August Rain splashes to victory in British Columbia Derby
Odds-on favorite August Rain followed his win last month in the Canadian Derby (G3) at Century Mile in Edmonton by delivering another victory Saturday night, this time in the Grade 3, US$91,680 British Columbia Derby going 1 1/8 miles in the slop at Hastings in Vancouver.
A homebred Peter Redekop gelding sired by Sungold and trained by Barbara Heads, August Rain (4-5) was as far back as seventh place among the dozen 3-year-olds. The whole time, Hastings’ leading jockey Amadeo Pérez kept him no farther than 2 3/4 lengths behind pacesetter Shock the House (28-1). The early fractions were 23.29, 48.61 and 1:13.92.
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J Dutton (7-2), who finished second in the Canadian Derby, made the first run when Shock the House began his homestretch fade to last place. He took the field through the first mile in 1:38.59.
August Rain, who had gone from the rail to a two-wide trip through the second turn, was tipped four wide at the top of the stretch, where he found the lead. Responding to three right-handed taps from Pérez, he ran on to a 1 1/4-length victory over Moneyshot (15-1), who rallied from last place to finish second with J Dutton another 3 1/4 lengths back in third.
Tougherthantherest (19-1), Westminster (12-1) and Diocles (11-1) were placed fourth through sixth in that order, all promoted one place from their finish. Classy City (17-1) was ruled to have interfered with Diocles turning into the stretch and was disqualified from fourth to seventh.
What’s Shakin (23-1), Skipper’s Pride (53-1), Horatio (96-1), Lord of Battle (51-1) and Shock the House finished eighth through 12th in that order.
August Rain’s winning time was 1:51.20.
Bred in Canada, August Rain has won four of his last five races to run his record to 11: 7-1-2. His only start away from Hastings was his Aug. 24 victory in the Canadian Derby. With Saturday’s first-place prize of US$50,423, his career earnings reached US$259,342. August Rain cost US$15,244 as a yearling at auction.
Saturday’s race completed the abbreviated Western Canadian Derby Series. The second annual grouping of races was supposed to include Bricklayer’s win Aug. 5 in the 1 1/8-mile Manitoba Derby in Winnipeg. However, that race was removed from the series this summer when Assiniboia Downs was placed under a federal quarantine for equine infectious anemia.