Hastings: Fast pace should help Victory With Class, Pigtails in Boulevard Casino

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Victory With Class and Pigtails should appreciate what figures to be a lively pace in the $50,000 Boulevard Casino for 3-year-old fillies at Hastings on Sunday. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint drew seven horses and goes as race 7.

Victory With Class has never been worse than second in six career starts and is coming off of a solid effort behind Nuj Nuj Wink Wink, who had things her own way inn optional $75,000 claiming race April 17. The pace scenario will be completely different with the speedy Overvalued in the field.

Trained by Terry Clyde, Victory With Class won the B.C. Cup Debutante and the $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity last year. She also finished second to Overvalued in the Lassie.

Richard Hamel retains the mount.

Nuj Nuj Wink Wink will be shooting for her third straight win and, according to trainer Phil Hall, she will be sent right to the front.

“Why not?” said Hall. “She is going great and she likes to be in front.”

Overvalued, trained by Tracy McCarthy, will be making her 2011 debut. She went to the front in both of her wins last year and she easily handled Victory With Class in the Lassie. In her last start, she set a fast pace before tiring to finish third behind Pigtails in the 1 1/16-mile Fantasy last Sept. 25.

Trainer Dino Condilenios is a big fan of Pigtails and hopes with all the speed in the field she will be able to get up in time. She finished third behind Nuj Nuj Wink Wink and Victory With Class in her first start of the year.

“I just love her,” said Condilenios. “She might not have the raw talent that some of the ones she’s running against do, but she tries hard every time and if the race falls apart in front of her she could get there.”

Belle Evangeline will try sprinting over dirt for the first time for trainer Craig MacPherson. She showed plenty of ability on grass when she won her debut by more than six lengths in a one-mile, $30,000 maiden race at Fair Grounds for trainer Michael Stidham in January. She is coming off of a second in a $30,000 starter race at Fair Grounds Feb. 28. She looked very comfortable when she worked 6 1/2 furlongs out of the gate in 1:20.20 at Hastings on April 20.

Castinette Dancer and Investsource round out the field.