Spaghetti Mouse looks best in Classic

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Spaghetti Mouse appears to be a standout in his quest to win his second straight $100,000 Peter Redekop B.C. Cup Classic. The Classic, which is the feature race on B.C. Cup Day at Hastings on Monday, goes as the ninth race.

This will be the 13th edition of B.C. Cup Day and a large crowd is expected for what has become the biggest day of racing in British Columbia. The 10-race card includes seven stakes races and more than $454,000 in purse money is up for grabs on the day.

B.C. Cup Day was originally intended as a day for B.C.-breds only. Last year, the three races for older horses - Sprint, Distaff, and Classic - were opened to horses not bred or owned in British Columbia. The Classic, which drew eight horses, has four non-British Columbia-breds in the field.

Spaghetti Mouse is coming into the Classic in very good shape, according to his trainer, Ned Sams, and that's bad news for the connections of the seven horses he'll be facing.

"This will be his fourth race this year and he seems to peak right about this time every year," Sams said. "His last work was as good as ever, and I don't see any reason why he won't run his usual race."

Spaghetti Mouse, who is coming off of a win in the Grade 3 Lieutenant Governors on July 1, has won 5 of his 6 starts at the Classic's 1 1/8-mile distance. In his only loss going nine furlongs, he finished second to True Metropolitan in the Sir Winston Churchill last year. True Metropolitan was later named the champion older horse on dirt in Canada.

Dave Wilson will ride Spaghetti Mouse.

Forceful Intention will likely set the pace. Trained by Michael Turner, Forceful Intention set very fast fractions in the Grade 3 Lieutenant Governors and then tired to finish third.

Act of God should move forward off of his win over Mighty Cahill and Timeless Passion in a $75,000 optional claiming race July 21. Act of God has done most of his racing on turf and his recent win was just his second start on dirt.

Timeless Passion and Shacane figure to make late moves that will probably come up a bit short.