Senor Rojo sharp heading into Harbour View

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Senor Rojo figures to be tough to handle Sunday in the $32,000 Harbour View Stakes at Hastings. Nine horses will go in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up who have not won $26,500 in 2014, but the Grade 3 winner Senor Rojo is in a class by himself.

Trained by Dave Forster, Senor Rojo might not be as good as when he won the Grade 3 Premiers Handicap in 2010, but he is a very sharp horse coming off a front-running win with leading rider Amadeo Perez aboard in a $35,000 optional-claiming race Sept. 28. It was the first time the 8-year-old gelding led at every call in a race since he won his debut as a 2-year-old in 2008. In total, he has won 12 races for earnings of $458,555.

“Nobody wanted it, so he kind of inherited the lead in his last race,” said Forster.

There is plenty of speed in the Harbour View, and Perez likely will put Senor Rojo into a stalking position. Forster said he wouldn’t be giving Perez any instructions on how to ride Senor Rojo, though.

“You don’t need to tell a good rider what to do,” said Forster. “And if he’s a bad rider, there’s no point in giving him instructions.”

Forster is happy with the way Senor Rojo is training and likes his chances here better than he would have in the Premiers last Monday.

“He’s getting up there in age, and the Premiers came up too tough this year,” said Forster. “I would rather see him win a race than run his eyeballs out to finish third or fourth.”

Key contenders

Senor Rojo (Last 3 Beyers: 85-61-81)

* He’s versatile, and Perez should be able to get him to settle behind what figures to be a fast and contested pace.

Stratify (Last 3 Beyers: 84-74-88)

* Trained by Dino Condilenios, he hasn’t won going a middle distance, but he has come close, and he was a very sharp winner going 6 1/2 furlongs in a $50,000 optional claimer Sept. 7.

DRF Formulator Fact: Over the past five years, Condilenios has a 24 percent strike rate with horses going from a sprint to a route.

Modern (Last 3 Beyers: 82-64-86)

* Also trained by Condilenios, the Sir Winston Churchill Handicap runner-up behind Title Contender is the speed of the race and could be dangerous if he can shake loose early.

Hopeseeker (Last 3 Beyers: 79-82-83)

* Second to Senor Rojo in his latest, the Carl Lausten trainee should get a nice trip from a stalking position.