Miss Kay Dee Raine at better distance
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Friday’s feature at Hastings, a first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds and up, drew a mixed bag of seven horses going 1 1/16 miles.
Miss Kay Dee Raine and Finally Kruisin are the only horses with wins at the distance, but there are plenty of reasons to try and beat them.
First off, Miss Kay Dee Raine is a filly facing boys, and she will be making her first start for a new trainer, Phil Hall. Under her previous trainer, Garry Saitz, Miss Kay Dee Raine had a successful season in 2009. She was stakes placed twice and only lost by a nose in the 1 1/16-mile Hong Kong Jockey Club. She won 2 races from 9 starts and earned $50,743. In her two races this year, both sprints, Miss Kay Dee Raine ran evenly but never threatened. She will certainly appreciate stretching out to a middle distance and given the make up of the field, she should be one of the favorites.
Amadeo Perez will be aboard for the first time.
Finally Kruisin, trained by Rob Gilker, will appreciate the much easier company he is facing after finishing seventh in a $45,000 optional claimer won by Lowther Street on June 20. He was only beat by 3 1/4 lengths, however, and his 76 Beyer Speed Figure was a career best. Finally Kruisin’s two career wins, both last year going 1 1/16 miles, came in a $5,000 maiden race and a $17,500 nonwinners of two.
Cherokee Notion heads the 3-year-old contingent, and his connections are hoping he will make amends after getting beat as the lukewarm favorite in the Jim Coleman Province on June 5. Cherokee Notion, trained by Troy Taylor, will be stretching out to a middle distance for the first time and with his good speed could be dangerous if he gets away on his own. Cherokee Notion’s sire is Black Minaloushe, who won the Grade 1 Irish 2000 Guineas in 2001.
“Everything by his sire goes long,” Taylor said. “He is a big strong horse, so I think he should be able to go a route of ground.”
Texas Buccaneer is making just his third start. He won a maiden special weight sprint when he debuted May 23 and then ran an even race to finish third behind Ladner Lad and Passion Red in a 1 1/16-mile $50,000 optional claimer on June 19.