Marathon a good fit for Lord Vic

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Lord Vic looks like the one to beat in the final leg of the endurance series at Hastings on Saturday. The 2 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up who have started for a claiming price of $8,000 or lower in 2006-2007 carries a $30,000 purse and headlines the final Saturday card of the meet, which ends Sunday. Seven horses have been entered.

Trained by Frank Barroby, Lord Vic could be very tough to catch. Lord Vic was an easy front-running winner going 1 3/4 miles in a similar race Oct. 8, and jockey Dave Wilson appeared to have plenty of horse left when he crossed the finish line. It was the second straight win for Lord Vic, who was taking a big step up in class after winning an $8,000 nonwinners-of-two claiming race Sept. 23.

Cusack looks like the main threat off of his win over Newton John going 1 1/2 miles in an earlier leg of the endurance series Sept. 15. Newton John came back to finish a good third in the Grade 3 Premiers Oct. 14. Cusack has not raced since, but he has posted a couple of six-furlong works, and his trainer, Troy Taylor, can certainly have them ready to fire off a layoff.

Deputy Spy, based in Alberta, shipped in to finish second to Lord Vic Oct. 8. He was in a good stalking position the whole way, but he was not able to make up any ground in the stretch. Deputy Spy did hold on to nose out Just Like Dreads for second, and it is certainly possible that he will move forward in his second West Coast start.