Quatre Cat looms large in Emerald Downs Handicap

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – It is hard to go past Quatre Cat in the $50,000 Emerald Downs Handicap on Saturday at Hastings. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies drew five horses and goes as race 3 on the seven-race card that begins at 1:50 p.m. Pacific.

Trained by Sylvea Gregory, Quatre Cat was a decent 2-year-old, winning her first two races, including a nose win over Finality’s Charmer in the $50,000 B.C. Cup Debutante. She didn’t win any of her three subsequent starts, however, and was turned out for the winter after finishing third in the $75,000 Fantasy, where she tried a middle distance for the first time.

She improved dramatically when she made her first start as a sophomore, dominating the $50,000 Ross McLeod. With Ryan Pacheco aboard, she stalked the early pace, moved into contention at the quarter pole, and then drew off to win the 6 1/2-furlong dash by 8 1/2 lengths.

In a unique relationship, Pacheco also is Quatre Cat’s groom.

Gregory was confident going into the Ross McLeod but wasn’t sure if Quatre Cat is going to run the same kind of race in the Emerald Downs.

“She seems fine and is training well,” she said. “But there are a lot of horses around her with the virus, and I just hope she isn’t affected by it. Ryan seems happy with her, and he should know more about it than anyone.”

Quatre Cat drew post 3, and if all is well, she should get a similar trip stalking what figures to be a fast and contested pace.

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KEY CONTENDERS

Quatre Cat (Last 3 Beyers: 79-33-32)

◗ She was very impressive in winning the Ross McLeod, and the 79 Beyer Speed Figure she earned stands out.

◗ She’s had two interim works that appear average, but both times Pacheco had her well in hand before he turned her loose in the stretch to inhale her overmatched stablemates.

Finality’s Charmer (Last 3 Beyers: 50-51-68)

◗ Ridden by Richard Hamel, last year’s local 2-year-old filly champion came up empty after setting the pace as the 4-5 favorite in the Ross McLeod.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: She figures to improve with a race behind her, and over the past five years, her trainer, Craig MacPherson, has an 18 percent strike rate with horses making their second start following a layoff. The number swells to 38 percent with Hamel riding.