Taylor confident in Holy Nova

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - If trainer Troy Taylor is correct then Holy Nova is going to win the $50,000 Senate Appointee at Hastings Sunday. The 6 1/2-furlong feature for fillies and mares drew six horses and goes as the fifth race.

Holy Nova is clearly the one to beat. According to Taylor, she is a lot more horse than Heaven on Hold, whom he also sends in the Senate Appointee. Heaven on Hold scored a front-running victory in the Brighouse Belles on May 3, and it looks like she will be able to set soft fractions on Sunday. The 4-year-old Heaven on Hold is a tough horse to get past, but Taylor still doesn't think she can beat her stablemate.

"She could go the first quarter in 24 and she still isn't going to beat Holy Nova," said Taylor.

It is not surprising that Taylor has confidence in Holy Nova's abilities. She dominated the filly and mare stakes division last spring and summer before tailing off in the fall. According to Taylor, she is coming up to the Senate Appointee in excellent shape.

"She was a tired horse at the end of last year," said Taylor. "She is doing very well right now, and if she runs her race she should be tough to beat."

Mario Gutierrez rides Holy Nova.

Trainer Dave Forster is looking for a big effort from Wind Storm. A 5-year-old homebred by He's Tops, Wind Storm is as honest as they come. In 15 career starts she has won six races, placed twice, and finished third three times. Five of her wins have been at 6 1/2 furlongs and she has never been worse than third at the distance. Wind Storm is coming off of a second-place finish behind multiple stakes winner Littlemiss Allison in a $75,000 optional claiming race on May 23.

"If she is ever going to beat Troy's horse today is the day," said Forster. "She couldn't be doing better."

Richard Hamel retains the mount.

Blue Sky Holiday ran a big race to finish second in the Brighouse Belles, but she probably wants more distance. Trained by John Snow, Blue Sky Holiday was voted the champion 3-year-old filly in the province last year. She won the Grade 3 B.C. Oaks and she closed out her season with a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Ballerina against older fillies and mares. Both races were at 1 1/8 miles.

As sharp as Blue Sky Holiday is right now, she figures to be a major force when she stretches out in the Vancouver Sun on July 1.