Alarico may appreciate shorter trip

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Night racing returns to Hastings for the first time since 2006 this Friday with the first post at 6:25 p.m. Pacific.

The feature on the eight-race card is a $25,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds that attracted six horses. Alarico, Jajas Legacy, and Till the Storm appear to be the main players in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint that goes as race 7.

Trained by Craig MacPherson, Alarico is the most accomplished horse in the field with three wins and $58,384 in earnings. He also came close to winning the $55,000 CTHS Sales Stakes on June 22, finishing second to Star Prospector.

Alarico is not as sharp as he was during midsummer, but he is coming off a third-place finish behind Till the Storm in a 1 1/16-mile, $25,000 claiming race on Aug. 30. He should appreciate the move back to a sprint.

Jajas Legacy, who is trained by Toni Cloutier, was clearly overmatched when he took on Krazy Koffee in the B.C. Cup Stellars Jay on Aug. 4. Krazy Koffee came back to win the Richmond Derby Trial and will be one of the favorites in the Grade 3, $250,000 B.C. Derby on Sept. 21.

Jajas Legacy fits a lot better with this group. In his previous start, he won a $20,000 claiming sprint for nonwinners of two.

Till the Storm could be favored off his smart win over Willie Katchem and Alarico on Aug. 30. It was the first time he had been in for a tag since he won a $25,000 maiden race last September.