Hastings: Dance the Wind should get proper setup in Sales Stakes
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Dance the Wind figures to be a short price when she runs in the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes at Hastings on Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile race for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies drew eight horses and goes as the sixth race. To be eligible to the race, horses had to have gone through a Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Sale where the full commission was paid.
Dance the Wind is a logical favorite. Trained by Carl Lausten, Dance the Wind is coming off second-place finishes behind Evelyn’s Dancer in the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks. The Clive and Linda Lytle homebred has come from off the pace in most of her races and she rallied from last in the Sept. 9 Oaks. There appears to be plenty of speed to set up her good late kick and she should get up in time with a clean trip. Lausten also has a good shot of winning the colts and geldings division with Ruffy Joe on Sunday.
“It would really make my winter if we could win them both,” said Lausten. “I like Dance the Wind a lot. She is getting better all the time and it looks like a good spot for her. With her running style the biggest concern is that she gets a good trip. ”
Antonio Reyes retains the mount.
Racing for Gold is the main threat. She finished third in the Oaks and Hong Kong Jockey Club and moves to the rail where she should save valuable ground. She has a bit more tactical speed than Dance the Wind and should get first crack at the speed horses, who don’t figure to last. Trained by Phil Hall, Racing for Gold has been a gem of consistency in her seven-race career. She won her debut going 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf in a $30,000 optional maiden-claiming race at Turf Paradise last November and has never finished worse than third.
Tempered Sapphire is the only stakes winner in the field. Trained by Rod Cone, Tempered Sapphire won the Freedom of the City at Northlands Park in her final start as a 2-year-old and she won her first two races this year, including the $50,000 Alberta Oaks on Aug. 3. However, she wasn’t much of a factor in her next two starts, the $50,000 Sonoma at Northlands and the B.C. Oaks.
Sweet Laurette had a sharp five-furlong work here Sept. 23 and is coming off a second-place finish in the Sonoma.