Distance should make difference for Venetian Mask

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Venetian Mask could be a handful when he stretches out to a middle distance for the first time this year in a second-level allowance race that has a $35,000 claiming option Saturday at Hastings. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up drew seven horses, and there is more than one arrow pointing in Venetian Mask’s direction.

First off, after two sprints he is moving to the distance of half of his six wins. After a couple of sprints last year, he won the 1 1/16-mile John Longden 6000 by two lengths over Modern, who was the top older horse in British Columbia.

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Trained by Mike Anderson, Venetian Mask wasn’t as sharp in his first two sprints this year, including a fourth-place finish at this level May 6. But he was on his toes when he worked a half-mile in 48.40 seconds with Jeff Burningham aboard May 20.

He also has tactical speed, and Burningham should be able to put him into a stalking position behind Don’t Hold Me Back and possibly Jam N Addy, who drew the rail and may have tipped his hand when he worked a bullet four furlongs May 17.

If a speed duel does develop, Venetian Mask should be sitting in a perfect position. If he is anywhere close to how good he was in 2017, he should be tough to deny.

He drew post 3 with Burningham riding.

KEY CONTENDERS

Venetian Mask, by Pulpit

Last 3 Beyers: 73-69-71

◗ His latest race was better than it looks on paper, as he went wide around the first turn and then finished full of run in a race dominated by two front-runners who strolled through moderate fractions.

DRF Formulator Fact: The past five years at Hastings, Anderson has a 23 percent strike rate and $2.20 return on investment with horses moving from a sprint to a route.

Don’t Hold Me Back, by Hold Me Back

Last 3 Beyers: 64-84-73

◗ Trained by Steve Henson, he wasn’t much of a threat going 6 1/2 furlongs in the $50,000 Swift Thoroughbreds Inaugural on April 22, but he wants more distance and gets it here.

◗ He isn’t the most consistent horse around, but he is a stakes winner and has fired more than one big shot in his 35-race career. His latest win was a 10 1/2-length romp going a mile in a second-level allowance race with a $20,000 claiming option Jan. 1 at Turf Paradise.

Calgary Caper, by El Corredor

Last 3 Beyers: 75-75-75

◗ His best races have come going around three turns, and the two-time stakes winner trained by Phil Hall finished with good energy sprinting in his only start this year.