Favorites look good in Stallion

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Lady's Jewel and I'm Free figure to be solid choices in their respective divisions of the $50,000 B.C. Cup Stallion Stakes for 3-year-olds Sunday at Hastings Park. Lady's Jewel heads an eight-horse field in the fillies division, while I'm Free takes on

10 others in the colts and geldings division. Both races are at 1 1/16 miles.

Lady's Jewel has won three of her last four races, including the Liberation and Nanaimo stakes. Lady's Jewel is undefeated at 1 1/16 miles and jockey Pedro Alvarado figures to send her right to the front from her outside post.

A homebred daughter of Baron de Vaux, Lady's Jewel went wire to wire to win the Nanaimo Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths July 22, but she upset the Liberation by coming from slightly off of the pace. Andrew Collins trains her.

Catahoula Rose is the top money earner in the race, with $87,637, and looks like the only serious threat to Lady's Jewel. She finished second to Lady's Jewel in the Nanaimo and has been stakes placed on many occasions, including in the $75,000 Arizona Oaks in February. While Lady's Jewel figures to be on or near the lead, Catahoula Rose does her best running late. Trainer Jim Brown has named Mark Patzer to ride.

I'm Free has won three of the last four stakes races for 3-year-olds at the meet, and like Lady's Jewel has natural speed. That gives jockey Mark Patzer some options. He can either go right to the front or lay off of Godolphin Road, who drew inside and has won his last two races on the front end. Henry Miller Jr. trains I'm Free.