Touching Promise looks to repeat in Ballerina

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Touching Promise won last year’s Grade 3, $100,000 Ballerina on a sloppy track at Hastings. Trainer Barbara Heads is hoping for the same result Monday when the 5-year-old daughter of Touch Gold runs in the 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares.

The Ballerina, a scale-weight race, drew eight horses, including Lady Rosberg, the top older filly or mare at Emerald Downs this year.

Touching Promise is coming off back-to-back wins over Locket in the B.C. Cup Distaff and the Delta Colleen. Both races were thrillers, with the margin of victory a neck in the Distaff and a nose in the Delta Colleen.

Touching Promise sat just off the pace in the Distaff and led from start to finish in the Delta Colleen.

“She always breaks fast, and she just found herself on the lead in the Delta Colleen,” said Heads. “She’s coming up to the race in great shape, and we’ll see how it goes. It’s a pretty good field.”

Touching Promise drew the outside post, and jockey Amadeo Perez likely will put her in a stalking position early.

Lady Rosberg was an easy winner going 1 1/8 miles in the $65,000 Emerald Downs Distaff before finishing a disappointing third as the heavy favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong Comcast SportsNet for trainer Tom Wenzel.

“She flipped in the paddock in her last race, and everyone was surprised she was allowed to start,” said Frank Barroby, who has taken over as Lady Rosberg’s trainer since she arrived at Hastings a few weeks ago.

Barroby likes what he has seen from Lady Rosberg.

“She is a classy filly,” said Barroby. “She’s a stakes winner on turf, so it looks like she can run on anything.”

Gallyn Mitchell retains the mount.

KEY CONTENDERS

Touching Promise (Last 3 Beyers: 79-86-82)

◗ She’s versatile, is currently on top of her game, and has the home-track advantage over Lady Rosberg.

Lady Rosberg (Last 3 Beyers: 61-83-93)

◗ The homebred daughter of Rosberg was on a roll with four straight stakes wins before she finished third in a race that is easy to toss out.

Locket (Last 3 Beyers: 79-86-84)

◗ Also trained by Barroby, the runner-up in the last four stakes races for fillies and mares at Hastings is due for a little luck.

Rather Beautiful (Last 3 Beyers: 71-72-85)

◗ She looked like the best filly or mare on the grounds when she won the Brighouse Belles on April 26 but was sidelined for most of the summer with a minor foot injury.

“She’s really training well right now, and I expect her to run a big race,” said trainer Dino Condilenios.