Miss Prospector tries to pick up where she left off

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Owner-trainer Glen Todd thinks the 4-year-old Miss Prospector is the most improved horse in his barn. Considering Miss Prospector won the $50,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club in her last start as a 3-year-old, Miss Prospector will be a handful when she runs in an allowance for nonwinners of three at Hastings on Monday.

The six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares drew eight horses and goes at 7:20 p.m. Pacific. The seven-race card gets underway at 5 p.m.

Miss Prospector was just starting to blossom when she won the 1 1/16-mile Hong Kong Jockey Club by 3 1/4 lengths here on Aug. 9.

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“I turned her out because there was really nowhere for her to run,” said Todd. “I could have brought her back in the Washington Oaks, but I had Princess of Cairo for the race and she won, so what was the point?

Miss Prospector is cutting back to a sprint, but that isn’t a concern as she won a maiden special weight race going six furlongs at Emerald Downs as a 2-year-old by 11 1/4 lengths in a blistering 1:08.99.

Three of her last four works were the best of the day, the most notable being her half-mile move in 46.80 seconds over a muddy track on April 26. With Scott Williams riding, she galloped out five furlongs in a minute.

“She could not be doing any better,” said Todd. “If she breaks okay she should be tough to beat. I am glad the race came up. I have Princess of Cairo and She’s Divine for the Frank Barroby on May 18, and I did not want to run all three.”

Adding to her appeal is the 30-percent strike rate and 2.34 ROI Todd has with horses coming back from a layoff of 180 days or more.

A Washington-bred daughter of Harbor the Gold, Miss Prospector will break from the rail with Efren Hernandez riding.

Speaking of Harbor the Gold, he sired three of the winners from last Monday’s seven-race opening-day card. He stands for a $5,500 stud fee at Bar C Racing Stables in Oregon.

The main threat to Miss Prospector is Nice Brown Girl, who the last time she raced at Hastings won the 2019 Autumn Leaves for trainer Robert Maybin and his wife, Sheena. Last year, she made all four of her starts at Woodbine while being trained by Terry Jordan. Her best finish there was a third in a one-mile allowance on the turf.

A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Alternation, Nice Brown Girl will break from post 2 with Silvino Morales riding.

With plenty of speed in the field, the race could set up for Walkinthewalk, who looks playable at what should be a decent price.

Trained by Mark Cloutier, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Danza will be making her first start since she finished second to Miss Prospector in the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Walkinthewalk can pass horses, and she could get a nice trip from a stalking position with Lenny Seecharan riding. She breaks from post 7.

Todd cleans up with She’s Divine

She’s Divine is an interesting new face and a welcome addition to what is a tough filly and mare division headed by Here’s Hannah.

Todd claimed She’s Divine for $30,000 at Oaklawn on Feb. 21. In her second start following the claim, she earned $63,000 for her win in a first-level allowance race at Oaklawn on April 22. Todd likes to bet on his horses and he would have picked up a considerable sum when she paid $47.

“It was a good day,” he said.

◗ It was also a good day in terms of mutuel handle for the opening day card at Hastings last Monday. The $891,080 bet on the card was a 78 percent increase over the $501,538 wagered in first day of the 2020 meet.