Ascot Graduation wide open among nine juveniles

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – It is difficult to separate the nine juveniles entered in the $100,000 Ascot Graduation on Sunday at Hastings. They will all stretch out to a middle distance for the first time, and it is anybody’s guess who will win the 1 1/16-mile race.

Trainer Phil Hall has three horses entered, including Wise Market, a very game winner of the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity with Amadeo Perez riding Sept. 9.

He drew the outside post, though, and must deal with speed breaking inside of him. Hall isn’t sure the British Columbia-bred will be able to carry his speed around three turns.

“I don’t know if he wants to go this far, and [I] was actually going to skip the Ascot and run him in the Nursery,” he said. “He’s training so well, though, so I might as well find out.”

Perez retains he mount.

Almeria will make his first start for Hall following two races for trainer Eddie Truman. He showed a lot of promise when he was runner-up to the highly regarded Zulfikhar in a maiden special weight race July 17 at Los Alamitos. In his second start, he finished fourth after breaking a step slow in the $105,000 Texas Thoroughbred Futurity on July 22.

“He just got here, so I don’t know much about him,” Hall said.

Hall’s Sherriff Clarke figures to be a longshot after winning a $12,500 maiden claiming race in his fourth start Sept. 10.

KEY CONTENDERS

Almeria, by Into Mischief
Beyers: 53-72

◗ The 72 Beyer Speed Figure he earned in his debut is the best in the field, and considering his only sibling, two-time stakes winner U S Officer, is a route winner, he should be okay with the distance.

Pan Handle, by Texas Wildcatter
Last 3 Beyers: 64-55-33

◗ Trained by Glen Todd, he had to alter course in midstretch when he was the runner-up in the Jack Diamond Futurity, and the way he finished full of run suggests he could thrive going around three turns.

◗ With his speedy stablemate Boundary Bay in the field, he also should have an honest and contested pace to work with.

Slew’s Da Boss, by Cause to Believe
Last 3 Beyers: 60-49-46

◗ The half-brother to four-time route winner Hillingdon finished well after having a rough trip during the early stages of the Futurity, and he was a neck away from being a stakes winner in the CTHS Sales Stakes in his previous race.

FORMULATOR FACT: Trainer Mel Snow has a 24 percent strike rate and $2.42 ROI with horses going a mile or longer the first time over the past five years.

European, by Cause to Believe
Last 3 Beyers: 64-49-43

◗ Trained by trainer Dino Condilenios, he won the CTHS Sales Stakes, just missed in Futurity, and should get a cozy trip leaving from the inside post with leading rider Richard Hamel.