Snows dominate weekend forecast

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - There is no rain in the forecast for Aug. 4, B.C. Cup Day at Hastings, but there is a good chance that it could be "Snowing."

Trainers Mel, John, and Daryl Snow all have horses that figure to be major factors in their respective races, and Mel and John are hoping for a replay of last weekend, when they each won stakes on the Sunday card.

John, who is Mel's son, sent out 3-year-old Roscoe Pito to victory in the Jim Coleman Stakes; it was the first stakes win for both trainer and horse. The race was pretty much over after Roscoe Pito, with Sam Krasner aboard and no pressure from behind, ran a first half-mile in 48.04 seconds. They cruised home from there in 1:43.89 for the 1 1/16 miles. The winning margin of 5 1/4 lengths would have been larger if Krasner had asked Roscoe Pito to run at all.

"When I saw the fractions for the first half I said, 'It's just a matter of by how many,' " said Snow. "I couldn't have asked for a better race leading into the Stallion Stakes."

Roscoe Pito was running without blinkers for the first time and, according to Snow, it made a big difference. In his previous race, the Burnaby Breeders' Cup, Roscoe Pito was rank early and fought Krasner while chasing a quick Gamblin Caper through sprint-like fractions. It wasn't surprising that he caved in late, but it was also encouraging to Snow that he still held on to finish third.

"He really showed his potential there," Snow said. "I knew that if I could figure a way to get him to settle down and relax early that he could be a real nice horse. Taking the blinkers off has made a huge difference. I know he had a pretty easy time of it in the Coleman, but I also think that he'll be able to run even bigger races from a stalking position."

Snow was also proud to win a stakes race on the same day as his father. "I don't know if I've ever seen that before," he said. "It was pretty exciting."

While the younger Snow has a small string of horses, he still works for his father and gives the elder Snow much credit for his success.

"He's the only person I've ever worked for and he's always there to answer any questions I might have," Snow said.

Mel's horse, Jamaari Girl, didn't cross the finish line first but she was awarded the win in the 1 1/16-mile Senate Appointee Stakes, when Shelby Madison, who was ridden by Pedro Alvarado, was disqualified for interfering with Victor's Secret and jockey Chris Loseth just past the quarter pole. Shelby Madison was moved back to third, behind Victor's Secret.

"I think the call was justified because when Chris had to check Victor's Secret, Jamaari's Girl also was forced to steady," said Mel Snow.

"If she didn't get stopped I think she would have won the race outright. She was only beaten by a half-length and she was really closing a lot of ground at the finish."

Snow also likes Jamaari Girl's chances in the B.C. Cup Distaff, which is at nine furlongs.

"She was certainly running the best of all at the finish and the extra distance can only help," he said. "She came out of her race in excellent shape and I'm really looking forward to her next race. She just keeps improving every day."

Mark Cloutier, who is listed as the assistant trainer for Shelby Madison but is actually doing all of the work while his wife, Toni, stays at home with their recently born child, didn't seem that upset about the disqualification in the Senate Appointee.

"Pedro thought that he had given Chris enough room but the stewards saw it otherwise and there's not much you can do about it," he said. "Pedro's a big reason for the way she's come around lately so he'll definitely be riding her back in the Distaff."

Daryl, Mel's younger brother, was pleased with the way 2002 B.C. Derby winner Cruisin Kat came out of his first start of the year, a fifth-place finish in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance race Saturday.

"He badly needed that race and it should help set him up for the Classic," Daryl Snow said. "I didn't think he had much of a chance in that sprint but it put his mind back on racing and he's a lot sharper now."