August Rain favoured in $125,000 B.C. Derby on Saturday

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A full field of 12-three-year-olds are set to do battle in the Grade 3, $125,000 B.C. Derby at Hastings Racecourse on Saturday.

August Rain figures to be favoured in the 1 1/8-miles race, but he is by no means a cinch in one of the more competitive renewals of the most prestigious race in Western Canada.

Trained by Barbara Heads and ridden by Amadeo Perez, August Rain came from last to win the $200,000 Canadian Derby at Century Mile in Edmonton in his last start. He also overcame traffic trouble to win the mile-and-a-quarter race going away.

However, Hastings is a smaller track than Century and it won’t be easy for August Rain to weave his way through the full field. Plus, he could get bottled up after breaking from post Position 2.

Heads is hoping for a clean trip on Saturday.

“It can be like a bumper car race when they all bunch up at the quarter-pole,” said Heads. “We aren’t going to change anything. All we can do is hope for the best and once the gate opens it’s up to Amadeo anyway. He’s the leading rider here for a reason.”

A deep closer, August Rain took full advantage of a wicked pace in the Canadian Derby, and there should be speed coming back to him Saturday. A couple of relatively inexperienced horses will provide some of the speed.

Breaking from the rail is Shock the House who had one start as a two-year-old and just three outings this year for trainer Brian O’Connell. Shock the House is coming off a big effort where he set the pace and held on well to finish a clear second behind the four-year-old Lucky Force in the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes on Aug. 26.

“He’s just been sick a lot,” said O’Connell. “I don’t know if he is a need-the-lead type of horse because he just hasn’t run that much. I always thought he had a lot of talent and his last race proved he could run with these kind of horses.”

Shock the House signalled his readiness Sunday when he worked a sizzling four furlongs in 46.8 seconds and galloped out a strong five furlongs in 58.8 seconds.

The Milton Palma-trained Lord of Battle has even less experience. Making just his second start, Lord of Battle forced the unrealistic pace in the Canadian Derby and held the lead after a mile. Not surprisingly he faded late. In his debut he romped by eight lengths going a mile in a maiden special weight race at Century om July 31.

“He ran like I expected,” said Palma. “Going a mile-and-a-quarter with only one race in his life he figured to get tired.”

A Kentucky-bred son of Mastery, Lord of Battle is a big good-looking horse. Palma was pleased with how he got around the track at Hastings when he worked five furlongs in just over a minute Tuesday.

“Some horses can’t handle the tighter turns here,” said Palma. “He handled them very well and he’s a sharp horse right now.”

The Derby is wide open, but the $75,000 B.C. Oaks and $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity appear to be one-horse races.

The Heads-trained Avana will be a very short price to beat six other three-year-old fillies in the Oaks.

Breezin Brianne has been perfect in three starts for trainer Mel Snow and should keep her streak going in the Sadie Diamond.

The $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity shapes up as a battle between Mount Doom and Puttingonthefoil.

Mount Doom is going for the hat-trick after winning the B.C. Cup Nursery on Aug. 7 and the CTHS Sales Stakes on Aug. 26 for leading trainer Steve Henson.

Puttingonthefoil is perfect in two starts at Century Mile for trainer Gonzalo Anderson.

The B.C.-bred son of Counterforce is a half-brother to Herbie D, who was a seven-time stakes winner for trainer Rob Gilker. His most important win came in the 2013 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs.

With the NHL season just around the corner there will be a hockey theme for Saturday’s card with Canucks Alumni as featured guest decorators.

Ever-popular Harold Snepsts has drawn the honour for the B.C. Derby, while former teammates Tony Tanti (Sadie Diamond) and Jyrki Lumme (Jack Diamond Futurity) joining former New Westminster Bruins’ scoring star and hometown hero Mark Lofthouse decorating the B.C. Oaks.

SATURDAY SELECTIONS: FIRST RACE 2:30 P.M.

RACE 4: MOUNT DOOM gets the edge due to his home track advantage and his impressive half-mile workout Sunday.

RACE 6: AUGUST RAIN is unlucky not to be undefeated going a mile-and-a-sixteenth or longer and the shape of the Derby should work for him. He should get up in time if Perez can work out a clean trip.

SUNDAY SELECTION: FIRST RACE 2:30 P.M.

RACE 5: CURLIN ROCKS should improve in his second route attempt and he makes his first start for trainer Nicole Rycroft, who has a 38 per cent strike rate and a $2.55 ROI with newly claimed horses.

Randy Goulding has been handicapping horses and writing for The Racing Form at Hastings Park for more than 30 years. His column will run every Friday throughout the racing season.

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