Hastings off-season (cont.) · 17.02.10

Hastings Racecourse is about half-way through its Olympics-imposed closure. According to the e-mail I received today from “Horse Racing Central”, “Hastings Re-Opens In 2 Weeks!”. Typically, the announcement consisted of an image of four young people enthusiastically playing the slots — with neither a horse nor a simulcasting screen in sight.

On the racing front, another newsletter from Mike Heads received a few days before that noted that horses are arriving at the track and beginning light training:

With the 2010 season tentatively geared to open April 24, the number of horses taking part in morning workouts increases by the day. “There are approximately 250 on the grounds at the moment,” says Paul Ryneveld, Director of Racing. “Training takes place between 7:30 and 11:30 a.m.”

While the grandstand, including the casino, restaurants, racebook, etc. are shut down during the Olympics due to the Pacific Coliseum and surrounding area being declared a security zone, the track itself remains open for the benefit of horsemen. However, the place is locked-down tight according to my sources, with the barns being heavily-patrolled by police and other security personnel.

Finally, the new governing body for racing in BC that I wrote about late last year has issued its first report. In an open letter dated February 16, the BC Horse Racing Industry Management Committee announced its allocation of government funds for Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing operations at Hastings, Fraser Downs, and the “B” tracks of the BC Interior. The Committee also outlined the anticipated consequences of its decisions for 2010, and its initial thoughts about possible long-term strategies to help revitalize the industry in BC.

I won’t go into the details — those who are interested can read the letter themselves — but I will note two things of interest. First, the amount of financial support requested by all sectors of BC racing was more than half of what was eventually made available. As a result, the Committee anticipates significantly shorter race seasons for both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing — up to four weeks for each. The Committee softened the blow somewhat by promising to “revisit” the issue during the year “depending upon the revenue situation during the season”.

(Hmm… “I wouldn’t be surprised if the racing calendar itself is cut back…” — now who said that?).

The other item of interest is buried near the end of the Committee’s letter, under “Mid to Long-Term Options to Grow the Industry”: “The consolidation of the two Lower Mainland racetracks into one dual track” On the surface it seems like a perfectly rational proposal: operating both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing at one facility could cut Great Canadian Gaming Corporations’ operating costs more-or-less in half. However, that forces the question, which racetrack should GCGC give up? Hastings’ location near the centre of population of Metro Vancouver is as ideal now as it was 50 years ago, when Jack Diamond’s BC Jockey Club concentrated operations there rather than at Richmond’s Lansdowne Park. Also, the scenic location of “Epsom by the Inlet” is unbeatable. On the other hand, Fraser Downs’ location allows for more opportunities to expand the track to a full 1-mile oval, and it seems to be free of the political squabbling that has hindered Hastings Racecourse’s development in recent years.

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What do you think?

  1. Well, the season has been listed as April 24-Oct.17 on BRIS for the last few weeks (tentative). That would be a week off the start and two weeks off the end, so that jives with the 3 or 4 weeks lost in the press release. I would be ok with that if they really put in a serious effort to market the races – and with some common sense. It sounds like they are going to get some markeing help from BCLC..it would have to be an improvement. I still want to know why there isn’t a horseplayer on the new governing body.

    — Dave · Feb 18, 11:14 AM · #

  2. The marketing idiots just want to get people through the front door and they have no plan on how to keep them coming back.

    I, for one, am just happy that I was into this game when it had a future. RIP is the proper sign for the game.

    E-man knows what the MBA’s did in Toronto.

    — Dr. T. Yatcak · Feb 18, 08:41 PM · #

  3. Tim, I hope you’re wrong — I hope to enjoy racing for a long time to come….

    — E-man · Feb 19, 10:46 PM · #

  4. We love Hastings. We are a family that comes out for the racing and dining 6-8 times each season. Now our grand children are joining us. Keep the fun in Hastings. Waiting impatiently for April 24. Bob and family.

    — Robert and Annie Sotham · Feb 27, 06:22 PM · #

  5. Sounds not too bad a schedule. Starts April 24, ends on Thanksgiving, Oct.11, quite a bit earlier than usual. But they are starting Friday night racing earlier starting May 7 through September, so a total of 71 days compared to 75 last year.

    — Dave · Feb 27, 07:46 PM · #

  6. I has started and I hope it does not begin to snowball as the NYRA today made wholesale cuts to its traditional stakes schedule even eliminating some of the greatest of races and shortening others to ridiculous distances. And now Santa Anita is rapidly becoming the national joke of racing.

    RIP and I was glad I knew you when.

    — Dr. T. Yatcak · Mar 4, 10:03 PM · #

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