Vying Ty Grr goes long in Fantasy
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Vying Ty Grr will try to win her second straight six-figure stakes race when she runs in the $100,000 Fantasy Stakes at Hastings Saturday. The Fantasy, for 2-year-old fillies, drew six horses and goes as the eighth race.
All of the horses entered will be stretching out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time.
Vying Ty Grr certainly has the pedigree to go a middle distance. Her sire, Regal Intention, won the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate. Vying Ty Grr's dam won going long and is by Vying Victor, who was a double stakes winner at 1 1/8 miles miles.
Vying Ty Grr also has the talent. With Richard Hamel aboard, she was an easy four-length winner over Victorious Vye in the $116,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity Oct. 3, and she won the B.C. Cup Debutante by over five lengths. Trainer Barbara Heads does have some concerns regarding Vying Ty Grr's temperament, however.
"She's still a little bit intense," said Heads. "If Richard can get her to settle she might just carry that speed all the way."
Heads has also entered Ebony N Ice, who came from far back to win a six-furlong maiden special weight race in her second start Sept. 13.
"On the other hand, Ebony N Ice really acts like she wants to go long," said Heads. "She just hasn't had a lot of experience."
Trainer Robert Gilker won the 2008 Fantasy with Fashionable Affair. He'll be taking two shots at this year's renewal with Victorious Vye and Indy Beauty.
Victorious Vye is the more accomplished of the two and it wouldn't be surprising if she went off as the favorite. Victorious Vye was an impressive debut winner, overcoming a slow start and making up a lot of ground in a six-furlong maiden special weight race Aug. 28. She came back to score an easy 3 1/2-length win in the CTHS Sales Stakes Sept. 12.
Sent off as the odds-on favorite in the Sadie Diamond, Victorious Vye had her chances compromised when she went four wide around the first turn. She rallied late to finish a clear second behind Vying Ty Grr.
"I think they are both live and they are training very well for what they have to do," said Gilker.
There should be an honest pace with Clandestiny in the race. Trained by Tim McCanna, Clandestiny is coming off of a front-running win in 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race Oct. 6. Sumkindafun rounds out the field.