BC Cup Day is Back!
BC Cup Day is Back!
It's been a while but BC Cup Day is back in full effect this year, with the best race horses in British Columbia set to battle in one of the season's richest day's racing
DANCING WITH LIL is the only one of these youngsters with any racing experience and the betting market may supply the best clues for the newcomers. The filly split Buck in Command and subsequent winner Blowingwiththewind after breaking well on her debut over 3½ furlongs and that experience can serve her well here.
FILLY FATALE is worth another chance following two excellent runs over the minimum distance of 3½ furlongs. She and Counteract put some separation on the rest of the field last time and the 6 furlongs here should suit. Stopshoppingshelley’s winning debut at long odds marked her as a useful sort and she’s one for the shortlist, while Higher Image should be a completely different proposition here after running well on her debut. Ms. Stanford is another who has shown some promise in both her starts to date and her third in the Spaghetti Mouse Stakes puts her firmly in contention.
INFINITE PATIENCE is as good a filly as Hastings has seen for a while and the reigning Horse of the Year will be a short-priced favourite here to land her seventh consecutive contest. Her gate-to-wire win over Solarity and We B Three on her seasonal debut was an impressive reappearance. If there is to be an upset, it could come via We B Three, who didn’t have the clearest passage last time and is a lightly-raced sort who may still have some talent to reveal and who takes on the 8½ furlongs for the first time.
Synergy makes his first start for more than a year and is entitled to need the race although, on his best form, he’ll still play a significant role. Bold Arch has disappointed slightly on his previous two starts, but it’s good to see the speed merchant back at 6½-furlongs, while Sir Bregovic’s work ethic alone makes him a deserving candidate for this. Marginal preference is given to BE QUICK who was a nose ahead of Porter Gent and Cascade Billy last time and a repetition of that gives him a favourite’s chance.
The best three-year-olds in town line up for this important Derby trial. Regal Riot, Gunfighter and Soaringforthesun filled the first three places in the $50k Chris Loseth Handicap last time, with Mount Asgard back in fifth. Expect the four to decide the outcome here again, with marginal preference given to GUNFIGHTER. The Ghostzapper colt is a relaxed dude, according to his trainer and he should now be well acclimatized to his environment after two promising Hastings’ efforts since being flown in from back east. Don W may be the value. He’s lightly raced, ran well behind Bakken Overdrive last time (was awarded the race on a disqualification) and may appreciate the longer distance.
LEGACY SQUARE’s winning debut in the Spaghetti Mouse Stakes marked him as a serious contender for divisional honours this season. The race was effectively over once he’d worked out what was required of him by Efrain Hernandez, as the pair cut through runners at will to win with something in hand. Time Ticker may be the one for the exacta after running with promise on his debut when second behind Stopshoppingshelley earlier this month. Buck in Command zipped around the home turn like an old pro on his winning debut, while Bak To Liberty was shorter odds than stablemate Legacy Square when chasing him home on debut and must be respected. Respect also applies to Rememberthealamo, who led gate-to-wire last time when beating Filly Fatale.
The magnificent Porter Gent has missed the board just once in 16 lifetime starts and he will have plenty of support here to land this, despite not having run over the 8½ furlongs since his solitary effort of the distance back in 2020. AT ATTENTION, meanwhile, is in a rare seam of form, having won his last two outings with a rattling late run to defeat the smart Stay Fantastic by a head on both occasions. Fort Langley beat Parker Point over today’s distance two starts ago and should again give a good account of himself, while Chase the Sun has been untroubled in both his races this term, comfortably beating Don W two starts ago and, last time, Prince Cairo.
With five wins in six starts, including a Stakes victory over today’s distance last time, U Did It will be a firm favourite to take this valuable finale, but it won’t be easy. Shamra, for instance, beat U Did It twice in three previous meetings and pulled too hard last time when a staying-on third behind her in the Supernaturel Stakes (Belcarra Park second). Amanda broke her maiden on her only attempt at this distance so far, with Kloepatra running perfectly well in fourth. ALOBRAH may appeal to value hunters after a solid third behind Daphne and Amanda on her Hastings debut, despite duelling on the front end early, and the Gulfstream Park maiden winner can belie her odds.
Mike & Drew’s BC Cup Day Picks
Departure Lands Allowance for Clyde and Anderson
Hastings’ stalwarts Terry Clyde and Mike Anderson saw their silks carried to a track-record victory at Century Mile on Friday evening when DEPARTURE (Run Away and Hide) took a $23k Allowance contest for trainer Jerry Robertson and jockey Antonio Reyes.
Departure was bought by connections at the BC CTHS Horses of Racing Age sale and he now has five wins from 12 starts and more than $76k in prize money. The Rob VanOverschot-trained Uncharacteristic was second.
It was a good night for local connections, with the Milton Palma-trained, BC-bred filly CHICA HERMOSA (Bakken) breaking her maiden in the third. The winner, who has run twice at Hastings this season, is a BC CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale graduate.
The former Palma-trained READYTOTAPNSING (Tapiture) then landed the $50k Martin Deerline Juvenile Stakes for owners Adam Ference and Bill Dory. Last seen finishing fourth in the Spaghetti Mouse at Hastings, Readytotapnsing was saddled by Jim Brown, with Amadeo Perez stepping in for the spare ride after Rico Walcott was taken ill.
Hastings’ jockeys benefited from Walcott’s absence again in the $50k Sonoma Handicap Stakes when Antonio Reyes deputized aboard winner ONEOFTHEMGIRLS (Exhi) for trainer Greg Tracy and owners Highfield Investments.
Reyes then teamed up with Ironside Stables’ BC-bred ITSMYDAY (New Year’s Day) for trainer Rob VanOverschot in the Count Lathum Handicap, but connections had to settle for second behind the Jim Brown-trained SLAATS (Palace).
