And All That Jazz taking big drop
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - And All That Jazz will try and take them all the way when he drops into a $25,000 claiming race that will serve as Friday's feature race at Hastings. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint drew six older horses and goes as the sixth race.
And All That Jazz is taking a substantial drop after two subpar efforts in a couple of classified allowance races that carried a $50,000 claiming option. The allowance conditions of the races allowed horses who hadn't won $30,000 in 2010 to run, and Almost Time, who won the first one, is a multiple sprint stakes winner. Arkhill, the winner of the second race, has won 8 of his 10 career starts, including the Alberta Derby.
And All That Jazz, trained by Robert Rohman is also a sprint stakes winner, and in his final start in 2009 he finished a close second to Bank Emblem in the PNE Presidents Speed. He has only one way of going and he will likely be the one they are chasing. After setting the pace in his two starts this year, however, he faded badly to finish last both times. He will face early pressure from Battle of Hastings, and it will be interesting to see if he can hold on longer with the class relief.
Chad Hoverson rides And All That Jazz.
It is a drop in class for And All That Jazz, but he will be facing a solid group of sprinters. Battle of Hastings has won 5 of his last 7 races, and one of his losses was a fourth-place finish in the B.C. Cup Sprint last year. He has won both of his two starts this year, a $12,500 claiming race going about 3 1/2 furlongs April 24 and a gate-to-wire score in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for the same price May 15. He was claimed out of the race by trainer Jim Brown for Shamrock Racing Stable Ltd. Over the past five years Brown has won with 18 percent of the horses he has brought back for the first time after the claim.
Soldiers Return, trained by Terry Clyde, is coming off of a sharp win in a $25,000 claiming race over Three Wood on May 14 and won't mind if And All That Jazz and Battle of Hastings get involved with each other early.
Three Wood has also been entered by trainer Patricia Leaney.