Easier going for 'Bess'

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Bullseye Bess has earned more than $43,000 while running with the best 3-year-old fillies on the grounds at Hastings this year. She should appreciate the drop into a $50,000 optional race Sunday, and she also figures to get a perfect stalking trip behind a hotly contested pace in the 1 1/16-mile feature.

A daughter of On Target, Bullseye Bess is coming off a third-place finish to Socorro County in the Oaks Preview Sept. 5. She also finished third behind Regal Red in the British Columbia Cup Stallion Stakes Aug. 2. Socorro County could be the favorite in the $150,000 B.C. Breeders' Cup Oaks next Saturday, and Regal Red dominated the 3-year-old filly division before being laid up with an injury.

Needless to say, Bullseye Bess will have a much better chance running against mostly claiming fillies in this spot. She's trained by Jim Brown and will be ridden by David Wilson.

Devil's Eclipse will certainly be part of the pace, and under only 103 pounds, there's a good chance she'll be able to carry her speed the whole way. She's won 4 of her last 5 starts, and in her only try going around three turns she won a $35,000 claiming race by an easy 4 3/4 lengths.

She's a Bombshell finished in front of Bullseye Bess in the Stallion Stakes, but then ran a very dull race in the Washington Breeders' Cup Oaks at Emerald Aug. 21. Her only win came in the $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity last year.

Trainer Barb Heads has been on a hot streak lately, and she has entered Sungold Beauty. A Kentucky-bred daughter of Favorite Trick, Sungold Beauty led from start to finish in her first two starts and then forced a very fast pace before tiring in the Oaks Preview.