Sunday's Previews
A valuable Allowance contest featuring several of the best three-year-olds at Hastings headlines another hugely-competitive afternoon of racing at the East Van oval
A LITTLE MERCY NOW takes on more experienced rivals in just her fifth career start and, arguably, may have more improvement to come after winning on her first attempt at the mile-and-sixteenth. She led them pretty much all the way last time and just lasted home, with today’s rival CHABI behind in third. PETERSON LANDING has hit the board twice over the ‘long’ course this season and both those runs were in deeper waters than she finds herself this afternoon. She has to go on the shortlist. FLYING MISS’s sole effort at this distance also came against marginally tougher company than she faces here, although Peterson Landing was ahead of her that day.
A rapid reappearance for B C CHRISTIE, who has been second or third in six of her seven outings since being claimed back in May. Connections have also chosen to ‘buy’ 4lbs of weight off her and anything close to her excellent second to Groovin’ Is Bak just a week ago would make her the one to beat. NOTHINGBUTSUNSHINE also makes a quick return to action having beaten Stilettos Only and co last weekend and wouldn’t be too far away if able to repeat the dose. EBONY EYES drops onto the bottom rung for the first time. She’d win this fairly comfortably if able to reconjure her form of 2023, but it’s been tough sledding for her this season, and she should appreciate the marginally less challenging company.
DIOCLES could never get himself set properly on the sloppy going in the B.C. Derby, but a repeat of any of his previous runs on a dry surface this term would make him the one to beat here. He got the best of a bunch finish to land the Sir Winston Churchill Stakes back in August, beating today’s rival WHAT’S SHAKIN, as well as Canadian Derby and B.C. Derby winner, August Rain. Prior to that he went down by just a nose to August Rain in the Chris Loseth Handicap and is clearly among the best of his generation at Hastings. The long-striding J DUTTON handled the slop well enough when third in the B.C. Derby and that came on the heels of a magnificent second-place finish to August Rain in the Canadian Derby at Century Mile. He’s a lovely long-striding horse who may not be best suited to the tight Hastings’ turns, but he has class aplenty and is a major player here. VECTOR goes for a hat-trick after taking no prisoners in two excellent gate-to-wire performances of late. He’s not far behind the best of the sophomores and any improvement at all would put him firmly in the mix.
SET TO SHINE had today’s rivals Cascade Billy and TIME TICKER behind him when getting up to beat Finding Ways last time and could easily follow-up here in a race that looks to have plenty of early speed. CEREBRO is on a hat-trick of wins. He went gate-to-wire to hold off BIG UNION by a head when they met in August and he shouldn’t be too far away with a repeat of that effort. CASCADE BILLY returns to this marginally higher grade after winning last time. He only returned to action in July this year after an interrupted 2023 campaign and there could easily be more to come from the patiently-handled seven-year-old.
FOREIGN PROTOCOL did all his own front-end donkey work in his two his most recent starts, going down only late in both races, and he looks a major threat again at this level. GOOD BYE PUTIN dealt comfortably with all bar the useful winner Y Vee R last time and, although he may not be quite as effective over this shorter distance, should play a central role again here. BURNLEY only returned to racing action in September after more than a year on the bench and isn’t easy to weigh up. However, he’s been firing bullets in the mornings of late and, on his best form, would easily fit into this company.
WISELY PLAYED (who was also entered on Saturday and will run only in one event) takes a significant drop in class again here and, with some racing luck, can comfortably handle this level of opposition. However, his come-from-behind style is far from risk-free and he will need a clear passage to get the job done. LOGICAL AL dropped onto the bottom rung for the first time last month and had CRYPTO MUNNY behind him when second that day. He's been knocking on the door all year and wouldn’t be winning out of turn. The versatile BORROWED EQUITY looks to follow up on his recent win over RICK’S DANCER and NU SOUP FOR BABY and shouldn’t be too far away.
Lisa & Mike’s Sunday Selections
Statistics
Unbeaten Artislas Looks For Another Graded Stakes Win In Sunday’s GIII, $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes
Artislas and Sabertooth, the 1-2 finishers in last month’s GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf at a mile, meet again Sunday at Santa Anita going the same distance in the GIII, $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes.
Artislas, trained by Jeff Mullins, prevailed by a half-length in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf under Reylu Gutierrez after stalking the pace. The Catalina Cruiser filly previously won her debut going five furlongs on turf at Del Mar Aug. 2.
A $100,000 auction buy earlier this year, Artislas is owned by Irving Ventures LLC, Michelle Arthur, William Meathe et al. She will again have Gutierrez in the irons Sunday.
Sabertooth, trained by Tim Yakteen, launched from 13th and last under Kazushi Kimura to just miss in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf. The Maryland-bred by Grazen remains a maiden after three starts. Prior to his stakes debut, Sabertooth was second in a pair of maiden races going a mile on turf at Del Mar.
Owned by George Sharp, Sabertooth was bought for $100,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale. Kimura again has the call on Sunday.
Ivan The Great also exits the Del Mar Juvenile Turf, finishing sixth for trainer Doug O’Neill. Previously, he beat Sabertooth by a neck in a one-mile maiden turf race at Del Mar Aug. 18. By Kantharos, Ivan The Great was purchased by Mark Davis for $100,000 at this year’s OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training. Davis campaigns the Ontario-bred with Great Friends Stable.
R Heisman is a stakes winner on dirt who will be trying turf for the first time. Trained by Peter Miller, R Heisman most recently was fifth in the GI Del Mar Futurity going seven furlongs Sept. 8.
Bred in Kentucky, R Heisman is from the final crop of deceased California-based stallion Far From Over. Prior to the Futurity, R Heisman won the Graduation Stakes going 5 ½ furlongs at Del Mar, which is restricted to California-bred or sired 2-year-olds.
R Heisman is owned by Gary Barber. He will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli, who was also aboard in the Futurity.