The BC-bred colt, August Rain, son of Sungold, has been on a tear, winning back-to-back graded stakes races at route distances in Canada with impressive ease.
On September 14, August Rain dominated the B.C. Derby (G3) at Hastings Racecourse, despite the actual rain that turned the track into a sloppy mess. The talented three-year-old, owned and bred by Peter Redekop, didn’t let the conditions faze him. Ridden by Amadeo Perez, he came from well off the pace, charged past the leaders on the final turn, and secured a 1 1/4-length victory in 1:51.20. Trained by Barbara Heads, August Rain outpaced the 15-to-1 longshot Moneyshot and J Dutton to claim the $100,000 stakes event, which also marked the final leg of the Western Triple Crown Series.
August Rain previously won the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Century Mile and continues to build an impressive resume. Though the Manitoba Derby was removed from the series this year due to quarantine issues at Assiniboia Downs, August Rain’s consistency shines. With four wins in his last five races, his overall record stands at 11-7-1-2. Saturday's first-place prize of $50,423 boosted his career earnings to $259,342.
With his second graded stakes win, August Rain has firmly placed himself in contention for the Sovereign Award for Canada’s Champion Three-Year-Old Male.
Saturday’s race day at Hastings saw total wagering reach $1.1 million. Other highlights include:
- Jack Diamond Futurity ($100,000): MOUNT DOOM (Bakken), trained by Steve Henson and ridden by Antonio Reyes, led from start to finish, winning comfortably in 1:17.66.
- Sadie Diamond Futurity ($100,000): SOMEDAY LADY (Cairo Prince), trained by Cindy Krasner, emerged victorious in 1:17.66 with jockey Kerron Khelawan, closing strong to take the win.
- BC Oaks ($75,000): AVANA (Vino Rosso), under Amadeo Perez for trainer Barbara Heads, surged from off the pace to narrowly win in 1:51.03.
These performances capped an exciting day of racing at Hastings, with August Rain's triumph cementing his status as one of the top contenders in Canadian racing.