Audzeezee has versatility as virtue

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Handicappers have their hands full trying to decipher which horse is going to win the featured seventh race at Hastings on Sunday. The $50,000 optional race for 3-year-old fillies drew nine horses, and a case could be made for just about any of them winning the 6 1/2-furlong sprint.

Pat's Bid and Oh No Notised are the only horses in the field with more than a single win.

Oh So Notised, trained by Phil Hall, finished 1 3/4 lengths in front Pat's Bid when she won a similar race May 23. It was her first win since she won a maiden special weight last July, but she was dropping to a new low after finishing third in a $75,000 optional race in her seasonal debut on May 1. Like many others in the field, Oh So Notised has good speed. She will breaking from post 8, and she could lose a lot of ground going into the first turn.

Pedro Alvarado retains the mount.

Alvarado also rode Audzeezee to a win over Coatlicue in a maiden special weight race on May 15. Leading rider Fernando Perez picks up the mount from trainer Rob Gilker, and Audzeezee's versatility could help her chances Sunday. She has come from off the pace in 4 of her 5 races, and she forced moderate fractions when she won her last start. She has never been worse than third, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 67 that she earned for her win is the second best in the field behind Sweet N Sour's 69 in her last start.

Pop and Jungle Lily are both stepping up in class after front-running maiden wins in their debuts.

Pop, trained by Dino Condilenios, set honest fractions on her way to beating $30,000 maidens May 22.

Jungle Lily set similar fractions in her win for $20,000 and was claimed out of the race by trainer Ned Sams, who was acting on behalf of Jim Veitch.

Trainer Cindy Krasner had Malakwa primed for a big effort in her first start this year. Malakwa led every step of the way in her win over Wando Woman in a maiden special weight race May 30. In her only other start, Malakwa finished second to Huitzilopochtli last year. Huitzilopochtli won his next four starts, all in stakes races.

Indy Beauty could feast on what figures to be a lively battle up front.