Oct. 5, 2003 – Sunday afternoon's horse racing at Clinton E. Phipps Race Track was marred by tragedy as Hasting Squire in his St. Thomas debut won the fourth race but then broke a leg and had to be put down.
In the race, a one-mile run for a purse of $2,400, Hasting Square, ridden by Christian Soto, just edged out All Eyes On Me with a 1:39 4/5 finish. Mountain Man and Short Circuit came in third and fourth, respectively.
After crossing the finish line, Hasting Squire fell, breaking his right foreleg. The standing-room-only crowd stood watching helplessly as the horse tried painfully to get to his feet and hobble on his broken leg. It took race officials about 10 minutes to get the animal off the track and into the paddock area, where he was euthanized.
The racing program listed L. Niles as the horse's owner/trainer.
E-Stri, the racing promoter, presented nine races at the Estate Bovoni track on Sunday, with a total of $32,000 in purses.
In the eighth and featured race, Actspectation from Tortola re-emerged as the Virgin Islands champion, beating Hezacateye from St. Thomas and Hearts At Risk from St. Croix.
Judging by the volume of the cheers, Actspectation, ridden by Benji Lopez, was definitely the crowd favorite. The race was delayed by 45 minutes partly because Actspectation threw a horseshoe had to be re-shod. However, the crowd willingly waited, and the race was worth it.
Hezacateye took an early slim lead and held it for the first six furlongs but then began to fade moving around the final turn. Actspectation then took the lead and held off Hearts At Risk to win by three lengths, finishing in a time of 1:37 3/5 for a purse of $7,000.
The race day started on schedule, as Chief Steward Henry Richards locked out the first race favorite, No Need To Wonder, for failing to meet the 1 p.m. post time.
Blackberry Sting, ridden by Angel Stanley, went wire to wire to win that race, a five-furlong event, in a time of 1:00 2/5. Til Papa Come and Our Smith Bob finished in second and third places, respectively. Lesma and Account CD finished out the five-horse field in the race, which has a purse of $2,500.
The second race of the day, dubbed "La Janelle," was one mile for a purse of $2,500. Como Babe, ridden by Elmo Barnes, won this race by seven lengths, in a time of 1:38 3/5. My Special Delivery came in second and Two's Delicious F finished third. Commandante Beauty finished last in the four-horse field.
Tom Reagan was ridden to victory by Miguel Beltran in the third race, a mile and a sixteenth, in a time of 1:43 3/5 — a new track record. Tom Reagan won the race by nine lengths, eclipsing the old record set by Judge Ito by 1 3/5 seconds. The race, named the "Children's Melee," had a purse of $3,500. It was a four-horse field, and Tropical Angel, Diplomatic Jeb and Flyin Hawk, all horses from St. Croix, finished in second, third and fourth places, respectively.
Brimstone Tough, also with Miguel Beltran aboard, won the fifth race, a one-mile run for a purse of $3,200, in a time of 1:41 1/5. El Azteca came in second, with Sunday F taking third place. Princess of Heather and Commanding Officer finished out the five-horse field.
Boch One, ridden by Angel Stanley, won the sixth race, of seven furlongs for a purse of $3,200, with a time of 1:25 2/5. Rushin Away came in second with To Deposit Only finishing third. Picklewhip Charles and Ms. Rae finished out the five-horse field.
El Chuso, ridden by Kirwin John, won the seventh race in a time of 1:37 4/5 for a purse of $4,400. Alf and C-Flex came in second and third, respectively. Rounding out the six-horse field were First Win, Rejaldo and Gold Ballad.
The ninth and final race of the day, a one-mile run for a purse of $3,300, was won by See Jane Run, ridden by Kirwin John, in a time of 1:38 4/5. Qui's Rush In came in second, and Valentine Gal finished last in the three-horse field.
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