Page 8 - March 2007 The Game

8 The Game, March 2007 Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper Chinese New Year Celebrated at Hastings Racetrack
Chinese New Year brought a lot of colour and excitement to Hastings Race Track
By Peter Valing
“When I was young, I watch horses race from side of mountains,” says Winnie. “In Hong Kong, everyone like racing, but children are not allowed in track.” On this side of the Pacific, Winnie’s daughters spent many a child- hood weekend at the Hastings track. With horse lovers for parents, they had little choice. “My husband, he don’t like to come alone, so I wrap the one month old baby and go with him.” On one outing, the younger daughter spit up on a nearby horseplayer. Afterwards, Winnie and her babes relocated to the picnic area from which the mother still had a good view of the tote board and track.
Tonight is an especially important night for the Chinese horseplayer. The simulcast screens beam images from the Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong. The Chinese New Year Cup is taking place, and Winnie is dressed for the occasion in a red satin jacket embroidered in gold. “On this day, many people bet on every horse,” she says between sips of her lemon water. “The Chinese, we have very many old belief. To win on a race in New Year gives luck for the rest of the year.” She ponders this for a moment and laugh- ingly adds: “But if you bet every horse,
then, of course you also losing, so I don’t know.”
The daughters have since grown up and no longer come to Hastings. “Young generation different,” explains Winnie. But she and her husband, Simon, contin- ue to come once a week, as they’ve done since they moved to Vancouver from Hong Kong thirty-two years ago. “The Chinese, we love gambling, all sorts of gambling. But for me and my husband, the horses are for entertainment and to see friends. We don’t bet much and most years we lose, but it doesn’t matter. We love the horseracing!”
It is closing on midnight. All that is vis- ible from the large windows of the simul- cast room is the outline of the tote board, the lights of the North Shore and the reflections of faces peering into monitors. “It was more busy here ten years ago. Sometimes, not one chair to sit in,” says Winnie. “Chinese people come from all part of Vancouver to watch New Year race. But now many my friends go to casino to watch and some on internet.” In many parts of the U.S., it is the Latins who keep boxing alive. Much the same could be said of the Chinese vis-à-vis thoroughbred racing at Hastings.
Winnie got her own table this year, two over from her hus- band. “Look, look he so serious!
Never smiling when he’s thinking.” Simon sits, his mind on the horses. Suddenly, he shouts and rises from his seat. “I love when my husband excited,” laughs Winnie. “It means he winning.”
The horses circle
the paddock in prepa-
ration for race seven,
The Chinese New
Year Cup. “Thirteen,
he so pretty. I like the
black horse,” says
Winnie. Her handicapping strategy is simple. First, she must like the look of the horse. Then she checks the stats on the jockey and trainer. She places straight bets, unless the quinella option is avail- able. She bets small and looks for the long shots. “With little money, try to win big!” She also allows ample room for luck. “Tonight, I eat a noodle bowl at restaurant for $12.00, so I like to bet number 12.” Winnie once cashed a sizeable ticket by betting the number of the street tram she took home from work.
Neither 12 nor 13 come in the money. The Cup is won by the favorite, Good Ba Ba. Judging by the groans, not many here are happy with the results. “Look, my husband so serious.” Simon knits his
brows over papers and chits. “Some peo- ple so crazy about horses. In Hong Kong they say not to get hair cut during race day.” Winnie traces a jagged line across her forehead and laughs. Then she adds: “Sometime I don’t need to gamble, I’m happy to watch the beautiful animals run- ning.” And they are beautiful, full fields of fourteen horses flying furlongs over the emerald turf of Sha Tin.
It is a ten-race card with last post at 2:00AM. The crowd here continues to thin, but Winnie and Simon hold fast. The idea of work early the next morning does- n’t concern them. The year of the golden pig is supposed to be particularly lucky.
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Wilson Okay After Frightening Fall
It’s probably a case of Emma-Jayne Wilson being both lucky and tough as nails. On Monday February 5, her horse Sweetening fell down along the backstretch of a five and half furlong sprint on the grass course at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Wilson, leading rider at Woodbine in 2005 and 2006, had her horse in contention along the hedge when the horse completely collapsed, sending her sprawling to the turf, causing the lower side of her body to smash into one of the temporary metallic rails.
Wilson was shaken up by the fall, but did not lose consciousness and realized immediately that she had not broken anything. Half an hour after the accident, The Game spoke with Lennie Van Gilder, the Fair Grounds Director of Publicity.
“Basically the horse was approaching the turn and out of nowhere, went down,” said Van Gilder. “Wilson went towards the rail and apparently hit the temporary rail. It’s some kind of metal, but it’s pretty lightweight. It’s going to give if a horse or jockey collides with it. She was complaining of some pain in her right rib cage and lower right leg.”
Wilson was taken to Tulane Medical Centre in downtown New Orleans, about a ten minute drive from the track. The next day, typically, she was in great spirits and anxious to get back on a horse.
“My leg has a deep bruise but it’s fine,” she said. “I’m already walking around. I’ll give it a few days and then I’ll be right back.”
Wilson had good reason to want to return to the saddle at the Fair Grounds. The week before her spill had been her best week since she starting working there in late December. In the first five days of February, she rode five winners and had another four horses come second. She scored on Skip a Dee Doo Dah for trainer Ryan Beattie, paying $11.60 on February 3, then brought home Unto the Hills as even money favourite on the same day for Malcolm Pierce. The next day, Wilson won the 9th on the Kelly Bronson-trained Equestrian Girls which paid off at $18.80. Two other of her mounts came second that day. Four races before her spill, she steered Chinchilla to the winner’s circle at odds of 6-1 for trainer Alice Cohn.
Happily, Wilson was not seriously injured in what looked like a dangerous incident. Equally fortunate, Sweetening was not badly hurt and is expected to race again soon.
As per her prediction, Wilson was back riding four days after her spill and on Friday, February 16, she scored a racing double, winning the 5th on Carnival Show ($6.60), another for trainer Ryan Beattie and taking the 7th on Aiden’s Bella ($5.60) for trainer Thomas Proctor.
The low prices on those two horses just might indicate that the bettors at the Fair Grounds are starting to see that Emma-Jayne Wilson is lucky, tough as nails...and very good on a horse’s back. - PG
Woodbine Entertainment Group is currently looking to fill the following position:
OUTRIDER
The Thoroughbred Racing department has an immediate opening for a Full-time and Part-time Outrider.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate leadership skills, exhibit superior riding and horsemanship skills,
and have general horseracing knowledge.
The horses and other equipment necessary to perform this job can be supplied for you.
We offer above average wages and a generous pension/benefit package including medical, dental and vision care for
the right candidate.
The hours of work will vary with the racing and training schedules which include early mornings, days, weekends and holidays.
Resumes and inquiries should be directed to: Human Resources Services
Woodbine Entertainment Group
Fax: (416) 213-2129
Email: Jobs@woodbineentertainment.com Or visit www.WoodbineEntertainment.com for more opportunities.
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