Page 16 - December 2007 The Game

16 The Game, December 2007
Hastings Slot Machine Update
Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
The slot-machine floor at Hastings Racecourse opened for business on November 10 after nal approval was given by the city of Vancouver the previous day.
The revenue from the initial 150 slots are expected to fund the renovations and are scheduled to be complete in 10 months. The new facility will house 600 slot machines.
an 1 percent increase each year for the next three years and then a 73/27 split for the remaining ve years.
Hastings initially received approval for the slots in August 2004 however the actions of a local citizens group, the Hastings Conservancy, tried to block
the installation and caused numerous delays to the process.
Hastings also announced a purse increase for 2008 to the tune of 25% which was afforded in part to the HBPA of BC and the BC Standardbred As- sociation reaching an agreement on revenue split for teletheater wagering in the Province.
The initial injection for 2008 is worth $460,000 and an increase of more than $800,000 overall by 2015.
Hastings slot machines are being housed in a temporary area while a $40 million dollar scheduled renovation for a permanent area is being constructed.
An eight-year deal will see a 70/30 split Thorough- breds and Standardbreds respectfully. An increase from a 67/33 split. The Thoroughbreds will then see
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation owns both Hastings and the local standardbred track, Fraser Downs.
The 2008 live meet at Hastings will begin on April 26 with 68 days, and a schedule similar to 2007. The meet will end on November 2, 2008.
Happy Holidays
“We don’t accomplish anything in this world alone...success is the result of a weaving of individual threads to create something magnificent.” ~ Unknown
The year end brings no greater pleasure than the opportunity to thank everyone for another successful season.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas & a Joyful New Year from
Trainer Mark Casse
& Assistant Trainer Rick Griffiths
44 Years Between Training Titles for Popular Veteran Troy Taylor
With the leading jockey and owners titles having been determined heading into the nal weekend of the 2007 Hastings Racecourse season all eyes were on the trainers category on Sunday’s 12-card nale.
Troy Taylor, a man of
few words but a highly respected thoroughbred icon at the age of 75, nished his year’s work with 46 winners compared to Toni Cloutier’s 42. Incredibly, the last time Mr. Taylor captured a training title was before many of his colleagues on the backstretch were born. It was 44 years ago in 1963 when the track was known as Exhibition Park.
Mario Gutierrez had flown home to Mexico for a family wedding and wasn’t at Hast- ings on the nal weekend
to celebrate his winning the leading jockey title with 134 rst-place nishes and purse earnings totaling more than $1.7 million. Nine of those victories came in stakes races. Fernando Perez was the leading apprentice with 33 wins.
The high-pro le combination of Glen Todd and Patrick Kinsella swept the leading owners hon-
ours with 34 wins and over $570,000 in purse earnings, worthy of a champagne celebration in their private box as the lights lowered Sunday on the 118th season of racing in British Columbia.
With the running of 610 total races over the season, the average purses per day totaled $92,234.
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