Title Contender eyes repeat in Sir Winston Churchill Handicap
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Grade 3 winners Title Contender and Commander head a solid field of older horses in the $50,000 Sir Winston Churchill Handicap on Sunday at Hastings. The 1 1/16-mile Churchill drew nine horses and will share top billing on the eight-race card with the $50,000 Vancouver Sun Handicap.
Title Contender likely will be favored in the Churchill. Trained by Anita Bolton, he is coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes going 6 1/2 furlongs in the George Royal and John Longden. In the George Royal, he looked like the winner at the top of the stretch but couldn’t get past Modern, who surprisingly held on to win despite dueling through wicked fractions with Herbie D.
Title Contender also looked like he was headed for victory in the Longden when he opened up a clear lead in midstretch. However, he might have moved too soon into an even more brutal pace set by Modern and Herbie D and was passed late by Mr. Bowling.
Rico Walcott retains the mount and likely will put Title Contender into a stalking position behind Modern and Commander.
David Lopez, who rides first call for trainer Troy Taylor, had a hard time deciding whether to ride Commander or his stablemate Taylors Deal.
“They both are training very well,” said Lopez. “I went with Taylors Deal because there is a lot of speed in the race, and he can stalk.”
Taylors Deal was heavily favored when he finished second going 6 1/2 furlongs in a $35,000 optional-claiming race May 3. He might have left his race on the track when he worked a bullet four furlongs in 46 seconds April 29. He was well under control when he breezed a half-mile in 50.40 seconds Wednesday.
KEY CONTENDERS
Title Contender (Last 3 Beyers: 85-77-74)
◗ Coming off a second-place finish behind Taylors Deal in the Longden, he came from a stalking position to easily handle Modern in the Churchill last year. A similar scenario could unfold Sunday.
Taylors Deal (Last 3 Beyers: 79-84-83)
◗ The lightly raced 6-year-old has won eight times in 14 starts, is 2 for 3 at the distance, and appears primed for a big effort in his second start following a layoff.
Modern (Last 3 Beyers: 78-78-86)
◗ Trained by Dino Condilenios, he has a reputation as just being a sprinter, but he earned his career-best Beyer Speed Figure going 1 1/16 miles in the restricted Harbor View last year. Catch him if you can.