Square Dancer faces tall task in George Royal Stakes

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – A trio of local champions will add some spice to the Saturday card at Hastings.

Square Dancer, the 2015 British Columbia Horse of the Year, will be trying to win a sprint on the main track for the first time in the $50,000 George Royal. Trainer Steve Henson acknowledged that Square Dancer will have his hands full trying to beat Modern, though. Modern was voted the top sprinter in British Columbia last year and will be defending his title in the George Royal.

Touching Promise was voted the champion female last year. She reeled off three straight wins before going on the shelf for the winter. Included in the streak was an impressive 4 1/2-length score in the Grade 3 Ballerina for trainer Barbara Heads.

Touching Promise has won sprinting but isn’t going to be the favorite in the $50,000 Vancouver Sun. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint drew seven horses and goes as race 5.

Henson likes his chances with Square Dancer more than Heads does with Touching Promise.

“I know he doesn’t really want to sprint, and Modern looks like the only real speed in the field,” he said. “He does love it here, though, and he couldn’t be training any better.”

Square Dancer will be making his first start since finishing as the runner-up in the Grade 3 Premiers on Oct. 12. It was his only loss under Henson. Going into the Premiers, he had won three straight races, including the $100,000 Redekop Classic.

Scott Williams rides Square Dancer.

Leading rider Richard Hamel rode Square Dancer in two of his three wins but will be sticking with Modern. Hamel rode Modern to a 1 1/4-length victory for trainer Dino Condilenios in the $50,000 Swift Thoroughbreds Inc. on April 17.

Modern drew the rail and should be tough to get past in the 6 1/2-furlong dash that drew six horses. The George Royal concludes a seven-race card that begins at 1:50 p.m. Pacific.

Heads is happy with how Touching Promise is coming up to the Sun but isn’t expecting too much from her.

“She’s training great, but she really seems to thrive in the late summer and early fall,” Heads said. “I think she will run okay, but we are viewing this as a place to get her started.”

Touching Promise will break from the rail with Amadeo Perez aboard.

Arabella’s Muse comes into the Sun on a three-race winning streak. Trained by Heads’s brother, Mike Anderson, Arabella’s Muse was on her way to the divisional championship before going home with an injury after she won the $75,000 Pegasus Distaff on Aug. 3.

Arabella’s Muse has a good record sprinting, but Anderson thinks Arabella’s Muse will be better when she stretches out to a middle distance.

“We have been working on getting her to relax a lot more, and she’s responded well,” Anderson said. “She has really matured over the winter, and I guess she could win if things go her way.”

Hamel likely will put Arabella’s Muse into a stalking position after she breaks from post 3.

Avadiva is coming off a front-running win in the $50,000 Brighouse Belles for another member of the Anderson family, Robbie Anderson, who is the oldest in the clan.

Avadiva should be the controlling speed again and could be hard to run down if she breaks on top with Skyler White Shield retaining the mount.