Elusive Lily gets class relief in return to sprinting

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Elusive Lily should appreciate the move back to a sprint and the easier company she will be facing when she runs in a $16,000 claiming race for fillies and mares at Hastings on Saturday. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint is restricted to horses who have never won two races or, in Elusive Lily’s case, British Columbia-breds who haven’t won three races.

Post time for the first of seven races is 1:50 p.m. Pacific.

Trained by Anita Bolton, Elusive Lily is coming off a solid effort going 1 1/16 miles in the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes on Sept. 1. With leading rider Amadeo Perez aboard, she dueled with Zenya for six furlongs, and after putting away that rival, she was immediately collared by Irish Lyric, who went on to win the race. Elusive Lily was very game and stayed in the thick of the battle until the final sixteenth before she tired and finished third. That result was flattered when Irish Lyric finished second by a head to Ole’s Miss in the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks in her next start.

Elusive Lily drew post 6, and Perez likely will put her into a stalking position early.

KEY CONTENDERS

Elusive Lily (Last 3 Beyers: 68-61-60)

◗ She won both times she ran for a claiming price this year and appears to be sitting on a big effort after posting her career-best Beyer Speed Figure in the CTHS Sales Stakes.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past two years, Bolton has a 67 percent strike rate with horses going from a route to a sprint and is 3 for 4 with ones who were coming back from a layoff of 31 to 60 days.

From Subject Received Size Categories Jody Swavy Formulator link 6/20/2014 10 KB

Kataliah (Last 3 Beyers: 58-56-63)

◗ Trained by Garry Saitz, she hasn’t won in more than a year, but she finished second in two of her three starts at this level, and there should be speed coming back to her.

◗ She also may have tipped her hand when she worked a bullet four furlongs in 46.80 seconds last Sunday. Adding to her appeal is the presence of jockey Richard Hamel, who is winning races at a 31 percent clip at the meet.

I Dig That (Last 3 Beyers: 48-60-64)

◗ She didn’t fire in her latest effort after being away for almost two months, but she could be the one they have to run down if she breaks alertly from the inside post.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, her trainer, John Snow, has won with 17 percent of his starters making their second start following a layoff.