Despite his horse not racing in the Belmont, a huge crowd has turned out to Vancouver’s Hastings racecourse to support locally trained jockey Mario Gutierrez.
Track managers are expecting a record turnout out – as many as 13,000 people.
A message of thanks from Gutierrez was read across the public address system before the race, and welcomed by spectators with an emotional round of applause.
One fan, who’s been coming to the track for more than 60 years, says Gutierrez’s influence on this track can’t be overstated headed into the future.
He may be back in Vancouver to race in a few events come early July.