Touching Promise formidable favorite in B.C. Cup Distaff

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Touching Promise is the star of the show on the final day of live racing at Hastings this year. The 6-year-old Touching Promise is a standout in the $50,000 B.C. Cup Distaff, which shares top billing with the $50,000 B.C. Cup Classic on the 10-race Sunday card that begins at 1:50 p.m. Pacific.

Both 1 1/8-mile races are restricted to horses bred or sired in British Columbia or Washington.

Touching Promise, who will carry the high weight of 123 pounds, will be a prohibitive favorite in the Distaff.

Trained by Barbara Heads, Touching Promise is a multiple stakes winner with $406,856 in earnings. The rest of the field has a combined two stakes wins among them.

Touching Promise won the Grade 3 Ballerina in 2014 and 2015 and finished third as the favorite in this year’s Ballerina, where she may have been too eager early. With Amadeo Perez aboard, she dueled with Sailingforthesun through honest fractions in the 1 1/8-mile race and then wasn’t able to fend of Snuggles, the likely local Horse of the Year, and Victress, who will be making her next start in the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks on Nov. 23.

Touching Promise went into the Ballerina off wins in the $75,000 Pacific Customs Brokers Distaff on Aug. 1 and $75,000 Delta Colleen on Sept. 10.

“She was just too sharp in the Ballerina,” said Heads. “She should me more settled coming back in two weeks, and it’s going to be wet, so she is going to get her track. The best horse doesn’t always win, so I am not taking anything for granted though.”

Both of Touching Promise’s wins in the Ballerina came on tracks rated sloppy.

Touching Promise, who drew the rail, can stalk. With Perez retaining the mount, she should be able to sit just off Sailingforthesun, who will be breaking directly to her right.

Trainer John Snow appears to have a lock on the Classic with Crazy Prophet and Twistgrips.

Crazy Prophet, the likely favorite, is coming off a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby. Twistgrips has won 5 of 6 starts at the meet. However, all of his wins came sprinting.

“They are both training like a million bucks,” said Snow. “You have to give a slight edge to Crazy Prophet. He loves the mud, and he can run all day. A mile and an eighth might be a bit too far for Twistgrips.”

B.C. Cup Distaff, Race 5

KEY CONTENDERS

Touching Promise, by Touch Gold

Last 3 Beyers: 74-75-74

◗ Her huge class edge gives her a sizeable advantage, and she thrives on wet tracks.

Locket, by Rosberg

Last 3 Beyers: 72-73-71

◗ Trained by Frank Barroby, she will be rolling late while the rest of the field likely will be backing up. In 2015, she was the runner-up to Touching Promise in the Distaff, Delta Colleen, and Ballerina. After spending an unproductive summer at Emerald Downs, she appears to be coming around, rallying to finish third in the Delta Colleen and fourth in the Ballerina.

Sailingforthesun, by Sungold

Last 3 Beyers: 65-60-62

◗ This 4-year-old homebred is the speed of the speed, is trending in the right direction, and was able to take them the whole way going 1 1/16 miles in the CTHS Sales Stakes last year.

B.C. Cup Classic, Race 6

KEY CONTENDERS

Crazy Prophet, by Rosberg

Last 3 Beyers: 77-69-75

◗ He appears to be thriving, and his race in the B.C. Derby stamps him as the one to beat. His sharp five-furlong move in 59.40 seconds is a good sign he’s ready for another big effort.

Twistgrips, by Benchmark

Last 3 Beyers: 82-84-73

◗ He has never won going around three turns, but he did finish third in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs in 2014, and he just hasn’t run a bad race this year.

Fifer, by Rosberg

Last 3 Beyers: 67-61-37

◗ After back-to-back wins in $16,000 claiming races, the lightly raced 3-year-old, trained by Mark Cloutier, is taking a big step up in class. He hasn’t lost going around three turns, however, and with just four starts behind him, he could have plenty of upside.