Debuting 2-year-old Great Gasby has look of a good one

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - A couple of highly regarded maidens share the spotlight at Hastings on Tuesday.

First up and foremost is Great Gasby in a maiden $45,000 optional-claiming race for 2-year-olds that kicks off the seven-race card. Ranger Up will try to live up to the promise he showed last year as a 3-year-old when he runs in a maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds and up in the sixth race.

Post time for the first race on Tuesday is 1:15 p.m. Pacific.

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Great Gasby has easily been the most impressive 2-year-old at Hastings this year. Trained and owned by Glen Todd, the gelded son of Tiznow has worked fast seemingly without much effort. He is a half-brother to Mischevious Alex who won the Grade 3 Swale and Grade 3 Gotham this year.

Todd purchased Great Gasby for $75,000 out of the Keeneland September yearling sale.

“He’s a grand-looking horse,” said Todd. “I got him before Mischevious Alex became a good horse. Honestly, I’ve never had a horse that glides over the track like he does.”

Great Gasby drew the rail, which can be intimidating for a first-time-starting 2-year-old. He also did not break that well in his three-furlong move out of the gate on June 28. Lesson learned, he broke like a rocket when he worked three furlongs in 35.20 seconds out of the gate July 7.

“He’s so mature you wouldn’t think he was a baby,” said Todd. “I hate that he drew the rail, but I think he’ll be okay. I’m pretty excited. If all goes well I am looking at the first stakes for 2-year-olds at Emerald Downs.”

That would be the $40,000 King County on Aug. 2.

From what Great Gasby has displayed in the mornings, they won’t beat him if he breaks as well as he did in his latest work.

Efrain Hernandez rides.

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Ranger Up, trained by Craig MacPherson, was a maiden when arrived in Western Canada to run in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Century Mile last Aug. 19. He had shown a lot of promise by finishing second in maiden special weight races at Monmouth, Keeneland, and Gulfstream Park.

As expected, he was in the mix for a while in the Canadian Derby before capitulating in the 1 1/4-mile race.

“It was asking a lot and I don’t think he really wants to go that far,” said MacPherson.

The Kentucky-bred son of First Samurai lost his next three starts as the favorite at Hastings. He was the runner-up in back-to-back $50,000 optional maiden-claiming races before finishing third in a non-winners-of-three allowance race.

“He ran okay, but I think he was a bit over the top when we got him here,” said MacPherson.

MacPherson likes the way Ranger Up is coming into his race on Tuesday. He figures again to be favored in the 6 1/2-furlong dash, which drew a field of 11.

“He’s fresh and training well, plus he could have a big advantage being the only 4-year-old in the race,” MacPherson said. “He just needs to learn how to win.”