Herbie D running for a tag for first time

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Herbie D will appreciate the substantially easier company when he runs in a $35,000 optional-claiming race at Hastings on Sunday. The winner of the Grade 3 Longacres Mile in 2013 will be eligible to be claimed for the first time in the 6 1/2-furlong dash that drew five horses.

Trained by Rob Gilker, Herbie D was eased in his latest start in the $50,000 Mt. Rainier, won by last year’s Longacres Mile winner, Stryker Phd. It was Stryker Phd’s sixth straight win at Emerald, and the last horse to beat him there was Herbie D in the 2013 Mile.

After winning the Mile, Herbie D didn’t race again until this year, when he got fried in back-to-back duels with Modern in the George Royal on April 26 and the John Longden on May 18. After regrouping, Gilker took him to Emerald, where he won an open allowance race July 4.

Chasing a fast pace in the 1 1/16-mile Mt. Rainier, Herbie D couldn’t keep up after six furlongs in 1:09.06 and was subsequently eased by jockey Amadeo Perez. He is clearly the speed of the speed in Sunday’s race, and if all is well, he will be tough to handle after breaking from the outside post.

Stratify is stepping up in class after finishing last in a $25,000 claiming race in his first start this year and should move forward with a race behind him. Trained by Dino Condilenios, he has won half of his 10 starts at the distance, and he improved dramatically in his second start last year.

Key Contenders

Herbie D (Last 3 Beyers: 50-84-69)

The five-time stakes winner is the speed of the speed and will be tough to catch while running for a trainer who is winning races at a 30 percent clip at the meet.

Stratify (Last 3 Beyers: 61-75-84)

He was good enough to beat the multiple stakes winner Modern in an allowance sprint last year and figures to take a big step forward in his second start back.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: In the past five years, Condilenios has a 21 percent strike rate with horses making their second start following a layoff.

Richter Red (Last 3 Beyers: 86-61-61)

Running on Lasix for the first time, he looked good in winning a $16,000 conditional-claiming race in his first start after being claimed by trainer Anita Bolton. He will need to take another big step forward to beat a couple of proven horses like Herbie D and Stratify, however.