Calgary Caper seeking his third British Columbia Cup Classic victory at Hastings

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Calgary Caper will try to win his third British Columbia Cup Classic at Hastings on Monday. The 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds up should set up perfectly for the 8-year-old Kentucky-bred son of El Corredor.

The Classic headlines B.C. Cup Day, which traditionally is one of the biggest days at Hastings. There are six $50,000 stakes, including the Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial ,which is the final local prep for the Grade 3, $250,000 British Columbia Derby on Sept. 9.

Trained by Phil Hall, Calgary Caper won the Classic last year and in 2016. He might have won the 2017 version, but he unseated jockey Amadeo Perez when he tried to avoid a fallen horse on the second turn.

He is coming off a third-place finish behind He’s the Reason in the $50,000 Lieutenant Governors’ on July 14. He’s the Reason set fast fractions, but he had things his own way in the 1 1/16-mile race. That won’t be the case with the Hall-trained Absolutely Stylish breaking from the rail and the The All Button, trained by Mark Cloutier, leaving from post 2.

Hall likes the way Calgary Caper is coming up to the race.

“He’s doing very well, and it looks like he’ll have a pace to run at for a change,” he said.

Calgary Caper will break from the outside post with Enriquez Gonzalez aboard.

A 4-year -old son of The Factor, He’s the Reason looked like he was on his way to big things when he won his first three starts as a juvenile. However, he stalled until he won a $35,000 claimer going 6 1/2 furlongs on June 15. He finally lived up to the promise he showed as a baby when he scored an impressive front-running victory in the Lieutenant Governors’ for owner-trainer Glen Todd.

“He is on fire and doing better now than before his last race,” Todd said. “I know there is other speed, but he doesn’t need the lead.”

Richard Hamel retains the mount.

Adding to the festivities is the presence of two-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Mario Gutierrez, who will be aboard Five Star General for Todd in the Derby Trial.

:: Get PPs, Clocker Reports, picks, and more from DRF's Saratoga/Del Mar One-Stop Shop

The Kentucky-bred son of Distorted Humor will be a short price in the 1 1/16-mile race that drew seven horses.

In his last start, Five Star General was elevated from third to second via disqualification in the $50,000 Stanton on June 12 at Delaware Park. He finished a half-length behind Eons in the 1 1/16-mile race on turf. Eons came back to win the Grade 3 Kent on the same course.

Five Star General won the $101,300 Central Park Stakes on the main track at Aqueduct and has worked well over the local surface.

“He is a real pro and he really seems to like it here,” Todd said. “I am expecting him to run a big race.”

Five Star General has good speed and will likely be in the mix early after breaking from post 5.

The 10-race card begins at 12:50 p.m. Pacific with the Distaff. Here’s Hannah will carry high weight of 129 pounds in the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares that drew four horses.

If her form holds, and there is no reason it shouldn’t, the John Morrison-trained homebred daughter of Numaany will break sharply and then set moderate fractions on her way to another dominating victory with Richard Hamel aboard.

Her only loss in 10 starts came when Hamel wasn’t available. She is perfect in five starts at the distance.

Summerland has been just as sensational but will face a stern test in the Hong Kong Jockey Club for 3-year-old fillies.

Her only loss in nine starts for Hall came in the Grade 2 Sorrento at Del Mar. She is coming off an easy win here in the $50,000 Supernaturel after being allowed to set moderate fractions.

She is going to get tag-teamed by the Todd-trained pair of Northern Graystar, who will use her good speed early, and Amazonian, who was impressive winning a first-level allowance race in her first route attempt July 20.

Summerland has never been headed in Canada, but that could change with an aggressive ride by Gutierrez aboard Northern Graystar.

Gonzalez has ridden Summerland in all but two of her races.

“I’ll just let Enrique ride her the way he wants,” Hall said. “She is carrying a lot of weight [128 pounds], but she couldn’t be doing any better.”

Infinite Patience figures to be a short price in the Debutante, which drew five 2-year-old fillies. The Barbara Heads-trained daughter of Sungold romped in her debut, and the 66 Beyer Speed Figure she received is the best by a 2-year-old filly at Hastings this year.

Just about any of the six 2-year-old colts and geldings entered in the Nursery could win the 6 1/2-furlong dash.

It might be worth giving Dougie Dougie another chance after he ran a dull race as the favorite in the $50,000 Spaghetti Mouse. The Tod Mountain homebred by Afleet Alex is trained by Christine Ammann.