With Thursday card canceled, twice-rescheduled program will be held Saturday

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Due to poor air quality caused by smoke from the wildfires in Washington and Oregon racing was canceled at Hastings last Sunday. The nine races carded Sunday were moved to Thursday. However, the air quality did not improve, and the races are now scheduled for Saturday. The nine-race card begins at 3 p.m. Pacific.

With just a couple of weeks and four racing days left here, there will be a lot of horses taking the plunge in order to get a win before the 25-day meet concludes on Oct. 1. The meet was scheduled to end on Sept. 27, but a day has been added to make up for the races lost last Sunday.

In Saturday's feature, a 6 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up running for a top claiming price of $10,000, handicappers will choose between horses like Captain Jones and Highway Boss, who are cutting their price in half, or Appellant and Aditya, who are each looking for their third straight win.

It is a bit of a dilemma. However, the possible shape of the race makes Captain Jones worth a stab at what could be a decent price.

Trained by Frank Barroby, Captain Jones likes to be involved early and there is not a ton of speed in the field. He finished last in a $16,000 claimer in his last start on Aug. 16, but he was coming off a route, so his speed may have been dulled. Plus, there was an abundance of serious speed in the field and the 8-year-old gelding by Bold Executive is not as quick as he once was.

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He should be a bit sharper in his second straight sprint, and it certainly won’t hurt that leading rider Amadeo Perez will be aboard for the first time.

Captain Jones will break from post 4 and could be tough to get past if Perez can get him into the mix early.

The Glen Todd-trained Highway Boss doesn’t have a lot of early lick, but the former stakes winner has back class and could be sitting on a big effort in his third start this year.

In his latest outing, he rallied to finish third in a $16,000 claimer on Aug. 30.

Appellant has three wins and a third-place finish in four sprints at the meet for trainer Rob Maybin, who owns the 5-year-old gelding by Midnight Lute with his wife Sheena.

Appellant ran okay when he finished fourth going around three turns in a $6,250 conditioned claimer in his only other start at the meet. In his most recent outing, Appellant came from a stalking position to wear down Wise Market in an $8,000 claimer on Aug. 23.

The 12-time winner Aditya is perfect in two starts at the meet for trainer Barbara Heads.