Anyportinastormhas speed, class to win George Royal

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Anyportinastorm is a multiple sprint stakes winner on dirt and Tapeta and should be a handful if he can handle the tight turns at Hastings when he runs on a bull ring for the first time in the $50,000 George Royal Saturday. The 6 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up drew 10 horses and goes as the sixth race on a seven-race card that gets underway at 2 p.m. Pacific.

The George Royal is chock full of speed but the locally based horses will have a hard time of keeping up with Anyportinastorm if he shows up with his best stuff.

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An 8-year-old horse by City Zip, Anyportinthestorm is coming off a solid performance in his first start of the year in the $77,250 City of Fog at Golden Gate Fields. He received an 89 Beyer for his third-place finish in the six-furlong race on Tapeta for trainer Steven Miyadi. He set fast fractions under pressure and held the lead at the eighth pole before tiring late in a race he won in 2019 and 2021.

Anyportinastorm will be making his first start for trainer Frank Lucarelli, who likes the way the nine-time winner with $375,375 earnings has been training at Emerald Downs, where he was the top older horse in 2019 for trainer Blaine Wright.

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“He’s doing great,” said Lucarelli. “He’s had a couple of sharp works and he’s a healthy, happy horse right now. He should run well.”

Lucarelli will be in Texas Saturday, and his assistant Dennis Snowden will saddle the classy sprinter in the George Royal. Anyportinastorm will break from post 8 with Rico Walcott riding.

Be Quick puts his undefeated record on the line while making his first start for trainer Edgar Mendoza. Mendoza is having a strong meet, embellished when he won the first two stakes at Hastings this year with U Did It in the $50,000 Sadie Diamond Maturity and Soaringforthesun in the $50,000 Jack Diamond Maturity last Sunday.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Bodemeister, Be Quick won his five previous starts for trainer Keith Pedersen and would likely have been favored in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Century Mile but came up with an injury and had to miss the 1 1/4-mile race, won by Uncharacteristic.

Be Quick is fast but can stalk and could get the right kind of trip breaking from post 2 with Antonio Reyes aboard.

Uncharacteristic is making his first start since he won the Canadian Derby for trainer Rob VanOverschot, who claimed him for $8,000 out of his second start as a 2-year-old.

Uncharacteristic also won the $101,750 Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs. The Kentucky-bred son of Texas Wildcatter wants more distance, but he has been training well and the shape of the race could work for him.

Fillies and mares will also get their shot at a $50,000 purse in the Emerald Downs, which drew five horses and goes as the third race.

Heidi and Bayakoas Image are the main contestants in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint.