B R Remark seeks to go 3 for 3 this year

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Most of the six older horses entered in Sunday's feature race at Hastings, a 1 1/16-mile, no-condition allowance with a $22,000 purse, are using the race as a prep for the Grade 3, $100,000 Lieutenant Governors on July 1.

That's not so for B R Remark, though. According to his trainer, Brian Giesbrecht, B R Remark's next start after Sunday will be in the B.C. Cup Sprint on Aug. 1.

B R Remark won both of his starts this year impressively. He came from slightly off the pace to beat Golden Pursuit in a six-furlong $35,000 optional claiming race April 28, and used similar tactics to win a $50,000 optional claiming race by 3 3/4 lengths on May 26.

He won going 1 1/16 miles last year, so the move to a middle distance is probably not an issue.

"We want to avoid the big guns," said Giesbrecht, explaining why B R Remark is passing on the Lieutenant Governors. "Plus, he seems to run well when he's a fresh horse, so this gives us plenty of time before he runs back on B.C. Cup Day."

Alexandersrun, trained by John Snow, could be the favorite. He's coming off a good third-place finish behind Forceful Intention and Spaghetti Mouse in the John Longden 6000, and he could take a big step forward in what will be his third start of the year.

Luhuk's Dancer scratched out of a 6 1/2-furlong, no-condition allowance race Saturday and is a serious threat to take Sunday's field all the way.