Hastings: Ansede drops from stakes in Saturday sprint feature

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Ansede should appreciate the easier company and the move back to a sprint when she runs in a first-level $50,000 optional claiming race at Hastings Saturday. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies drew eight horses and headlines a seven-race card that begins at 1:50 p.m. Pacific.

Trained by leading trainer Troy Taylor, Ansede came to Vancouver from Southern California and won her first two starts at Hastings. She was an easy winner of a $20,000 maiden claiming race April 15 and came right back to win a first-level allowance race May 27. Ansede then tackled stakes company in the $50,000 Emerald Downs here in her first start around three turns, and finishing sixth without getting involved at any point in the race.

Ansede can stalk and has enough speed to secure a good position leaving from the rail. Fernando Perez figures to have her sitting just off what figures to be a lively pace.

Racing for Gold looks like the main threat. Trained by Phil Hall, Racing for Gold showed a lot of potential when she rallied to beat the boys in her debut going 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf in a $30,000 optional maiden claiming race at Turf Paradise Nov. 27. In her next start she finished second in the $35,000 Arizona Juvenile Fillies on the main track. She hasn’t raced since she finished second as the 1-2 favorite in a first-level allowance race at Turf Paradise Feb. 6, but she appeared to be on her toes when she worked six furlong in 1:11.80 June 22 with Amadeo Perez aboard.

“I think she’s a nice filly but I don’t think she’s a sprinter,” said Hall. “I couldn’t find a race for her so I put her in against the boys going seven and a half furlongs on the turf and she smoked them in her first start. I am really looking forward to stretching her out.”

Vinoterra will try and make amends for her third-place finish as the heavy favorite in a first-level allowance race June 16. Trained by Barbara Heads, Vintoterra broke flat footed from the rail and didn’t look comfortable being stuck behind horses. She drew post 6 for Saturday and could be dangerous if she breaks alertly.

Dance the Wind came from a stalking position to win a similar race going six furlongs April 22 and then came back to finish third in the $50,000 Russ McLeod. Trained by Carl Lausten, she is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Emerald Downs and won’t mind the move back to a sprint or the shape of the race.