Drew Levere: For the love of the Hastings Racecourse monitor

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It’s exhausting to maintain up with Drew Levere, monitor superintendent at Hastings Racecourse. Not solely does he keep the monitor floor at Hastings, he doubles as an train rider within the mornings.

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“Each jobs hold me hopping,” mentioned the 58-year-old Levere who has labored on the Vancouver oval since 1980.

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“I grew up within the East Finish and was having bother in class,” he mentioned. “My dad informed me to attempt to get a job, so I ended up on the monitor. My first job was with Joe Partitions. I additionally labored for Greg MacDonald and Roy Rawson. Roy taught me how one can gallop horses.”

Levere grew to become a jockey, however had a brief profession.

“I rode for a few 12 months and a half and received over 20 races earlier than I broke my hip,” he mentioned. “It was powerful to return again, after which I bought too huge. I identical to meals an excessive amount of.”

He ended up working for the monitor upkeep division and have become the top superintendent in “the late Nineties”. He was mentored by Jim Dimond, whose job he took when Jim died.

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“Jim employed me and taught me rather a lot, together with how one can drive the grader when no person else needed to,” mentioned Levere. “I feel the primary purpose I bought the job was as a result of I used to be getting on horses they usually thought I may choose the situation of the monitor. I do assume it’s a huge profit. I can inform by the sound of the horse’s ft the moisture content material, and many others. It’s a anxious job, however I like the animals and I need them to have the perfect floor to run over.”

PNE BEGINS SATURDAY

With the PNE starting Saturday there will probably be racing this Friday after which the next two Mondays, Aug. 21 and 28, after which a break till Saturday, Sept. 9. There’s free admission and parking for each Mondays. Publish time will probably be 7 p.m.

FRIDAY SELECTIONS

The ultimate two races on the seven-race card have comparatively full and aggressive fields, which may assist booster the Choose 4. Here’s a have a look at a playable Choose 4 ticket that begins with a single within the fourth race.

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RACE 4: Aquitania Arrival was a simple winner in his first begin right here June 4 and confirmed numerous promise with a third-place end within the $50,000 Budweiser at Emerald Downs on June 25. The Barbara Heads-trained son of Carpe Diem returned to Hastings on July 16 the place he flopped because the heavy chalk, however he ran right into a buzzsaw named Daring Arch who set depraved fractions and saved rolling whereas posting a particularly quick time. Aquitania Arrival faces a a lot simpler group right here and ought to be powerful to deal with if he breaks alertly with main rider Amadeo Perez aboard.

RACE 5: Ostracize is clearly the one to beat, however the layoff mixed with a uninteresting five-furlong work Aug. 4 are considerations. On the plus facet, Perez is driving for coach Edgar Mendoza, who the previous couple of years has a 42-per-cent strike fee and $2.20 ROI with horses coming again between 31-60 days. Lizzies Woman was the runner-up going longer two again and won’t thoughts the transfer again to a route following a strong effort in her newest dash for coach Tara Neigel.

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RACE 6: It’s a wide-open occasion and I can see Smart Market successful this at a good worth. Additionally utilizing Household Biz, Appellant, Barney Google and the fashionable 8-year-old Slew’s Boss.

RACE 7: If Payments Smokn Bullet makes it into the beginning gate, he ought to win. That may be a huge if, although, and the 7-year-old gelding can also be making his first begin of the 12 months. Going deep and together with Ring of Kerry, Deputy Dancer, Driller, Paddy d’Oro You Don’t Personal Me and Knopfler within the ticket.

The price of a 20-cent ticket is $14.

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