Sabado Alegre back at favorite track for sprint

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Sabado Alegre looks like the one to beat in a $35,000 optional-claiming race that will serve as Sunday’s feature at Hastings. The 6 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up drew nine horses, and with plenty of potential speed in the field, it should set up nicely for Sabado Allegre, who won a similar race May 7 in his first start this year.

Trained by Craig MacPherson, the 5-year-old Chilean-bred will appreciate being back at his home track after never really getting involved in the $50,000 Governor’s at Emerald Downs on May 21. That was his third trip to Emerald, where he wasn’t much of a factor in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile last year and then flopped as the chalk in a $40,000 optional-claiming race that closed out his 2016 campaign.

Sabado Alegre has a solid record at Hastings though, winning twice in five starts; his only loss sprinting in Vancouver came when he finished third in the $50,000 John Longden 6000 last year.

He has tactical speed and should get a nice trip from a stalking position from post 8 with Richard Hamel aboard.

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Kristofferson is worth a play at anywhere near his 12-1 morning-line odds.

Trained by Cindy Krasner, he was coming off a lengthy layoff when he chased an extremely fast pace and held on well to finish a close fourth in the $50,000 Swift Thoroughbreds Inaugural. He will appreciate the move back to a sprint after fading in the Longden, which covered 1 1/16 miles this year.

KEY CONTENDERS

Sabado Alegre, by Any Given Saturday
Last 3 Beyers: 73-88-70

◗ This is a much softer group than he faced in the Governor’s. He may have bounced while coming back just two weeks after running a big race in his first start this year.

◗ He should get the same kind of stalking trip he had in his win over Annie’s Candy, who earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure when he won the $48,000 Journal Handicap in his next start at Northlands Park on May 27.

Kristofferson, by Rock Hard Ten
Last 3 Beyers: 67-85-38

◗ The move back to a sprint won’t hurt, and with his good speed, he could be tough to get past if he breaks alertly from the inside post with Ruben Lara riding.

◗ FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years at Hastings, Krasner has a 21 percent strike rate and a $3.50 ROI with horses moving from a route to a sprint.

Twistgrips, by Benchmark
Last 3 Beyers: 80-71-82

◗ The John Snow-trained 8-year-old won five sprints in 2015 and figures to move forward after finishing fourth behind Sabado Alegre in his first race this year.