Here's Hannah, Modern among top contenders on competitive B.C. Derby card

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Other than the $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity for 2-year-old fillies, the four stakes supporting the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby and the British Columbia Oaks at Hastings on Saturday are competitive races.

The good news is that the Sadie Diamond Futurity is not part of the late pick four, which has a guaranteed pool of $25,000, or the Sea to Sky Pick 6, which begins in race 4 with a $16,276 carryover.

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

Here’s Hannah looked like she was out for a stroll when she won her debut by 6 1/2 lengths in a maiden special weight race with Richard Hamel aboard Aug. 25. A similar effort makes the daughter of Numaany the winner of the 6 1/2-furlong Sadie Diamond Futurity, which drew five horses.

“She came out of her race in great shape,” said trainer John Morrison. “Hopefully, she runs as well Saturday.”

Here’s Hannah will break from post 4 under Hamel.

It becomes a lot more complex in the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity, which drew 11 horses and goes as race 6. There is no obvious favorite, and adding to the puzzle is that Hamel abandons European to ride Gimme Some Slack.

European is coming off a win in the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes for trainer Dino Condilenios.

“I was surprised to see him take off my horse,” said Condilenios. “But I got Rico Walcott, so I’m not going to complain.”

Gimme Some Slack, trained by Mike Anderson, had a good trip when he won a maiden special weight race in his second start. The runner-up, Pan Handle, got shuffled back a couple of times. Pan Handle returns on Saturday, and considering that his trainer, Glen Todd, has a 39 percent strike rate with 2-year-olds, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him win the 6 1/2-furlong dash.

Weekend Wizard, trained by Craig MacPherson, was 4-5 to win the CTHS Sales Stakes, but ran like a horse who needed a race. Now that he’s had it, he could be very dangerous.

At 122 pounds, Modern is the highweight in the $50,000 S.W. Randall Plate. The 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up drew 11 horses and goes as race 7.

Trained by Condilenios, the classy 7-year-old Modern is coming off a tainted win in the $50,000 Pacific Customs Brokers Classic Handicap on Aug. 7. The race was marred when Sabado Alegre, who was chasing Modern, broke down and fell approaching the half-mile pole. Calgary Caper and Shooting Jacket lost their riders, and other than Modern, who led from start to finish, the rest of the field had compromised trips.

Venetian Mask almost lost jockey David Lopez when he stumbled over the fallen horse. He ended up third behind runner-up Neveradoubt, who had to wait for racing room at the quarter pole.

Hamel thought the race was going to be declared a no-contest and wrapped up on Modern through the final sixteenth. Highway Boss might have won the race, but following Hamel’s lead, jockey Mario Gutierrez took a big hold of Highway Boss in midstretch.

They are all meeting again in the S.W. Randall Plate, and with the added speed of Moon King, it becomes a wide-open event.

The day wraps up with the $50,000 Delta Colleen, which drew eight horses. Despite a dull effort in the $65,000 Emerald Downs Distaff, Victress could end up being favored in the 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares. She has three wins and a pair of second-place efforts in five starts at Hastings, and two starts back she won the $75,000 Monashee Handicap on July 2.