Lord Nelson should get right trip

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Lord Nelson figures to get the perfect stalking trip behind a hotly contested pace in the $40,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club Sprint at Hastings on Saturday. The 6 1/2-furlong race for older horses also drew Diglett, who beat Lord Nelson by a nose in the George Royal Stakes May 10.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club goes as the eighth race. Also on the 10-race card is the $40,000 Klondike Handicap for 3-year-olds going 6 1/2 furlongs.

Lord Nelson has consistent throughout his career, and in his last 11 starts at Hastings he's finished either first or second. Since going unplaced in the George Royal Stakes on May 6, 2001, Lord Nelson hasn't been worse than third in any of his races at Hastings. The only time he finished worse than third at any track since then came in the 2002 Longacres Mile at Emerald, where he washed out badly before the race and ran seventh.

With front-runners Commodore Craig, Orchid's Son, and King Jeremy drawn inside of Lord Nelson, his jockey, Frank Fuentes, should have an excellent view of the goings on up front.

Diglett would benefit from a quick pace, but the pacesetters probably won't go as fast as they did in the George Royal, in which Diglett received a perfectly timed ride by Pedro Alvarado to nose out Lord Nelson.

Bold 'n Keen finished a length behind the top two in the George Royal and came back to work six furlongs in 1:11.80 May 26.

In the Klondike Handicap, the fourth race, Five Point Star and Gamblin Caper are the likely favorites.