Driller looks too good to oppose in overnight handicap

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Driller figures to be a short price in the $20,000 Wayne Harris overnight handicap Sunday at Hastings. The 6 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up is restricted to horses who have never won two races or B.C.-bred nonwinners of three.

Driller has been holding his own while tackling the top 3-year-olds at Hastings, and he was in the mix at the eighth pole before coming up empty in the stretch and finishing seventh in Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby on Sept. 9.

Trained by Mel Snow, Driller is going to appreciate both the class relief and the cutback in distance from the 1 1/8-mile B.C. Derby. The last time he was in a sprint, he romped by 4 1/2 lengths over Sunday rival Imposing Cat in a $35,000 optional-claiming race here July 23. The only time he finished worse than second in six sprints was when he broke awkwardly and then steadied at the sixteenth pole in the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity.

Prior to his easy win over Imposing Cat, he earned his career-best 84 Beyer Speed Figure when he was the runner-up by a head to A. P. Zona going 6 1/2 furlongs in the $50,000 River Rock Casino here June 24. The top Beyer among his six rivals Sunday is 69.

The highweight at 120 pounds, Driller can stalk, and he should get a nice trip sitting just off what should be an honest and contested pace. He will break from post 3 with his usual rider Silvino Morales aboard.

The Wayne Harris goes as race 4 on an eight-race card that begins at 1:50 p.m. Pacific.

KEY CONTENDERS

Driller, by Texas Wildcatter

Last 3 Beyers: 66-66-63

◗ He held the lead at the top of the stretch in two of his last three races, all routes, but couldn’t seal the deal. This appears to be what he really wants to do.

DRF Formulator Fact: The past couple of years, Snow has a 22 percent strike rate and $3.13 ROI with horses going from a route to a sprint.

Imposing Cat, by Texas Wildcatter

Last 3 Beyers: 54-69-61

◗ The Glen Todd-trained homebred won’t mind cutting back to a sprint after chasing a fast pace and fading in his first try going around three turns in the $50,000 Winston Churchill Derby Trial on Aug. 7.

◗ Driller beat him by 4 1/2 lengths two starts back, and he would need to improve to make up the difference.

Fetisov, by Smart Strike

Last 3 Beyers: 69-62-64

◗ Trained by Mike Anderson, he looked good winning a $25,000 maiden-claiming race July 22, and the 69 Beyer he received for his fourth-place finish in a $35,000 optional-claiming race Aug. 25 is the best last-race figure in the field.

◗ If you exclude Driller, this is an easier spot than his last race. The horse who won that race, Crackdown, is a six-time winner and was good enough to be the runner-up in the $75,000 John Longden 6000 last year.