Hastings: Taylor-Todd trio tops British Columbia Derby field

Four-Footed Fotos

Taylors Deal will be ridden by Mario Gutierrez in Sunday's British Columbia Derby at Hastings.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Thirteen 3-year-olds were entered for the Grade 3, $200,000 British Columbia Derby on Wednesday morning. Only 12 will be allowed to run in the 1 1/8-mile feature that headlines a 10-race card that includes five other stakes races at Hastings on Sunday.

The Troy Taylor-trained and Glen Todd-owned entry of Taylors Deal, Hoist, and Devil in Disguise will be favored in the race.

Taylors Deal drew post 10 and should benefit from what figures to be a hotly contested pace. He also will have the services of Kentucky Derby- and Preakness-winning jockey Mario Gutierrez, who had his choice of the three mounts.

Hoist, who was purchased by Todd for a substantial sum following his win in a first-level allowance race at Saratoga on Aug. 11, drew the outside post. Gutierrez was originally planning on riding Hoist, but after Taylors Deal worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds last Sunday, he altered course. Enrique Gonzalez will ride Hoist.

Devil in Disguise is coming off a disappointing third as the heavy favorite with Gutierrez aboard in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby on Aug. 25. He drew post 3 and will be ridden by Rico Walcott.

Taylor wasn’t concerned that Hoist drew the outside post.

“If he is good enough, it shouldn’t bother him,” he said. “I’m used to it anyway. We won the Longacres Mile from an outside post with Taylor Said, so I don’t think Hoist will have any problems from his post. I’ve watched his races in New York, and he usually outbreaks the field.”

High End Man, who is coming off an impressive win in the Richmond Derby Trial, drew post 5. High End Man has good speed, but trainer Pete Gregory is hoping he will be sitting in a stalking position early. Leading rider Amadeo Perez retains the mount.

“It’s a full field, everyone will be acting like idiots, and hopefully Amadeo will stay cool,” Gregory said.

Undefeated Second City has never been behind a horse in any of his three races at Charles Town and Penn National. He will likely be involved right from the start, leaving from post 7 with Richard Hamel aboard.

Canadian Derby runner-up Dougs Buddy drew post 6.

Italian Boy, second in the Emerald Downs Derby on Aug. 12, will break from post 3. Also coming out of the Emerald Downs Derby is D’honorable One, who finished third as the favorite. He drew post 9.