Calgary Caper should benefit from move back to three turns

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Calgary Caper will appreciate the shape of the race and the chance to go around three turns for the first time this year when he runs in a conditioned allowance race that will serve as the feature race on Thursday at Hastings. There is a $35,000 claiming option, or $40,000 for British Columbia-breds, available on the 1 1/16-mile race that drew five horses. It goes as race 2 on an eight-race card that begins at 3 p.m. Pacific.

With six stakes wins, including a narrow victory over Brave Nation in the 2018 Grade 3 Premiers, Calgary Caper stands out from a class perspective. All of his stakes wins came at Hastings for trainer Phil Hall. When Hall moved his operation to Woodbine this year, owners Lance Giesbrecht and Kim Peacock moved Calgary Caper to Brad Cuthbertson, who was the 9-year-old Kentucky-bred’s main exercise rider.

In his first start for Cuthbertson – and Cuthbertson’s first as a trainer – Calgary Caper dead-heated with Not Yet going 6 1/2 furlongs in a $25,000 claiming race on July 13. It was a good effort, but Calgary Caper did not fire when he came back in the $40,000 Spangled Jimmy at Century Mile in his second start this year on Aug. 9, finishing sixth in the seven-furlong dash. It was his first race away from Hastings since 2016, so he may not have cared for the different surface.

By El Corredor out of Cowgirl Lucky, Calgary Caper is back home and could be ready for a big effort in the third start of his form cycle. The last time he won sprinting was in a $12,500 claimer at Northlands Park in 2015, so he is going to relish the extra distance.

Calgary Caper will break from post 3 with Efrain Hernandez riding him for the first time.

Stay Fantastic and Not Yet are the main threats. They finished a nose apart in a third-level allowance race with a $40,000/35,000 claiming option on Aug. 9.

Stay Fantastic won the head bob. Trained by Christine Ammann, he sat just off Elrich before forcing the issue coming out of the second turn in the 1 1/16-mile race. After taking the lead at the six-furlong mark, he was collared by Not Yet at the quarter pole. Stay Fantastic started to edge way in midstretch, but Not Yet wasn’t done and just missed in a thriller.

Stay Fantastic will be going for his fourth straight win this year. He won back-to-back $20,000 conditioned claiming races going 6 1/2 furlongs on July 20 and Aug. 9. He drew post 2 and should get a nice trip from a forward position with leading rider Amadeo Perez riding. Perez was aboard for his first two wins and picks up the mount from Enrique Gonzalez, who has moved his tack to Century Mile.

Not Yet, trained by Rob Gilker, will break from the outside post with Scott Williams replacing Perez.

Ranger Up is in deep after winning a $16,000 maiden claimer on Aug. 20.

Deep Explorer is coming off a front-running 5 3/4-length victory going 1 1/16 miles in the $17,000 Uene Stakes on Aug. 18 at Assiniboia Downs.