Quatre Cat class of field
Quatre Cat will try to make amends for her surprising defeat as the 4-5 favorite in the 3-year-old filly division of the $60,000 CTHS Sales Stakes at Hastings when she runs in an allowance race Sunday at Emerald Downs. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies drew six horses and goes as the eighth race.
Trained by Sylvea Gregory, Quatre Cat will be making her first start away from Hastings, where she has compiled an excellent 5-3-1-record from 10 starts. Four of her wins came in stakes races, and she went into the Sales Stakes off a win in the B.C. Cup Dogwood, where she earned a career-best 82 Beyer Speed Figure.
In her runner-up finish behind Sailingforthesun in the Sales Stakes, she bided her time early while Sailingforthesun was dueling with Finality’s Charmer through fast fractions. It looked like Quatre Cat was going to blow by Sailingforthesun on the stretch turn, but she came up short in the 1 1/16-mile race.
Quartre Cat, who will break from the inside post with Julien Couton aboard, has won three of her five starts going 6 1/2 furlongs and certainly won’t mind the move back to a sprint
Gregory also entered Silver Ovation, who is coming off a second in a $4,000 maiden-claiming race at Hastings on Aug. 2 and doesn’t have a recorded work since. If she does run, she appears to be hopelessly overmatched.
KEY CONTENDERS
Quatre Cat (Last 3 Beyers: 57-82-64)
◗ The only stakes winner in the field, she has a decided class edge. With a fast and contested pace likely, she also should appreciate the shape of the race.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: The past five years, Gregory has a 22 percent strike rate with horses going from a route to a sprint.
Caliente Gold (Last 3 Beyers: 71-65-58)
◗ Trained by Marshall Allen, she is taking a big step up in class after winning a $25,000 optional maiden-claiming race Sept. 6. Nonetheless, she is trending in the right direction, owns the best last-race Beyer, and should get a nice trip from a stalking position.
Seeking the Light (Last 3 Beyers: 66-56-62)
◗ The Blaine Wright-trained daughter of Heatseeker hopped at the start in a similar race Sept. 7. After rushing up to take the lead, she understandably tired to finish third.
◗ She could be dangerous if she breaks alertly and then avoids getting into an all-out duel with Dance With Effie.