Hopeseeker finds a good spot in first-level allowance

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Hopeseeker could be the one in a wide-open first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds and up Saturday at Hastings. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint attracted 10 horses, including stakes winners Deviance, Go for Guinness, and Stepupforthemoney.

Trained by Carl Lausten, Hopeseeker showed a lot of potential when he won his debut in a maiden special weight race last June. Lausten couldn’t find a conditional race for Hopeseeker, though, and after finishing third in an unrestricted allowance race for 3-year-olds, Hopeseeker was stuck running in stakes the rest of the year.

His best race was a second in the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby behind Title Contender. Title Contender, an impressive winner of the George Royal Stakes here opening day, followed up his win in the B.C. Derby with a second behind Commander in the Grade 3 Premiers Stakes.

“It’s just the way things went,” Lausten said. “Obviously, we wanted to run him in easier spots, but the races weren’t filling. It worked out okay, though, especially considering how good the horse that beat him in the B.C. Derby turned out.”

Hopeseeker figures to move forward after forcing the pace and tiring to finish fourth in a $50,000 optional race won May 4 by Commander.

“He drew the rail on a sloppy track, so we didn’t have many options,” Lausten said. “He should be able to settle into a stalking position Saturday. He has a lot of natural talent, and he’s still trying to figure out how to use it.”

Richard Hamel rides Hopeseeker.

Go for Guinness has been working forwardly this spring for trainer Dave Forster. His best race last year was a 6 1/2-length romp in the B.C. Cup Stellar’s Jay going 1 1/16 miles.

Stepupforthemoney was improving at the end of the 2013 meet, with an upset win over Hopeseeker in the CTHS Sales Stakes and a narrow loss to Similkameen Joey in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance race.

Deviance, the only 3-year-old in the field, drew the rail, where jockey Alex Bisono will likely make use of his good speed.

Similkameen Joey also figures to be involved early. The Bill Konyk Jr. trainee has fired bullets in his last four workouts and was particularly sharp when he worked a half-mile in 46 seconds flat Wednesday.

Modern also can wing it and could be dangerous if he clears early with apprentice Corrine Andros riding at 111 pounds.