Taylors Deal should get better setup in Saturday feature

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Taylors Deal got stuck behind a slow pace when he finished fourth for $25,000 about two weeks ago in his first route attempt this year. There should be ample speed to set him up when he runs at 1 1/16 miles in a $16,000 claiming race at Hastings on Saturday.

The race for 3-year-olds and up drew eight horses, with Taylors Deal clearly the one to beat. The seven-race card gets under way at 1:50 p.m. Pacific.

Trained by Troy Taylor, Taylors Deal is dropping to a new low and could be sitting on a big effort in his second straight route. A stakes winner, Taylors Deal had a clean trip in his last start, but winner Venetian Mask and runner-up Captain Jones waltzed through slow fractions and easily held off the closers.

With the speedy Proxyman in the field on Saturday, there should be an honest and possibly contested pace for Taylors Deal to work with.

Taylors Deal drew post 6, with David Lopez retaining the mount.

Mysterious Soul likes to be involved early, so it was a bit surprising to see Amadeo Perez ease him off the pace after he broke well enough from the rail in the same race that Taylors Deal exits.

Trained by Barbara Heads, Mysterious Soul was good enough to finish second by a neck to the multiple graded stakes winner Alert Bay in the Grade 3 Premier’s in 2014, and he could be dangerous with a more aggressive ride from Perez from the outside post. He also will be putting the blinkers back on, and all four of his wins came wearing them.

KEY CONTENDERS

Taylors Deal, by Second in Command

Last 3 Beyers: 74-76-69

◗ He is the class of the field, the shape of the race should work for him, and it is hard not to like a horse who has a 9-5-0 record from 20 starts.

Mysterious Soul, by Perfect Soul

Last 3 Beyers: 71-68-58

◗ His Beyer Speed Figures are heading in the right direction.

◗ He drops to a new low and could be dangerous if he can get involved early.

Off the Top, by Rosberg

Last 3 Beyers: 65-77-68

◗ Trained by John Snow, he won’t mind the added distance after finishing third going 6 1/2 furlongs in his first start off the claim.

◗ He has tactical speed and should get a nice trip if he breaks alertly from the inside post.

◗ He is a bit win shy, though, and is probably best used underneath unless the track comes up wet.