Slewpast simply looks too classy

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Slewpast looks like a standout in a field of six in the feature race at Hastings Saturday. Trained by Robbie Anderson, Slewpast is coming off of a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Ballerina Breeders' Cup, and she'll certainly appreciate the lesser company she'll be facing in this 1 1/16-mile allowance race, which is restricted to fillies and mares that have not won a stakes in 2006.

Slewpast won five stakes races in 2005 but she's only been able to win a single race this year. A 4-year-old daughter of Western Trick, Slewpast was given three months off following her fourth-place finish to Monashee in the Strawberry Morn Stakes during the summer, and she's been a very tough horse since she returned. In her first start back, she won a 6 1/2-furlong allowance race Sept. 9. She followed that up with another good race, a second-place finish to Gins Majesty in a one-mile $50,000 optional claiming race at Emerald Downs Sept. 29. Gins Majesty also beat her in the Ballerina Oct. 14.

Slewpast has tactical speed and she figures to get a perfect trip from just off of what figures to be a lively pace. Pedro Alvarado will ride.

Trainer Barb Heads has entered Galica, Montero, and Promise One. Galica appears to have the best chance of pulling off an upset. Galica benefited from a hotly contested pace between Avenging Kat and Regal Pusher when she won a second-level optional $50,000 claiming race Oct. 28, and with Avenging Kat and Regal Pusher in the field, the same scenario could unfold here.

Montero made a late run to get up for second in the same race.