Sunday's Previews
LIZZIES GIRL and BELLAROO both seek third consecutive wins and will clash in the day's sixth race, adding extra spice to an already excellent set of seven Hastings' puzzles on Sunday afternoon
Hard to look too far beyond BODEGA in what looks a fairly moderate opener that may not take much winning. He had VALUE MAX and TIMELESS SHRUG behind him when second to Tiz Meow last time and, while this is over the long course, a repeat of that effort should be enough. CERTIFIABLE has some form from last season that would put her at the heart of things if she could replicate, but it’s been a while.
CHAMPIOSA’s neck second to Jock Talk has a solid look about it, especially as that winner then backed it up with another victory next time out. TUXEDO was just behind Champiosa last time and even closer behind SILARONE when they chased home Jersey’s Image in August. There’s not much between them, although Tuxedo has hit the board in half of his 12 efforts at the distance, including two wins. ASKMENOQUESTIONS, meanwhile, makes his first appearance for new connections since being claimed. Having beaten just one horse home in three attempts over 8½ furlongs, however, suggests he will need to step-up on anything he has so far achieved at this distance.
QUAGMIRE hasn’t won over this distance since October 2019 but he’s been first or second in his previous four starts and, with seemingly few pacesetters among his rivals, shouldn’t be underestimated. There was plenty to enjoy about FAMILY BIZ’s last run. He easily bested his rivals, including GOOD BYE PUTIN, despite finding obstacles to his path more than once and he should be thereabouts again as long as they don’t dally too much on the front end. TIZ VICIOUS will be a popular choice at the windows. He’s won this season against better horses than he takes on here and, while he does suffer from ‘seconditis’ occasionally, he’s very capable of landing this.
LUCKY FORCE had ROCKCLIFFE a neck behind when winning last time, with TIME TICKER out of the frame in fifth; although only two lengths behind the winner. All three have been mixing it in classy company most of the season and it will be a surprise if the winner isn’t among the trio. TIME TICKER also beat BACK SHACK last time when second to Indyetta and may be the value to upset the favourite. LICORICE wasn’t beaten far behind Arundel Castle in last month’s CTHS Sales Stakes and a repeat of that puts her in the mix.
WICKED NIGHT drops in class and, based on his less-than-two-length defeat by Pursue last time, is the one they will have to beat. EMPEROROFTHENORTH, who also drops in class, returns to sprinting for the first time since winning over today’s distance in July. The lightly-raced gelding should be a different proposition in this company. LOVEABOVEANDBEYOND also resumes sprinting after running a clunker over the mile-and-sixteenth last time and if she can repeat July’s third to Pursue and Counteract, she has every chance.
BELLAROO, who goes for a third successive win, has raced exclusively at 6½ furlongs since her one previous attempt over today’s distance more than a year ago. She was second that day so can obviously perform over the longer track and is clearly in great form. LIZZIES GIRL, who had ZETAMARIE and ICE BREAKER behind last time, is also sitting on a third successive win and both previous victories came over the mile-and-sixteenth course. Impossible to leave her out. ARTISTIC JEWLER should appreciate a return to the 8½ furlongs after two unplaced efforts in the Marathon series, while RICHARDS COMMAND, who traditionally finishes with a flourish, has run very well in both her starts so far this season and should be a threat again.
SELF SERVING made short work of his opposition when dropped onto the bottom rung of the class ladder earlier this month and he returns to the same class again here. Four times a runner-up this season, KNOPFLER has finished no further back than fourth in eight starts. He does seem to hate to actually win but is impossible to leave off the shortlist. TIZ MEOW made no mistake last time, drawing clear of Bodega to land the spoils and a repeat of that would make him a danger. Y VEE R isn’t easy to weigh up. He’s taken on a number of distances and class groups, but he beat Wisely Played over 8½ furlongs back in June and has form over this distance that would see him hard to handle.
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Fan favourite Ace Deuce seems happy to keep racing
Randy Goulding • Special to Postmedia
Infinite Patience and Ace Deuce reside in the same barn at Hastings Racecourse under the care of trainer Barbara Heads. That’s about all they have in common. Infinite Patience, who has won 18 of her 24 starts for earnings of $727,600, is a mortal cinch to be voted into the B.C. Horse Racing Hall of Fame when she becomes eligible. Ace Deuce, a 12-year-old California-bred gelding is a bottom-level claimer with 15 wins from 87 starts for earnings of $219,495. One would think Infinite Patience would get preferential treatment from Heads.
“Nope,” said Heads. “They get treated the same. Because Ace Deuce is older, he probably gets a bit more attention. We train them differently, but you want to give them the best chance you can, whether they are cheap horses or stakes horses. Any kind of therapeutic treatment they need, they all get it.”
Ace Deuce began his career in California where he took a while to win his first race, finally breaking through in a $20,000 maiden claimer on turf at Golden Gate Fields in 2016. He came right back to win a $40,000 starter, and completed the hattrick in a $20,000 conditioned claiming race. He found open company beyond his means and ended up dropping in class before he won a $4,000 claimer on the main track at Golden Gate in January of 2017. He made his way to Hastings after being claimed for $6,250 by Peter Redekop, and with Phil Hall as his trainer he won twice in seven starts. Heads claimed him for $4,000 out of his second win at Hastings on Sept. 1, 2017, and she has had him ever since.
