Off the Top should appreciate easier company in Sunday feature

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Robbie Anderson is happy to get some class relief for Off the Top, who figures to be a solid favorite in a conditional allowance race that will serve as Sunday’s feature at Hastings. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds drew six horses and goes as race 7 on an eight-race card that begins at 1:50 p.m. Pacific.

Off the Top finished second behind Koffee Grinder in the $50,000 Chris Loseth Handicap and the B.C. Cup Stellar’s Jay prior to going unplaced in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park on Aug. 16. The trip to Edmonton and running a grueling 1 3/8 miles didn’t appear to take anything out of Off the Top when he returned to finish fourth in the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby, in which he earned a career-best 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He’s doing fine, and he’s run some awfully good races,” said Anderson. “He just kept getting beat by some pretty nice horses. He deserves to win a race, and hopefully he’ll get it done Sunday.”

Frank Fuentes retains the mount.

KEY CONTENDERS

Off the Top (Last 3 Beyers: 80-26-79)

◗ Toss his race in the Canadian Derby, where he was too eager to handle the marathon distance, and he stands out from a class and Beyer Speed Figure prospective.

Goliath (Last 3 Beyers: 60-72-47)

◗ A deep closer, there could be an honest pace to set him up if Off the Top and Laguna Blaze hook up early.

◗ Trained by Dino Condilenios, he may have moved too soon into a fast pace in his narrow loss to Bluegrass Miss going 1 1/8 miles at this level Sept. 20.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years at Hastings, Condilenios has a 23 percent strike rate with horses going a route.

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Laguna Blaze (Last 3 Beyers: 58-66-53)

◗ He did well to hang on for third after forcing a blistering pace in the same race that Goliath exits. Trained by Carl Lausten, he appears to be heading in the right direction and could be coming up to a peak performance in his third straight route.

Wonder World (Last 3 Beyers: 69-72-69)

◗ Also trained by Lausten, he may have bounced in the B.C. Derby after his hard-fought win over Goliath in the CTHS Sales Stakes on Sept. 1.

◗ He worked a strong four furlongs in 48 seconds last Sunday, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him rebound with a better effort.