VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Distance is the question for most of the horses entered in the two stakes for 3-year-olds at Hastings on Sunday. After all, none of the five fillies in the $50,000 Supernaturel have gone the mile and a sixteenth distance and the six horses entered in the $50,000 Chris Loseth will be going three turns for the first time. However, Gunfighter, who figures to be favored in the 1 1/16-mile Loseth, is proven at the distance, and the 85 Beyer he received for his third-place finish going a mile and a sixteenth in a first-level allowance race with a $50,000 claiming option at the Fair Grounds on March 19 stands out. It was a key race with a couple of next-out winners, most notably Presidential, who won a first-level allowance race with a $100,000 claiming option at Oaklawn Park in his next start and then received an 88 Beyer when he lost by a head to King Ottoman in the $300,000 Texas Derby at Lone Star. A Kentucky-bred colt by Ghostzapper, Gunfighter showed an affinity for the local surface when he finished a fast-closing third behind Regal Riot and Soaringforthesun going 6 1/2 furlongs in his first start for trainer John Snow in the $50,000 Ross McLeod on June 11. Snow is expecting a strong performance from Gunfighter. :: Get up to 50% off on DRF's premium products, including Past Performances, Clocker Reports, Betting Strategies, Picks, the Digital Paper, and DRF Plus Pro! “He came out of the McLeod in great shape and just seems to be getting better every day,” said Snow. “He is a really happy horse and cool to be around. He ran a great race in the McLeod but just got too far behind the slow pace. He has tactical speed, so he should be a lot closer Sunday.” Gunfighter will break from the outside post with Antonio Reyes retaining the mount. The Robbie Anderson-trained Regal Riot was also too far off a slow pace when he finished third as the favorite in the restricted Jack Diamond Maturity on May 22, and then received an aggressive ride by Efrain Hernandez in his win in the Ross McLeod, edging Soaringforthesun by a neck. A British Columbia-bred son of Jersey Town out of the multiple route stakes winner Regal Red, Regal Riot should have no problems handling a middle distance. Soaringforthesun, trained by Edgar Mendoza, will be the one they have to run down and he could be dangerous if left alone up front. The Mendoza-trained U Did It is the one to beat in the Supernaturel. The British Columbia-bred daughter of Teide lost her unbeaten status in the $50,000 River Rock Casino, but she ran a huge race to finish second behind stablemate Shamra after dueling with Belcarra Park through unsustainable interior fractions. U Did It has the pedigree to handle the assignment, and she showed she can rate when she won an allowance race for B.C-breds in her second start last year. Shamra took advantage of the wicked pace in the 6 1/2-furlong River Rock, and the B.C.-bred daughter of Lent could get the same kind of setup if Belcarra Park and U Did It get carried away again. Belcarra Park, trained by Mark Cloutier, may be more manageable running without blinkers for the first time.