Barroby, Bryant go toe-to-toe

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Harold Barroby was the leading trainer at Hastings Park last year, and Steve Bryant finished first in 2000. After three days of the current meet, they're tied atop the trainer's standings with three wins apiece, and it appears they have the horses to beat in the feature race this Wednesday, a $50,000 optional race for older sprinters.

Included in the seven-horse field is former stakes winner and 1999 B.C. Derby runner-up Yaletown, who missed all of 2001 with injury.

Spanish Banks, trained by Bryant, appears to have a slight edge over Adanac, who along with Paladdie, makes up a Canada West-owned and Barroby-trained coupling.

Spanish Banks and Adanac met three times last year, and Spanish Banks finished in front of Adanac twice, but not my much. They battled it out every step of the way in a $32,000 claiming sprint on Sept. 23, with Spanish Banks winning by a head. They came back in a $50,000 optional race Oct. 24, and Spanish Banks finished second by a nose to Real Quest, but was 1 1/14 lengths clear of Adanac, who finished third. The other time they met, Adanac finished second to B.D. Victor in a $50,000 optional race with Spanish Banks running fourth, 1 1/4 lengths behind Adanac.

They both have speed and figure to be clear of the rest of the field early. Spanish Banks is the quicker of the two, but not by much - and with Adanac immediately inside of him, he's probably going to be parked outside of Adanac heading into the first turn. From there, it's anybody's race.

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