B C Charlie gets three-turn test in Sunday feature

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – B C Charlie has never won going around three turns, but he looks like the one to beat in a $25,000 optional-claiming race for 3-year-olds that will serve as the featured race at Hastings on Sunday.

The 1 1/16-mile race drew nine horses and goes as race 5 on the eight-race card, which begins at 1:50 p.m. Pacific.

Trained by Craig MacPherson, B C Charlie won both times he has sprinted at this level and owns the best Beyer Speed Figure at the distance, a 78 nearned for finishing second in the $50,000 B.C. Cup Stellar’s Jay in August.

Following his big effort in the Stellar’s Jay, he was ambitiously placed in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park, where he beat just one horse in the 1 3/8-mile race.

Coming back to reality, he won a $25,000 optional-claiming sprint at Hastings on Sept. 18, and in his most recent start, he dueled with Omega Victory before holding on to finish third going 1 1/16 miles in the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes on Oct. 1.

B C Charlie is versatile, and jockey Antonio Reyes will either put him on the lead after he breaks from the inside post or let him sit off Dashing Don, who looks like the main threat.

KEY CONTENDERS

B C Charlie, by Rosberg
Last 3 Beyers: 67-64-26

◗ Toss out his race in the Canadian Derby, where he was out of his element going a marathon distance, and he’s been pretty solid.

◗ If Reyes can avoid getting into a duel with Dashing Don, he could be tough to handle.

Dashing Don, by Popular
Last 3 Beyers: 61-56-70

◗ Trained by Jim Brown, he is coming off a third-place finish in B C Charlie’s win Sept. 18. He is also versatile, so it will be interesting to see if leading rider Richard Hamel guns him to the lead or tries to track the speed.

◗ Arguably his best race this year was when he came from a stalking position to win an open allowance race for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles July 31. He also took them all the way going this far in a $25,000 optional-claiming race in his next start.

Coulterberry, by Finality
Last 3 Beyers: 62-61-61

◗ The Mark Cloutier-trained homebred ran evenly in his only try going around three turns in the $50,000 Sir Winston Churchill Richmond Derby Trial, and he was finishing fastest of all when he was the runner-up to B C Charlie in his last start Sept. 18.