All Under Control, Yukon Belle stand out in juvenile stakes
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – All Under Control and Yukon Belle were very impressive in winning their debuts and look like the ones to beat in the Pacific Northwest’s richest races for 2-year-olds at Hastings on Sunday.
All Under Control, trained by Mike Anderson, likely will be favored in the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity for colts and geldings in the fifth race. Yukon Belle, trained by Anderson’s sister, Barbara Heads, could be a handful in the $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity for fillies in race 7.
Both races are restricted to juveniles foaled in Canada and will be contested over 6 1/2 furlongs.
Anderson won the 2014 Futurity with All Under Control’s full brother, Power Corrupt, who is running in race 6, a $25,000 optional-claiming race for 3-year-olds.
Power Corrupt dueled early before drawing off to win the Futurity last year, but All Under Control likely will stalk what figures to be a fast and contested pace Sunday.
Ridden by Richard Hamel, All Under Control broke sharply in his debut, and it looked like he might get involved in a four-horse duel. However, Hamel had other ideas, and All Under Control looked comfortable when Hamel took a big hold of him. When he was turned loose approaching the quarter pole, he exploded and was under wraps in the final sixteenth while winning by 5 3/4 lengths.
“He showed he could run in the mornings, and he really put it all together when we put blinkers on him,” Anderson said. “He’s training well, is sound, and should run another good race Sunday.”
All Under Control drew post 3, with Hamel retaining the mount.
Strate Remark was wearing blinkers for the first time when he won the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes on Aug. 26 for trainer Cindy Krasner. He dueled with Kermode until drawing away in the final sixteenth to win the 6 1/2-furlong dash. He was ridden by Silvino Morales, who bails to ride Driller. Denis Arujo picks up the mount.
Driller, trained by Mel Snow, will be making his first start since he was the runner-up in the $50,000 B.C. Cup Nursery on Aug. 1. He should be in the race soon after he breaks from post 2.
It looked like Yukon Belle might never make it to the races when she dumped her exercise rider and ran into the outside fence by the starting gate during training one morning. However, the injuries were minor, and in her first start, she rallied to win the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes by a half-length over Spirit Bay.
“She hurt her shoulder and cut herself up pretty good,” Anderson said of the training mishap. “She got playful coming off the track and dumped her exercise rider. She was just about ready to run, and after we gave her about six weeks’ rest, it wasn’t hard to get her back to where she was. She’s smart, has talent, and she does everything so easily.”
In her debut, Yukon Belle raced greenly early, but something kicked in, and she finished full of run. Heads thinks she might be closer to the pace in the Sadie Diamond.
“If anything, she has been a bit more aggressive in her training since she ran,” Heads said.
She drew post 2, with Antonio Reyes retaining the mount.
Spirit Bay figures to move forward following her runner-up finish in the Sales Stakes in just her second start for trainer Phil Hall, who is winning races at a 27 percent clip at the meet.
Speed will be provided by B.C. Cup Debutante winner Something Better. Trained by Cindy Krasner, she didn’t look that comfortable when Rico Walcott tried to ration her speed in the CTHS Sales Stakes. Expect Walcott to let her roll early like he did when she won the Debutante.
Antrum, trained by Anita Bolton, should be rolling late with Amadeo Perez aboard. Perez won three stakes last Sunday, including the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks with Victress.