3-year-olds look best in Ballerina

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Three-year-old fillies Elana d'Amour, Sweet Monarch, and Grace for You, the first three finishers in the Grade 3 B.C. Breeders' Cup Oaks Sept. 7, appear to have the edge over nine other fillies and mares in Sunday's $175,000 Grade 3 Ballerina Breeders' Cup at Hastings. Full Scream Ahead looks like the best of the rest in the 12-horse field, which includes nine stakes winners.

Elana d'Amour will likely be favored in the 1 1/8-mile race. A homebred daughter of Vying Victor, Elana d'Amour has won five stakes at the meet, and with her tactical speed should manage to stay out of trouble in this large field.

She had a perfect trip in the Oaks, sitting comfortably in fourth before taking the lead at the top of the stretch and winning by 1 1/2 lengths over Sweet Monarch. She's trained by Joe Apperloo and will be ridden by leading rider Pedro Alvarado.

Sweet Monarch, who races for David and Elliot Kerr, was sent off at over 20-1 in the Oaks despite coming into the race off of a second to Lady Shari in the Canadian Derby. She displayed a lot of courage in her second-place finish in the Oaks, as she had to check sharply to avoid a horse that ducked in at the five-eighths pole. In doing so, Sweet Monarch slammed into heavily favored Lady Shari, almost putting her over the rail. Dale Greenwood trains, and Chris Loseth rides.

Full Scream Ahead leads the older filly and mare contingent. Full Scream Ahead has won three stakes in her last four starts and was very impressive winning the Delta Colleen Sept. 22.

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