Opportunistic tops nominees for British Columbia Derby

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Opportunistic heads the list of nine horses nominated to the Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby, which headlines the richest day of racing in the Pacific Northwest on Sept. 10 at Hastings. There is an excellent chance that at least one horse will be supplemented to the 1 1/8-mile race.

Supporting the Derby are the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks, the $75,000 S.W. Randall Plate for 3-year-olds and up, and the $75,000 Delta Colleen for fillies and mares. Also on the stakes-rich card are both divisions of the $50,000 championship starter series final.

Opportunistic began his career with trainer Jerry Hollendorfer in Southern California, where his only win came in a $75,000 maiden-claiming race at Santa Anita on March 20. He hasn’t lost in three starts in the Pacific Northwest, though. In his first start at Hastings for trainer Troy Taylor on July 1, Opportunistic rallied into a slow pace to win the $50,000 Chris Loseth. He made his next start at Emerald Downs for trainer Mike Puhich and won a thriller over the previously undefeated Barkley in the $75,000 Emerald Downs Derby.

Opportunistic will go into the British Columbia Derby off a win for Taylor in the Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial on Aug. 22.

“That was quite a race in Seattle,” Taylor said, referring to the Emerald Derby. “He’s a nice little horse, and he is doing well right now.”

Moon King could be the sleeper. He was coming off a three-month layoff when he finished fifth in a one-mile allowance race at Northlands Park in his first start for trainer Greg Tracy on Aug. 20. Previously trained by Mark Casse, Moon King was the runner-up in an optional $75,000 claiming race at Churchill Downs prior to finishing last in the $100,000 Sir Barton at Pimlico on May 21.

Tracy is expecting Moon King to move forward with a race behind him.

“He needed the race, and he also had to steady when it looked like he was going to make a move on the second turn,” said Tracy. “We plan to work him at Northlands this weekend and then ship him to Hastings.”

Silvertown appears to be sitting on a big race after finishing second to Opportunistic in the Derby Trial.

Stanz in Command was rolling late in the Derby Trial and shouldn’t mind the slightly longer distance of the Derby.

◗ Fransor’s Finest looks playable in a 1 1/16-mile race for $6,250 claimers that will serve as the feature for the final Friday evening card at Hastings this year.

Trained by Phil Hall, Fransor’s Finest is coming off a win in a $4,000 claiming race Aug. 7. The nine-time winner shouldn’t have any trouble handling the jump in class.