Monashee will be hard to deny

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Monashee will be a short-priced favorite when she faces three other fillies and mares in the $50,000 Senate Appointee Handicap at Hastings Sunday. Her main threat in the 1 1/16-mile feature, which goes as the second race, appears to be Emerald Downs invader Kissntheboysgoodby.

Trained by Tracy McCarthy, Monashee is coming off a win in the Strawberry Morn Stakes

on June 10. According to McCarthy, Monashee wasn't trained very hard going into the Strawberry Morn and she figures to take a substantial step forward in her second straight route.

"We just let her train herself going into the Strawberry Morn," said McCarthy. "It's a long season and we didn't want to have her peaking in early June."

Monashee, who will carry high weight of 121 pounds and will be ridden by David Wilson, came out of her win in excellent shape. From the looks of her extremely sharp five-furlong move in

58.80 seconds June 25, she's going to be very tough to beat Monday.

Kissntheboysgoodby, who is trained by Charles Essex, won three sprints in a row, including the Hastings Park Handicap at Emerald May 14. That streak ended when she she broke poorly and finished fourth in the Washington Legislature Handicap June 11.

Kissntheboysgoodby has never gone this far - although she won here maiden in a one-turn mile at Turf Paradise last year.