Hastings notes: Jebrica ready to seek revenge in British Columbia Premiers

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Jebrica has had a productive year running at mostly Emerald Downs, where he won the $50,000 Budweiser and finished third three times. His best race for veteran trainer Jim Penney might have been in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile, where he finished a close fourth behind Herbie D.

Though based at Emerald, Jebrica doesn’t mind running around the tighter turns at Hastings. In three starts here, he lost by a neck to Northern Causeway in the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby in 2011 and then came back a few weeks later to beat older horses in the Grade 3, $100,000 British Columbia Premiers. Last year, he lost the Premiers by a head to Commander, and he will be seeking revenge when he runs in the 1 3/8-mile feature on closing day this Monday.

Jebrica arrived at Hastings on Monday with Penney’s son-in-law Bryson Cooper. His wife, Penney’s daughter Kay Cooper, is Penney’s assistant trainer. Jebrica was very impressive when he breezed three furlongs in 36.40 seconds with Frank Fuentes aboard Wednesday morning.

“We were very pleased with the work,” Bryson Cooper said. “When Frank brought him back to the barn, he said, ‘Man, what a nice horse.’ He likes it here but he runs well over anything – turf, dirt, synthetics, he doesn’t care.”

Jebrica has raced on turf only twice and in his last try on the lawn he just missed in a one-mile, $50,000 claiming race at Santa Anita on Jan. 6 with Gary Stevens aboard.

“That was Gary’s first mount in his comeback,” Cooper said.

Russell Baze rode Jebrica in all three of the 5-year-old’s starts at Hastings, but Baze can’t make the trip this time. Instead, Jebrica reportedly will be ridden by William Antongeorgi. Antongeorgi was aboard Northern Causeway when he beat Jebrica in the 2011 B.C. Derby.

“We hope he’s riding, but he’s also getting married that weekend, so I’m not absolutely sure he’ll make it,” Cooper said. “Maybe he’ll just have to have his honeymoon at Hastings. If not, we’ll use Frank [Fuentes]. He did us a big favor when he worked him this morning.”

Regardless of who ends up riding Jebrica, Cooper is expecting a big effort from the classy gelding who has won six races and earned just less than $290,000.

“He’s coming off a good race, and we’re expecting to run another good one in the Premiers,” Cooper said. “Plus, we know he likes the distance.”

In his last start, Jebrica rallied from last to finish third in a one-mile allowance race Sept. 28.

“He may have gotten too far behind, but he finished full of run and it was a good race for him,” Cooper said.

Ole’s Miss impressive

Ole’s Miss will be heavily favored to win the $75,000 Fantasy for 2-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles Monday. Ole’s Miss, trained by Tracy McCarthy, is coming off an impressive win in the $50,000 Boulevard Casino on July 14 and displayed her readiness when she worked a brilliant five furlongs in 58.40 with Chris Loseth aboard Oct. 6. Loseth, who is married to McCarthy, won more than 3,600 races as a jockey in a career that earned him a spot in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. He is the main exercise rider for the barn, and he was quite impressed with the quick move by the talented 2-year-old filly.

“I’ve never been on a 2-year-old that can do what she can do,” Loseth said. “She’s pretty special.”

Mario Gutierrez will ride Ole’s Miss in the Fantasy.

Quick return for Similkameen Joey

Similkameen Joey looks like the one to beat in a first-level allowance race that will serve as Saturday’s feature. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint drew eight horses, including a couple of quick fillies, Graffiti Grace and Kataliah.

Trained by Bill Konyk Jr., Similkameen Joey is coming back in seven days following a fifth-place finish in a less restrictive allowance race last Saturday where he showed a new dimension by rallying late. Excluding his debut where he hopped at the start, he held the lead at the first call in each of his previous races.

Antonio Reyes was aboard Similkameen Joey for the first time last week and in a race full of other speed, he took a big hold of him early. Similkameen Joey got too far behind but looked comfortable being rated and made a strong late move. He would have finished closer if he didn’t have to steady and alter his course midstretch. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Reyes be a bit more aggressive and put him into a stalking position behind Graffiti Grace and Kataliah, who look like the main speed.