Ambidextrous Duke looks sharp for claiming sprint

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – If Ambidextrous Duke runs as well as he has been training, he could be a handful in a $16,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds and up that begins Sunday’s card at Hastings. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint drew five horses, and it is hard to throw any of them out in what appears to be a highly competitive event.

Also of interest is the fifth race, a maiden special weight race where a group of well-matched and well-bred 3-year-old fillies will try to sort themselves out. It is more intriguing as a betting race, with nine horses entered.

Trained by John Morrison, Ambidextrous Duke closed out 2014 with two strong performances. He was an easy winner of a $4,000 claiming race for non-winners of two and then jumped up in class to beat Dee Jay Snow in a $16,000 claimer for non-winners of three. In both races, he ran without blinkers after using them in his first three career starts, and the change obviously made a big difference.

He was very impressive in his last two five-furlong works in 59.80 seconds April 26 and May 2 with Sahin Civaci aboard. Civaci has the call and figures to have him involved right from the start.

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CLAIMING RACE (RACE 1)

KEY CONTENDERS

Ambidextrous Duke (Last 3 Beyers: 66-52-50)

◗ He will be facing open company for the first time but is clearly a horse headed in the right direction.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Morrison has a 24 percent strike rate with horses coming off a layoff of more than 180 days.

Flemings Beach (Last 3 Beyers: 59-60-65)

◗ A four-time winner last year, he stalked an honest pace before coming up a bit short in a $25,000 claiming race April 26. Trained by Patty Leaney, he should move forward with a race behind him.

◗ Leaney also has a chance with After the Conflict, who figures to be the one they have to catch.

MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT (RACE 5)

KEY CONTENDERS

Rockport Dancer (Last 3 Beyers: 60-38-42)

◗ Trained by Barbara Heads, she finished third when she debuted in the $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity last year and is coming off a second-place finish behind Meg Giri, who is arguably one of the top 3-year-old fillies at Hastings.

Anasazi Lass (Last 3 Beyers: 58-27-37)

◗ The Dave Forster trainee is a half-sister to Battlefield Angel, a stakes winner who finished third in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland.

◗ She finished third behind Rockport Dancer in an improved effort in her first start this year.