Commander, Madeira Park Win Hastings Stakes
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Commander defended his title in the British Columbia Premier's Handicap (Can-III) while Madeira Park secured the first graded stakes win in her career in the Ballerina Stakes (Can-III) Oct. 14 at Hastings Racecourse.
In the Monday evening races at the Vancouver track, North American Thoroughbred Horse Company's Commander secured the 10th stakes win of his career when he scored a front-running victory as the 122-pound highweight in the $96,600 Premier's. With Aaron Gryder showing the way, Commander enjoyed a clear lead at every point of call and the 5-year-old Broken Vow gelding posted a 1 1/4-length victory over 8-5 favorite Title Contender, completing the 1 3/8-mile race in 2:16.15.
Commander is trained by Troy Taylor, who through Oct. 14 leads all trainers at the current Hastings meet by purse earnings at $656,430.
Second betting choice Commander returned $5.90 to win, $3.30 to place, and $2.80 to show; while Title Contender paid $3.10 and $2.90. Wilo Kat paid $4.30 to show.
Bred in Kentucky by Paragon Farms, Commander is out of the Deputy Minister mare Pout.
In the $96,600 Ballerina, 5-2 favorite Madeira Park and jockey Rico Walcott rallied past three other fillies and mares in the stretch to post a three-quarter-length win in the 1 1/8-mile race.
Trained by David Forster, Madeira Park picked up the fourth stakes win of her career. The 4-year-old homebred Langfuhr filly has registered a 6-4-4 record from 22 starts and earnings of $231,474 for Exclusive Stable and Ray Hanson.
Madeira Park returned $7.40 to win, $4.40 to place, and $3.50 to show. Runner-up Wando Woman paid $5.80 and $3.70, while 52-1 longshot Touching Promise returned $19.30 to show.
Bred in Kentucky, Madeira Park is out of the Demons Begone mare Capilano.