British Columbia Oaks a clash of regional queens

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – It doesn’t seem to happen often enough, so it will be a treat to watch the best 3-year-old filly at Hastings, Daz Lin Dawn, take on the leading 3-year-old filly at Emerald Downs, Little Dancer, in the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks on Saturday at Hastings. The 1 1/8-mile Oaks drew eight horses, but all eyes will be on the two obvious favorites.

Daz Lin Dawn, trained by Nancy Betts, has the home-track advantage, but the Doris Harwood-trained Little Dancer is proven at the distance, and the 83 Beyer Speed Figure she received for her runner-up finish behind Citizen Kitty in the $65,000 Emerald Distaff stands out.

They both have tactical speed, and it could end up being a rider’s race. No edge there, with Daz Lin Dawn’s rider, Richard Hamel, dominating the standings at Hastings, and Rocco Bowen, aboard Little Dancer, home and cooled out in the jockey race at Emerald.

:: Get bonus PPs for Saturday’s $25,000-guaranteed late pick four at Hastings

Daz Lin Dawn has been nothing less than sensational. The daughter of Popular has won all six stakes for sophomore fillies at Hasting this year, and she is coming off an easy three-length victory in the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes on Aug. 25.

According to Betts, she might not have reached her peak.

“This is what we’ve been pointing to all year, and she is coming into it perfectly,” she said. “She had an easy race in the Sales Stakes and has trained great since. She just seems to be getting better with each race. It has been an amazing year, and hopefully she can go 7 for 7.”

She drew post 4, which could give her a slight tactical advantage over Little Dancer, who will be breaking immediately to her left.

Harwood also is pleased with how Little Dancer is training. If she wins, she will receive a $25,000 bonus for sweeping the Washington and B.C. Oaks.

Prior to her big effort against older fillies and mares in the Distaff, Little Dancer stalked a slow pace when she won the Washington Oaks at 12.70-1. The reason for the big price was a fifth-place finish after a rough trip in the $50,000 Irish Day, when she stretched to a middle distance for the first time.

With Bowen aboard, Little Dancer breezed an easy half-mile in 50.60 seconds Wednesday at Emerald.

“She wanted to do more than I wanted her to, but fortunately Rocco had her under control,” Harwood said. “It is the kind of race people want to see, so I am looking forward to it. If she runs her race and gets beat, I am still going to be proud of her.”

Top Quality rates an outside chance at what should be a decent price. Trained by Blaine Wright, she won the Irish Day, but got stuck behind the slow pace in the Oaks. She rallied to finish third in the Distaff in her last start.

She will be ridden by Aaron Gryder for the first time.

Speed will be provided by Good Luck to You, who is coming off a front-running win in an open allowance race for trainer Phil Hall on Aug. 21.

Hall also will be represented by Anstrum and Babys Got Track.

Anstrum had enough of Daz Lin Dawn in the spring and shipped to Northlands, where she won two stakes races for trainer Monica Russell. Her latest win came in the $82,000 Sonoma Handicap on Aug. 19.

Yukon Belle, second to Good Luck to You on Aug. 21, is the last horse to beat Daz Lin Dawn. She won the $75,000 Fantasy last year, with Da Lin Dawn second.