'Monarch' has much in his favor

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Delta Monarch could be a lukewarm favorite in what appears to be a competitive feature race at Hastings on Sunday. Timely Brush should also attract some attention in the 1 1/16-mile allowance race for 3-year-olds who haven't won a stakes race in 2005.

Trained by Tracy McCarthy, Delta Monarch hasn't won going around the three turns of Sunday's race, but he closed strongly to finish fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Hastings Sophomore Stakes Sept. 24. With plenty of speed signed on Sunday, he should be a major factor late.

Delta Monarch is also dropping a considerable amount of weight from his last race, 12 pounds, and he will be reunited with leading rider Justin Stein, who was aboard for his last two wins.

Timely Brush also ran in the Hastings Sophomore, and he made a premature move into a quick pace and tired to finish sixth. He was stakes-placed earlier in the meet, and if his rider, Pedro Alvarado, can get him to relax early, he could have a big say about the outcome.

There are plenty of contenders in the 10-horse field.

With four wins at 1 1/16 miles, Pamjet is the only horse with multiple wins at the distance.

Frankie's Knight looked like a potential stakes horse when he won his debut in impressive fashion in May. He ended up missing most of the year with quarter cracks in his feet, though. He came back with a sharp effort in a sprint Oct. 2, finishing third after breaking poorly.