George Royal Stakes · 5.05.09

The first stakes race of the year at Hastings was this past Saturday. The George Royal Stakes is named for the greatest racehorse ever bred in British Columbia. Twice winner of both the Canadian International Championship and the San Juan Capistrano Handicap, George Royal was arguably one of the top older horses in North America in the mid-1960s, and certainly one of the best turf stayers. Of course there’s a race named for him at Hastings, where he won nine straight races as a 3-year-old — however, considering George Royal’s reputation as a stayer, it is ironic that the race is a 6 1/2 furlong sprint.

The quality of the horses was certainly worthy of the race’s namesake. The four high-weights (each carrying 122 lbs.) were Spaghetti Mouse (BC’s top older horse for 2008), Krazy Koffee (top 3-year-old and BC Horse of the Year for 2008), True Metropolitan (2-time Sovereign Award winner, and 2-time winner of this same race, including last year when he set a track record), and B R Remark (champion BC sprinter who broke True Met’s track record later in 2008). Also entered were past Hastings stakes winners Seminole Brave and Sir Gallovic.

It was an exciting race to be sure, but the results were a bit of a surprise. Spaghetti Mouse’s trainer Lenore Daponte expected a big effort from her horse, and he looked like a winner early on as he set a fast early pace. But he was overtaken by Seminole Brave on the backstretch, who gradually drew clear around the turn and down the stretch. True Metropolitan made a late rally, but fell short, as did Krazy Koffee, while B R Remark raced evenly in mid-pack the entire way.

It’s arguable that Seminole Brave had a fitness advantage over the four favourites, having raced on opening weekend two weeks before, while the others were making their season debuts. True Metropolitan’s strong finish showed that he still has some spark left, despite tailing-off badly late last year. The others will surely benefit from this race fitness-wise as the racing season progresses.

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What do you think?

  1. I spoke with Lenore Daponte Sunday and she seemed to say that the race was a tune up for the longer stakes. BEST field, top to bottom, I have seem in twenty years.

    — Dr. Timothy Yatcak · May 6, 09:05 AM · #

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