Ole's Miss looks sharp ahead of Brighouse Belles

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Ole’s Miss has been one of the most impressive horses training at Hastings this spring. We’ll see if her sharp morning form will carry over when she runs in the $50,000 Brighouse Belles on Sunday.

The 2014 British Columbia Oaks winner drew the outside post in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint that drew eight horses.

Ole’s Miss does her best running late and should have plenty of speed to run at. The 4-year-old filly had a strong sophomore campaign for trainer Tracy McCarthy, winning four of her seven starts, including the $100,000 B.C. Oaks. McCarthy has since retired, and Ole’s Miss has looked nothing less than sensational while gearing up for her first start for trainer Mark Cloutier.

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She has fired bullets in four of her six recorded works this spring, but her most impressive move might have been her five-furlong breeze in 1:00.40 with Antonio Reyes aboard April 18. Looking like a statue, Reyes guided her through fractions of 24.20 seconds, 36, and 48.20. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.20.

Reyes will ride Ole’s Miss for the first time Sunday.

“I didn’t have her last year, but Tracy told me she looks like she’s filled out and gotten stronger,” said Cloutier. “Obviously, she has been training very well.”

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KEY CONTENDERS

Ole’s Miss (Last 3 Beyers: 70-78-76)

◗ She has never lost at the distance, and with an abundance of speed in the field, Ole’s Miss should get a nice trip from her outside post.

Arabella’s Muse (Last 3 Beyers: 71-76-82)

◗ Trained by Mike Anderson, Arabella’s Muse has good speed, can rate, and beat Ole’s Miss in the Supernaturel last year. She drew post 7, but with other speed drawn inside, she could get hung out on the first turn.

Hollywood Miss (Last 3 Beyers: 70-84-76)

◗ The Troy Taylor trainee won this race last year and then was off until she just missed in a $62,500 optional claimer on turf at Golden Gate Fields. She subsequently won a similar race on Tapeta on Feb. 15 and comes into the Brighouse Belles off a sixth-place finish in the $55,660 Camilla Urso on March 14.

Touching Promise (Last 3 Beyers: 77-71-70)

◗ She upset the Grade 3 Ballerina in her final start last year and has been training forwardly for trainer Barbara Heads.

◗ Two of her three wins came going 6 1/2 furlongs, so she shouldn’t mind the move back to a sprint.