter/early spring rains to contend with. We've had a lot of rain lately, including this morning. Wet tracks cause a lot of trainers to just walk their horses around the shedrow, which of course can upset the horse's schedule and may delay his first start or two.

Like most other places in N. America(but NOT Ontario) breeders are getting older, probably can't sell their farms for much and have bred to fewer mares. This reduces the 2 & 3 y.o. 's and a track always needs a steady or growing supply of them.

Finally, our 19% purse increase PLUS paying out $110 to all starters in each race SHOULD help. But we will run around 600+ races and trying to get to 8.0 will be challenge. As a serious player, I certainly pray that we can! Good luck to everyone in 2011 and please consider Hastings in your wagering plans.

overdog....
a.k.a:D
Fraser Rawlinson

Wow and how bout FREE pps for the WHOLE MEET!!!! :eek:

"Matchers" and others can run wild :)

http://www.hastingsracecourse.com/ra.../raceanalysis/

Hastings Park Picture
 

Folks - Here is a picyure on the roof-top at Hastings.

Pleasure meeting you Fraser.

Happy Punting,

JD Lee

Emerald Downs vs. Hastings purses
 

I used to live in Seattle near Emerald Downs and saw that horses ship frequently between the two tracks. With the increase in the purses at Hastings, most of the shipping is going to be from EMD to HST.

I looked at the charts for the two tracks on Sunday 4/17. I adjusted the purses at EMD to canadian dollars. Here is what I found:

EMD:

Claiming price 3,500 Purse $5,310
Claiming price 4,000 Purse $5,500
MSW Purse $16,600

HST:

Claiming price 5,000 Purse $10,000
Claiming price 7,500 Purse $12,000
MSW Purse $26,000

Lower tajkeout. Free past performances. Most races are carded at only two distances 6.5 furlongs and 1 1/16 miles due to the contour of the track.

The only thing better than betting HST would be to be in Vancouver.

Tim