Cherokee in Me cuts back in distance, steps up in class

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – At first glance, it appears that Cherokee in Me, who is coming off back-to-back wins going a mile on Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields, wants more distance than the 6 1/2 furlongs she gets in a sprint for fillies and mares Saturday at Hastings.

However, she rallied from well back when she won her debut going six furlongs at Mountaineer in 2015, and in four starts on dirt, she hasn’t been worse than fourth.

With plenty of speed signed on in the $35,000 optional-claiming race that drew six, she could pick up the pieces with a well-timed ride by Enrique Gonzalez.

Cherokee in Me is making her first start since she was claimed by owner Peter Redekop on Jan. 29. She has been working like she’s ready for a big effort in her initial outing for trainer Phil Hall.

A seven-time winner, she is stepping up in class after two wins in $20,000 conditional-claiming races, but given the shape of Saturday’s race and her propensity for winning, she could get up in time in what appears to be a wide-open event.

She will break from the inside post.

Omi looks like the speed of the speed and could be tough to catch if she breaks alertly from post 4 with David Lopez riding.

She romped in a maiden special weight race in her first start last year and just her second overall. Her trainer, Dino Condilenios, also has excellent stats with horses coming back from a layoff of 180 days or longer.

KEY CONTENDERS

Cherokee in Me, by Zanjero
Last 3 Beyers: 71-69-61

◗ The consistent 5-year-old has compiled an excellent 6-3-1 record in her last 10 starts at three different tracks in California, and the shape of the race could work for her.

Fire Beauty, by Skimming
Last 3 Beyers: 45-64-68

◗ Trained by Mel Snow, she can fire fresh, and she may have tipped her hand when she worked a bullet six furlongs in 1:12.20 on April 29.

Omi, by Rosberg
Last 3 Beyers: 23-44-67

◗ She is strictly a sprinter and was out of her element in her last two starts going around three turns in the Hong Kong Jockey Club and British Columbia Oaks.

Locals pulling for Gutierrez

A large crowd will be on hand to cheer for former local rider Mario Gutierrez, who rides Arap in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

For local fans looking for a hunch exacta, they could use Irap with Lookin At Lee. Lookin At Lee is out of the mare Langara Lass, who was a multiple stakes winner at Hastings for breeder Ray Hanson and trainer Dave Forster. Langara Lass was also co-owned by Exclusive Stable when she was the champion 2-year-old filly here in 2005.