Kentucky Oaks Day
Kathleen O, Echo Zulu, Nest and Secret Oath vie for Classic glory in deepest Oaks for years
Opening Day at Hastings
A quick look at the eight races on offer at Hastings for Saturday’s opening day.
The lightly raced HARVEST DAY improved slowly throughout the season and may be a little less exposed than some of these. Flyunderthegraydar spent much of last term mixing it in slightly tougher company and will be a danger, while Atomic Haze was a model of consistency – his maiden victory coming on the back of three consecutive second-place finishes.
Fascinating contest on paper and several of these have been working well in the mornings. We B Three’s defeats have been as impressive as her two wins, although she has not seen action since May last year. Anothersunnyday has also been off for nearly a year, but has been catching the eye of the morning clockers, while rider Antonio Reyes has plumped for Heads’ other filly, RUN LOLA RUN, who ended last season with consecutive wins at Century Mile. Kick Up the Dust and Mi Reyna are also perfectly capable of landing this $18,000 purse and have both been working solidly.
Two close second-place finishes last September make BELCARRA PARK an obvious morning line favourite and the daughter of Outwork has also been working well this spring. Miss the Hype makes her first start for the Rob Maybin team after being brought in from Woodbine following two starts there in November and December, while homebred Drill Baby Drill, who is a full-sister to the talented Driller, hit the board in all three maiden appearances last term.
Thanks to the BC industry’s generous Fresh Horse Program, two names new to Hastings make their racetrack debuts in this non winners of three contest for fillies and mares. Ostracize debuts for Rob Maybin after being claimed out of Woodbine in December, while Steve Henson saddles Jersey Lillie for the first time at Hastings after the Fed Biz filly was claimed at Churchill Downs last June. KANDY KATIE has very solid Hastings form and has been working well and there will also be plenty of support for the Hasting Racing Club’s Hollywood Mistress, who runs in the club’s colors for the first time.
Homebred VALUABLE COWBOY has been working solidly this spring for trainer Edgar Mendoza and a second behind subsequent CTHS Stakes winner Mount Asgard on his debut last August, followed by a third-place finish next time out, should make him a popular choice. Morning line favourite is the once-raced Jersey Town gelding, Regal Riot, who went down by less than a length on his debut last September in Edmonton. All Liquored Up enjoyed a nice introduction on his only previous appearance and is another who has worked well enough to suggest a win won’t be far away. Wisely Played’s fourth place in Mount Asgard’s CTHS Stakes also put him firmly in the mix.
BLUEGRASS ANGUS has won twice on his seasonal debut in the past four years and he will attempt to repeat the feat here at the venerable age of ten. It won’t be easy. Bills Smokin Bullet who, like Angus, is a son of Bluegrass Cat, won two of his three races last season and has failed to hit the board just once in his previous 12 starts. Consistent sprinter Racing River drops into $6,250 territory for the first time for trainer Brian Phillips, while equally-consistent Quagmire won on his seasonal debut last term and will again take full advantage of any quarter given.
All eyes will be on Morning Line favourite BIG UNION, who represents the Steve Henson team for the first time since arriving from the U.S. — where he last ran at Fair Grounds, Louisiana in March. The son of Union Rags was a $260K Ocala Sales two-year-old back in 2020 and has been competing consistently in much deeper waters. Of the others, the redoubtable Coulterberry will have plenty of supporters while He’s Relentless, a full-brother to Bayakoas Image, has put in consecutive ‘bullet’ works and, along with consistent veteran Slew’s Da Boss, can be involved in the business end of proceedings.
Although these notoriously tricky lower-level claiming contests seldom pay much attention to the script, the day’s final race appears, on paper at least, to be between WALKINTHEWALK and Pineapple Tidbits. Both have previously been performing in more exacting company and there is little between them. Snowshoes showed some signs of improvement last year, winning on her final outing of the season and she may be best of the rest.
Horse of the Year Profiles
Our third Horse of the Year nominee profile is the progressive sprinter, BOLD ARCH
BOLD ARCH, dark bay gelding, 2017, by ARCHARCHARCH – DAYLIGHT CAT (DISCREET CAT)
Owner: John and Kim Morrison, Robin Sadler
Breeder: J. Barry Doud
Trainer: John Morrison
BOLD ARCH stumbled leaving the gate on his seasonal reappearance last season. It was virtually the last foot he put wrong all year.
Putting more than six lengths on the likes of Astronomical, Racing River and Baktura on his very next outing marked Bold Arch as a talented sprinter and a sure sign that the patience shown by trainer John Morrison was far from time misspent.
Purchased by Morrison at the CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale back in 2018, Bold Arch didn’t make his racecourse debut until October of the following year when, despite being well-supported in the market, he ran down the field. With some minor issues resolved, the half-brother to winner Atlin Bay reappeared in July the following season and ran three times as a sophomore, including a comprehensive maiden win over Toriador and Wicked Fortitude.
Last season the progress continued as the then four-year-old landed three of his six outings, culminating in a scintillating performance to take the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes by a domineering five-and-a-half lengths from At Attention. Relatively lightly raced, Bold Arch continues to improve under Morrison’s expertise and the horse is a worthy nominee for Horse of the Year honours.