Press release from Hastings Park: It is anticipated that Mondays holiday race card celebrating Canada Day will take on the look of a heros homecoming for jockey Mario Gutierrez at Hastings Racecourse.
After gaining international celebrity status for his stunning victories aboard Ill Have Another in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, Gutierrez returns to his Hastings roots with two mounts on Monday as part of an enticing nine-race Canada Day card.
Mario will ride Devil in Disguise in the $50,000 Chris Loseth Handicap in the fourth race Monday at 3:23 p.m. and St Liams Halo in the $50,000 Lieutenant Governors featured eighth race at 5:27 p.m. Both are owned by Glen Todd and trained by Troy Taylor, who have entered two horses in each of the Canada Day stakes.
Fernando Perez, who currently sits in second place in the leading jockey standings at Hastings with 37 wins, will ride Taylor Said in the Lieutenant Governors and Taylors Deal in the Chris Loseth for the Todd-Taylor connections.
Gutierrez will be a man on the move during the weekend. He has two mounts Saturday night at Charles Town Racecourse in West Virginia during the 5th annual Charles Town Sprint Festival. The Charles Town card is available to local customers via simulcast beginning at 3:00 p.m. PST. Mario will ride Hurricane Ike in the Wild and Wonderful Stake (6:45 p.m.) and Innocent Man in the $400,000 Red Legend (7:30 p.m.)
THREE-DAY WEEKEND WITH 24 RACES IN TOTAL
While the holiday Monday card has a nine-race lineup, there are eight races set for Sunday and seven for Saturday. Start times for all three days is 1:50 p.m. and, as always, there is no admission charge.
Ansede, trained by Troy Taylor and ridden by Fernando Perez, will be one of the favourites in Saturdays first-level $50,000 optional claiming race for 3-year-old fillies. Amadeo Perez leads all jockeys with 40 wins heading into the weekend and will be on Racing for Gold for trainer Phil Hall, which sets up the riding rivalry between the two non-related Perez boys.
In Sundays feature, a $25,000 claimer for fillies and mares, Cry Cry Cry trained by Rosanne Anderson and ridden by Pedro Alvarado is the morning line favourite.
GUARANTEED $25,000 PICK 4 ON MONDAY
As an added attraction to an already action-packed Monday, there will be a $25,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 during the last four races on the Canada Day card.
