Opening Day at Hastings Monday, July 6                                                                   

Hastings Approved for Racing

Covid 19 Protocols for the 2020 Live Racing Season

Attention all Trainers

2020 North American Racing Calendar

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CPMA advisory notice specific to Capsaicin  
 

Hastings Racecourse – 188 N. Renfrew Street, Vancouver, BC V5K 3N8 – hastingsracecourse.com

Abbreviated Race Meet for Hastings Racecourse Confirmed
DATE, Vancouver, B.C. – Hastings Racecourse (“Hastings”) is pleased to announce an abbreviated racing schedule for 2020 consisting of 25 race days, beginning Monday, July 6. The race meet will be conducted with all areas of the facility closed to the public, and all racing participants will be adhering to strict health and safety protocol, as part of the ongoing effort to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hastings’ live races will be available for viewing and wagering through the industry’s simulcast network as well as at hpibet.com. “Recognizing the hundreds of horse owners, trainers, grooms, jockeys and other support personnel who depend on racing for their livelihood, this abbreviated meet is critical to the ongoing sustainability of the industry,” stated David Milburn, President of the HBPA. The 2020 live racing season at Hastings was scheduled to begin on April 26 and run through October 18 with 51 race days in total but was suspended due to COVID-19. The schedule includes Monday and Tuesday afternoons in July, August and September with start times at 1:15 p.m., as well as one Wednesday afternoon in August and another in September. The lone Saturday date at Hastings will be September 5 which is also the date of the 146th running of this year’s Kentucky Derby. “The BC racing industry, like so many other sectors, has been extremely challenged by the impact from COVID-19. Although we will greatly miss our on-track guests, we want to thank everyone that has worked so hard to prepare for the upcoming race meet,’ stated Michael Zerebeski, General Manager, Hastings Racecourse.

For further information contact: Chuck Keeling Executive Vice President,
Stakeholder Relations and Responsible Gaming Great Canadian Gaming Corp. C. – 778-874-4942

Friday, June 12
Notice on Sustaining Payment

Jack Diamond Futurity and Sadie Diamond Futurity BC Bred or BC Sired
$100,000 Guaranteed  Both Stakes to be run Monday, September 28, 2020

The Jack Diamond Futurity and the Sadie Diamond Futurity both have sustaining nominations of $100 due Wednesday, July 1st.
Forms are available in the racing office or can be downloaded from the HBPA-BC website.  WWW.HBPABC.CA.

Cheques are payable to BCTOBA and must be received by Wednesday, July 1, 2020. They can be emailed to C Gossen at or mailed to BCTOBA PO Box 28570, Willingdon Heights RPO, Burnaby , BC V5C 6J4 or dropped off at the Hastings racing office.

Friday, June 12

Notice of First Payment

2022 Jack / Sadie Diamond Futurity $100,000 Guaranteed
First Payment – Mares-in-Foal / Foals

Forms are available in the racing office or can be downloaded from the HBPA-BC website.  WWW.HBPABC.CA.
Cheques are payable to BCTOBA and must be received by Wednesday, July 1, 2020. They can be emailed to C Gossen at or mailed to BCTOBA PO Box 28570, Willingdon Heights RPO, Burnaby , BC V5C 6J4 or dropped off at the Hastings racing office.
 

Sunday, June 7

Attention All Owners,

Part of the BC Health requirements is for track to know who is on grounds at all times and having their contact information. The HBPA is facilitating this through a list for all trainers and their stable workers with their details. While backstretch access is not allowed for non-training owners, we want to collect this information to be ready should access be allowed in the future.

Please send to Neil Stajkowski, HBPA Secretary-Treasurer, the following:

Full legal name, email address, phone number, license number and expiration date.

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Attention all Hastings Trainers…Protocol Update

Part of the BC Health requirements is that the track know who is on grounds at all times and having their contact information.  The HBPA-BC is facilitating this through a list by stable of all workers employed by a stable with their details. There is a supply of these forms at the East Gate beginning at the end of training Saturday June 6.

Turn all completed forms in at the East Gate, there is an envelope there for this purpose.

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Hastings News Update
Please be advised that GCGC has approved immediate access to the backstretch to set up stables and stalls.
However Friday, May 1st is still the first day that horses can be shipped in from 6:00am onwards.

Further Details on Training at Hastings

Hastings opens on Friday, May 1st with training on the track set for the next day, Saturday May 2nd. 
Training hours are 6am to 10:30am daily except for Monday’s with a break from 8am to 8:30am.

Timed workouts start Friday May 22nd and continue every Friday, Sat, and Sunday thereafter.
The gate crews attendance and dates will be announced in the near future.

GCGC has agreed to run without patrons if necessary.
Additionally the talks with Hastings have been going very well and we are hoping for a first week in July starting date (not finalized and subject regulatory approval).

Protocol for Hastings Barn Area

1. Hastings barn area re-opens on May 1st 2020 at 6:00 a.m. Horses may ship in from this time forward.

2. The racing surface will open for training on May 2, 2020.

3. Training hours will be from 6:00am to 10:30am, with one break from 8:00am to 8:30am Tuesday through Sunday inclusive. The Track will be closed on Mondays.

4. Only licensed Essentials Personnel will be allowed entry to the barn area, which includes:

• Trainers

• Exercise Riders

• Grooms

• Jockeys

• Hotwalkers

• Assistant Trainers

• Blacksmiths

• Pony Riders

• Veterinarians

• Ambulance Personnel

• GPEB Officials

• Out Riders

• Hastings Employees

• Trackers Employees,

• HBPA Feed store employees

5. Owners, Jockey Agents and guests are not permitted entry to the barn area at this time.

6. All Essential Personnel must comply with Physical and Social Distancing Rules and Personal Hygiene as set out by the Provincial Health Officer for British Columbia.

6. All personnel must abide by any Hastings Racecourse health & safety requirements and COVID-19 precautionary measures. This includes but is not limited to:

• Passive and self-screening at the barn area entrance.

• Hastings Racecourse’s provided signage of protocol at all entrances of the backstretch must be visible

• Stay home when ill or when a family member in the household is ill, and self-isolate/isolate as advised by provincial health authorities

• Maintain strict physical distancing of at least two (2) metres (or six (6) feet)

• Strict hand handwashing and hygiene when on site

• Report any suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 immediately to the HBPA, security gate personnel and Michael Zerebeski (General Manager)

7. Tracker's cafeteria will be open for take-out only and abide by all Provincial orders and WorkSafeBC requirements.

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Live Racing Announcement

The 2020 schedule at Hastings has 25 racing days starting on Monday, July 6th and closing on Monday, September 28th.
Racing is every Monday and Tuesday. Post time for first race is 1:45pm.   Entry day is on Fridays.

Exceptions to Monday and Tuesday racing:
There is no racing Monday, August 3rd but there is racing Wednesday, August 5th
Racing is added on Saturday, September 5th (Kentucky Derby Day)
No racing Monday, September 7th or Tuesday, September 8th but there is racing Wednesday, September 9th. 

The British Columbia Horse Racing Industry Management Committee will need to approve the 2020 Racing Schedule.  Once approved by the committee it will go to GPEB for Approval and then on to the Health Department for Final Approval. 

Please be advised that all of the above is subject to change as adjustments become necessary.  

HBPA-BC Announcement for Training in June

Hours of training will be: 6:00am - 11:00am   Dark day will be: Monday

Gate Crew on Site:  Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday
The protocol for horses going to the gate is that all members of the gate crew and riders going to gate will all have to be wearing masks.  If you need masks the racing associations have purchased a number of masks and will be available from Steve Henson and Mike Heads.

Clockers on Site:  Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Owners are welcome to view morning training from 6:00am – 11:00am on clocker days. All owners may enter through the VIP parking gate and social distancing should be adhered to.  Owners must remember to stay frontside and are not permitted backside.

With the approval of live racing, the above training  times will change for the month of July and onwards.  More to follow.

MASKS or BANDANAS are now Mandatory in the Backstretch
PLEASE NOTE AS OF FRIDAY, JUNE 5TH ALL PERSONEL ON THE BACKSTRETCH AT HASTINGS RACECOURSE WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE MASKED.  THERE are NO ACCEPTIONS.  ANYONE NOT WEARING A MASK OR BANDANAS AS OF FRIDAY WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE GROUNDS.

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     The purposes of the association are;

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• To represent all members in dealing with Racing Associations with respect to purse contracts, the negotiation of purse contracts, the improvement of facilities, and all other matters of interest and benefit to members.
   

• To take part and advise with Racing Associations, Racing Commissions, governmental departments and agencies and other racing organizations in the establishment    of proper rules and conditions which affect in any manner the interests of members, their employees and backstretch personnel.
   

• To work for the improvement of living conditions of members, their employees and backstretch personnel. Within such limits as may be determined from time to time by the directors of the Association.
   

• To aid financially in the care of indigent members, their employees and backstretch personnel.
   

• To assist worthy members and other persons who have been associated with thoroughbred racing and who, because of age, physical disability, illness or other reasons have become incapable of self-support.
   

• To care for and to relieve poverty and distress of such worthy members and other persons and their immediate families. To institute or aid in any movement that will aid or protect the general welfare of the racing industry, the interests of members and their employees, and of backstretch personnel.
   

• To support any officer, director or member acting officially for the Association, who has been discriminated against in the allocation of stalls or otherwise on account of his activities on behalf of the Association.
   

• To create, establish and maintain funds to promote any of the foregoing: and For any of the foregoing purposes, to acquire, receive, dispose of and otherwise deal in any way with real and personal property of all types and to do all the things conducive to the attainment of any such
   

• To bring about a closer and more understanding relationship between members, Racing Associations, Racing Commissions and the public.