Author: GC

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Hipódromo de San Isidro Racecourse

One of the biggest horseracing tracks in the North and South America, the San Isidro has been in existence since 1935 and covers a total area of 148 hectares. The turf track is 2,783 metres and circles the sand track that is 2,590 metres long.

The San Isidro is accessible by car, train or bus from Buenos Aires and is a mere 10 minutes away from the Jorge Newbery International Airport. Its six stands hold 100,000 seats, though the highest attendance in record is 102,600 during the 1952 Gran Premio Carlos Pelegrini. This also happens to be the most important annual event countrywide.

Other notable races that are held at the Hipódromo de San Isidro include the Internacional J. S. de Anchorena, the Alzaga Inzue and the Gran Club.

Not a fan of horseracing? Spend the day out with nature. The racecourse is surrounded by a lovely arboretum where one can spend an afternoon picnicking under the shade of the trees. One can get to relax and unwind as they take in the beauty and fragrance of the various species of plants and flowers. The fragrance that dances about the beauty of the indigenous and exotic trees is a wonderful contrast to the bustling activity of the racecourse.

The San Isidro has three halls where coat and tie events are held, both corporate and social. The 1st Floor and 3rd floor Official Tribunes each have a seating capacity of 400 but can hold up to 900 people in a cocktail event. The Tattersall has a seating capacity of 1100pax and ample parking, making it an ideal space for business conferences and corporate parties. It has a circular dais and four small rooms that can be used for private meetings. This is also the hall where Carrera products that are pure blood are auctioned, so you have the opportunity to shop around.

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War Admiral

War Admiral became just the fourth horse – after Sir Barton, Gallant Fox and Omaha – to win the American Triple Crown and was subsequently voted American Horse of the Year in 1937, ahead of Sea Biscuit. By Man o’War out of the diminutive broodmare Brushup, War Admiral stood just 15.2 hands high. He was once described by Neville Dunn of the Lexington Herald as “a little brown horse that takes after his mammy in size” and known in some quarters as “The Mighty Atom”. However, his ability more than compensated for his lack of stature; he won 21 of his 26 races and over £273,000 in prize money.

 

Bred and owned by Samuel D. Riddle and trained by George Conway, War Admiral won three of his six starts as a juvenile and his first two starts as a three-year-old, before Riddle made the unusual decision, by his standards, to allow him to take his chance in the Kentucky Derby. After playing up at the start, War Admiral made all the running under jockey Charles Kurtsinger and gradually increased his advantage from the home turn to beat Pompoon by 1¾ lengths.

 

In the Preakness Stakes, just seven days later, War Admiral was again fractious at the start and, although he held a lead of a length or more entering the home straight, he had to withstand a strong challenge from Pompoon in the closing stages, scraping home by a head.

 

In the Belmont Stakes, after again delaying the start, for eight minutes, War Admiral stumbled leaving the starting gate and was later found to have struck into himself, taking an inch-square chunk out of his off forefoot. Despite the obvious handicap, War Admiral not only routed his six rivals by 3 lengths – winning with “speed to spare”, according to the Daily Racing Form – but also broke the track record set by his sire, Man o’War, in the same race 17 years earlier. Despite the injury, War Admiral finished 1937 with a perfect eight-from-eight record.

 

The following November, he started favourite for the long-awaited showdown with Sea Biscuit in the inaugural Pimlico Special. The so-called “Match of the Century” was run without a starting gate, at the behest of Samuel Riddle, and was widely believed to favour War Admiral, granted his early speed. However, Seabiscuit poached an early lead and, although War Admiral drew alongside heading into the far turn, drew away in the closing stages to win by 4 lengths.

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Hastings Racecourse

This racecourse was opened in 1892, and is found in Hastings Park, approximately four miles from Columbia, Canada. It is situated on a 60 hectare track of land, in a serine environment with an amazing view of the Shore Mountains and waterfront. It was originally called East Park. The racecourse is owned by the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation. In 1892, The British Columbia Jockey Club opened its first race track on one-tenth of the 60 hectare land, with the rest of the land reserved for exhibition purposes. Because of the sheer size of the area covered, this site has massive advantages and plenty of flexibility.

The most common races held in Hastings include; British Columbia Premier’s Handicap, Ballerina Stakes, the British Columbia Derby, and Lieutenant Governors Stakes. It also hosts ungraded stakes, for example, Fantasy stakes, Ascot Graduation Stakes, and British Columbia Oaks, among others. Every first Monday of August, Hastings hosts BC cup day. During this event, a series of six thoroughbred races take place. In September, The British Columbia Derby and British Columbia Oaks are run.

The Racecourse however has had its share of challenges. Due to low profits made and difficulty reaching an agreeable lease with the city, Hastings was almost shut down in 2012. The Great Canadian had to make a decision before its closure. It was agreed that the track should remain open and operational.While these problems have posed a real threat to the existence of the course, plenty of effort is being put to keep it afloat.

Recently, horse racing  events in this venue have seen a decline in attendance. New events like dog racing and movie nights have attracted young people to the racecourse. Its popularity was also initially boosted by a Mexican jockey called Mario Gutierrez who copeted in the Hastings Racecourse and won three races, the Santa Anita Derby, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.