Sorryaboutnothing, Opportunistic pointed to Premier's
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Troy Taylor said Sorryaboutnothing came out of his win in the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby last Saturday in good shape and will be pointed to the Grade 3, $100,000 Premier’s on Oct. 1. Taylor is also considering running Opportunistic in the 1 3/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up. Opportunistic finished fourth as the favorite in the Derby.
Ridden by Antonio Reyes, Sorryaboutnothing paid $11.70 for his 2 1/2-length win over Crazy Prophet in the 1 1/8-mile race. Taylor wasn’t sure he believed the clockers when they told him Sorryaboutnothing had worked in 58:60 seconds out of the gate with Reyes aboard Sept. 4.
“I really didn’t think he had worked that fast, but I guess they were right,” said the veteran conditioner, who turned 85 last Sunday. “It looked like he was just galloping. He ran the same way in the Derby. It was a nice birthday present.”
Taylor was a bit disappointed with how Opportunistic ran. It was his first loss for Taylor since he arrived at Hastings earlier in the year. Among his three stakes wins in the Pacific Northwest was a hard-fought decision over the previously undefeated Barkley in the $75,000 Emerald Downs Derby.
“I was surprised he ran so flat,” Taylor said. “He won the Derby Trial after the Emerald Derby, but maybe the race in Seattle took something out of him. He seems fine, though, so we’ll bring them both back in the Premier’s.”
The horse they will have to beat in the Premier’s is Calgary Caper, who rallied from last to win the $75,000 S.W. Randall Plate. The 1 1/8-mile Randall was one of three supporting stakes on the Derby card.
A $12,500 claimer last year at Northlands Park, Calgary Caper has blossomed at Hastings under trainer Phil Hall. Calgary Caper hasn’t been worse than second in six starts in Vancouver and will go into the Premier’s off back-to-back stakes wins.
“He’s doing great,” Hall said. “As long as they keep doing what they’ve been doing in his last few races, he should be fine.”
Hall was referring to the fast and contested pace scenarios Calgary Caper took advantage of in the Randall Plate and in the $75,000 Pacific Brokers Customs Classic, in which he also trailed the field early.
Sharing the spotlight with the Premier’s will be the Grade 3, $100,000 Ballerina, which is shaping up as a great race. The first two finishers in the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks, Victress and Snuggles, and the winner and runner-up in the $75,000 Delta Colleen, Touching Promise and Arabella’s Muse, are all being pointed to the 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares.