Daz Lin Dawn goes last to first in Emerald Downs 'Cap

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Daz Lin Dawn paid $2.20 for her seven-length romp in the $50,000 Emerald Downs Handicap at Hastings on Sunday.

It was her third straight stakes win at Hastings this year, but she showed a different style of running in the Emerald Downs. Instead of forcing the pace like she did in her blowout wins in the B.C. Cup Dogwood and the Ross McLeod, she was last in the four-horse field while her stablemate Morning Blurs and Jazz Lady were dueling through a quick half-mile in 45.17 seconds in the 6 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-old fillies.

When Richard Hamel let out a notch approaching the quarter-pole Daz Lin Dawn immediately responded and inhaled the leaders while going four-wide on the stretch turn. The result was a foregone conclusion when they turned for home and Hamel had her well in hand inside the sixteenth pole. Jazz Lady finished second and Sail On By rallied to edge Morning Blurs for third.

The final time was 1:16.58.

Hamel wasn’t overly confident when Daz Lin Dawn, who broke sharply, was trailing the field early.

“You just never know if they are going to pick up the bit when you ask them to,” Hamel said. “She sure did, though, and it is a great feeling. It’s not like a quick acceleration, more like a push of power. She’s something else.”

Trainer Nancy Betts said if the daughter of Popular comes out of the race in good shape she will be pointed to the $50,000 Supernaturel on July 15, when she will be stretching out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time this year. She was the runner-up at the distance in the $75,000 Fantasy in her final start as a 2-year-old.

“I don’t think she will have any trouble with the distance,” Betts said. “She ran well in the Fantasy and she’s matured quite a bit this year.”

Daz Lin Dawn is owned by JDP Holdings Ltd., Betts, and Delton Stable. The $32,500 she received brought her career earnings to $134,150.