Daz Lin Dawn marquee attraction in CTHS Sales Stakes

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Last year Daz Lin Dawn was the queen of Hastings. She won all six stakes races at the meet for 3-year-old fillies as well as the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes for 3- and 4-year-old fillies.

Daz Lin Dawn returns to Hastings to defend her title in the Sales Stakes on Friday – although with no wins in three starts this year, she hasn’t been the force she was last year. Nonetheless, she will be a short price to beat her only two opponents, Cypress Park and Yukon Belle.

The 1 1/16-mile event is the first of seven races on a card that begins at 7 p.m., and it kicks off an all CTHS Sales Stakes pick four, which is anchored by the 3- and 4-year-old colts and gelding division. Strate Remark will be heavily favored in that 1 1/16-mile race, which drew six horses.

The other two Sales Stakes are for 2-year-olds, and both appear to be wide open.

Daz Lin Dawn is the star of the show Friday. Racing for trainer Nancy Betts last year, she dominated her opponents most of the year and closed her campaign with a narrow win over Yukon Belle in the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks. Betts partly owned Daz Lin Dawn last year, but after she sold her share, the daughter of Popular was transferred to trainer Blaine Wright. She is owned by Red Leaf Stables.

Daz Lin Dawn comes into the Sales Stakes off a fourth-place finish in the $50,000 Emerald Downs Distaff Handicap on June 12, and she received a career-best 80 Beyer Speed Figure. Wright is her official trainer, but she arrived at trainer John Snow’s barn at Hastings on Aug. 16.

“She’s doing well,” Snow said. “She obviously likes this surface, and I don’t see why she won’t run a big race. It looks to me like a boat race early, and then a sprint to the finish.”

Daz Lin Dawn will break from post 2 with Aaron Gryder riding.

Cypress Park, trained by Anita Bolton, is coming off a win in a nonwinners-of-three allowance race for 3-year-old fillies and will be going around three turns for the first time.

Yukon Belle was the runner-up to Daz Lin Dawn four times last year. The Barbara Heads-trained daughter of Drosselmeyer is looking for her first stakes win since she beat Daz Lin Dawn in the Fantasy as a 2-year-old.

Strate Remark will be tough to beat in the 3- and 4-year-old colts and geldings division if he runs back to his runner-up finish behind Oh Marvelous Me on July 29 at Emerald Downs. Oh Marvelous Me came back to finish third in the Grade 3, $200,000 Longacres Mile.

“He ran a huge race and did everything but win,” said Strate Remark’s trainer, Craig MacPherson. “Hopefully, he’ll run as well Friday.”

Strate Remark drew post 2 and should be tough to catch if he breaks on top with Aaron Gryder riding.

Honky Tonk Woman will likely be favored in the 2-year-old fillies division. Seven horses are entered in the 6 1/2-furlong dash. An Anita Bolton-trained daughter of Violence, Honky Tonk Woman just missed in her debut and then rallied to finish third in the $50,000 B.C. Cup Debutante in her second start.

The speedy G M T Baby, trained by leading trainer Phil Hall, could be dangerous if she can avoid getting into a duel with Notice.

The MacPherson-trained Call It a Wrap should be rolling late in the colts and geldings division. Bugsy looks like the main threat in the 6 1/2-furlong dash, which drew eight horses.