Champions Starter Series races featured on Monday card

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – A change in the live racing schedule begins with back-to-back non-holiday Mondays scheduled due to the start of the annual fair held on the Pacific National Exhibition grounds. Hastings is located on the northwest corner of the PNE grounds, and because parking is at a premium Saturdays and Sundays during the fair, live racing is dropped, and cars are parked in the infield at the track.

Monday’s card turned out to be a good one, with eight mostly competitive races. Post time for the first race is 4 p.m. Pacific.

Three races are part of the Champions Starter Series that concludes Sept. 13. To be eligible for the $50,000 finale, horses must have started in at least one leg of the series. In 2014, all four races in the series were contested at 6 1/2 furlongs. This year, the first two races were sprints, but the last two are at 1 1/16 miles. The series is restricted to horses who have started for $8,000 or less in 2014-15.

The colts-and-geldings division drew 15 horses and was split into the third and sixth races. The fillies-and-mares division drew 11 horses and goes as race 5.

Race 3 (Colts and Geldings)

Key contenders

Fransor’s Finest (Last 3 Beyers: NA-74-64)

* Trained by Phil Hall, this six-time winner at the distance should be full of confidence after romping by seven lengths in a $5,000 starter race Aug. 8 at Desert Park. He went into the race off an easy win in a $4,000 claiming race July 19 at Hastings.

Toccett’s Charm (Last 3 Beyers: 80-75-82)

* The Dave Dahl-trainee showed more tactical speed than usual when he rallied to win a $10,000 claiming race Aug. 7 at Emerald Downs.

* He won’t mind being back at Hastings, where he has won 9 of 17 starts.

Race 6 (Colts and Geldings)

Key contenders

Chief Thundercloud (Last 3 Beyers: 71-57-63)

* He looked good winning his first start at Hastings for trainer Craig MacPherson and figures to take a big step forward in his second start this year.

Wine Stock (Last 3 Beyers: 70-66-79)

* Trained by Greg Tracy, he won back-to-back divisions of the first two races in the series and has the pedigree to get a middle distance. Catch him if you can.

Race 5 (Fillies and Mares)

I’m a Diva Too should feast on what figures to be a fast and contested pace.

Trained by Bill Konyk Jr., I’m a Diva Too is 2 for 2 at the distance and has worked sharply since finishing fourth going 6 1/2 furlongs in the first leg of the series July 1.