Morning Blurs likely to show the way in feature

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Morning Blurs figures to be a short price when she goes for her second straight win in a $16,000 conditional claimer that will serve as Sunday’s feature at Hastings.

The 6 1/2-furlong dash for fillies and mares drew six horses with Morning Blurs the one to catch and beat.

Trained by Nancy Betts, Morning Blurs broke on top and set honest fractions before tiring late in a $16,000 claiming race for 3-year-old fillies July 28. She held a 2 1/2-length advantage at the top of the stretch, and with Richard Hamel looking for the wire, she found it, winning the 6 1/2-furlong dash by a nose over Astartobe.

Morning Blurs has just one way of going, but there doesn’t appear to be any horses that have enough speed to keep up with her early.

If she breaks alertly from post 3 with Hamel aboard, she could be gone.

Betts reported that Daz Lin Dawn came out of her win in the $50,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club on Monday in excellent shape and will be pointed to the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks on Sept. 13.

Daz Lin Dawn has swept the five stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Hastings this year and spotted her rivals between 10 and 18 pounds in her win in the 1 1/16-mile Hong Kong Jockey Club.

“She’s doing great,” Betts said. “I can hardly do anything with her so I might run her in the Sales Stakes. We’ll see.”

Under the allowance conditions of the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes for 3- and 4-year-old fillies Aug. 25, Daz Lin Dawn would carry 120 pounds. Along with the rest of the horses she will carry 121 pounds in the 1 1/8-mile Oaks.

RACE 4

KEY CONTENDERS

Morning Blurs, by Second in Command
Last 3 Beyers: 60-53-56

◗ The 3-year-old filly is the only two-time winner in the field and the 60 Beyer Speed Figure she received for her win July 28 is the best last-race figure in the field.

Miss Finality, by Finality
Last 3 Beyers: 57-52-57

◗ After being stakes-placed as a 2-year-old in 2015 she didn’t race again until this year, when she won an $8,000 maiden-claiming race in her comeback May 23.

◗ Trained by Mark Cloutier, she came from a stalking position to finish second as the favorite at this level July 30, and could pick up the pieces if Morning Blurs bounces after going all out in her latest win.

Estalado, by Sungold
Last 3 Beyers: 56-35-52

◗ The Barbara Heads-trained 4-year-old ended up on the lead when she finished third in Miss Finality’s race.

◗ Her best races have been when she came from a stalking position.

◗ She could get the right kind of trip breaking from post 5 with Antonio Reyes retaining the mount.