Hastings notes: Off the Top evades Koffee Grinder by shipping for Canadian Derby

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Robbie Anderson has seen enough of Koffee Grinder and is planning to ship Off the Top to Northlands Park to run in next Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby.

Off the Top finished second behind Koffee Grinder in his last two races – the $50,000 Chris Loseth on July 1 and the B.C. Cup Stellar’s Jay last Monday.

“My horse ran two very good races, but he might not be the kind of horse Koffee Grinder is,” said Anderson.

Anderson knows what it’s like to have the best horse in town. He trained Travelling Victor, who won 21 races, including the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby and Grade 2 Longacres Mile. Anderson also had a nice run with Sophie J and her daughter Regal Red. Sophie J won nine of her 13 starts, including the Grade 3 Ballerina as a 3-year-old. Regal Red won six stakes in a row in 2004-05.

Off the Top is out of Sophie J, which makes him a half-sister to Regal Red.

“They were all great horses, and everybody got a little tired chasing them,” said Anderson. “That is exactly what we’re doing with Off the Top, chasing a pretty nice horse.”

Anderson was a little concerned about bringing Off the Top back in just 12 days to travel across the Rocky Mountains and run a grueling 1 3/8 miles in the Canadian Derby.

“I have been pointing him to the Canadian Derby for a while now and was hoping to run him in one of those Hall of Fame races [the George Cummins on July 20], but it didn’t fill,” said Anderson. “That would have been perfect timing. I haven’t sent him to the track yet, but he seems to have come out of the Stellar’s Jay in great shape, so we’re planning on making the trip.”

From the confirmed list of starters, Off the Top would go into the Derby with the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure. The 79 Beyer he received for his second in the Loseth tops the 75 that The Spinmeister earned for his romp over Private Money Game in the $48,740 Count Lathum at Northlands on July 19. The Spinmeister, trained by Rob Chabot, is clearly the top local hope.

Trainer Sylvea Gregory said Remembertobreathe also will make his next start in the Canadian Derby. Remembertobreathe, who beat Off the Top in a first-level allowance race June 15, is coming off a second-place finish in an unrestricted allowance race last Sunday.

“He was pulling me around the shed row Wednesday morning, so why not go?” said Gregory. “He has the pedigree, and he certainly trains like he’ll go that far.”

◗ Sunday’s feature is a $12,500 claiming race for 3-year-olds and up going 6 1/2 furlongs that drew five horses and goes as the second of eight races.

Game Seven might be worth a look at what should be a square price. Trained by Barbara Heads, he is coming off a second-place finish in a $25,000 optional-claiming race at Turf Paradise on March 31.

FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past two years, Heads has a 21 percent strike rate with horses coming back from a layoff of 61 to 180 days.