'Code' makes her return in Cover Girl

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Lasting Code, who has won four of five starts at 6 1/2 furlongs, figures to be a solid choice over nine other fillies and mares in the 6 1/2-furlong Cover Girl at Hastings Sunday. The $40,000 sprint also attracted Elana d'Amour, the 2002 local horse of the year, and Victor's Secret, who also thrives at the distance.

Not only has Lasting Code been dominant at 6 1/2 furlongs, she's also won both of her starts at Hastings, which came in stakes at 2.

Now 5, Lasting Code won four races as a 3-year-old but missed all of last year. She's come back strong, winning the 6 1/2-furlong Hastings Park Handicap at Emerald May 9 and placing in two other stakes. She was recently shipped to trainer David Forster here and he was pleased with both of her local works, particularly her five-furlong move in 59.80 seconds Aug. 29. She'll be ridden by leading rider Pedro Alvarado.

Elana d'Amour, who is trained by Brian Giesbrecht and will be ridden by Felipe Valdez, will be trying to salvage a disappointing year. Elana d'Amour has raced only three times this year and her best finish was a third behind Dancewithavixen in the Sun Handicap May 1. She hasn't raced since finishing 16 lengths behind Cascade Corona in the King County Handicap at Emerald June 26.

Victor's Secret has the best Beyer Speed Figure at the distance in the field, 90, and she should appreciate the move back to a sprint.