The highly anticipated races at Hastings Racecourse for 3-year-olds and up are set to take place this Saturday, featuring the prestigious $100,000 Ballerina for fillies and mares, as well as the Grade 3, $100,000 Premier's Handicap. These races present contrasting narratives. In the 1-1/8 miles Ballerina, the primary question on everyone's mind is who will secure the second spot behind the dominant Infinite Patience. Trained by the skilled Barbara Heads, this exceptional daughter of Sungold demonstrated her superiority by effortlessly outperforming We B Three in the Delta Colleen on September 9. Notably, both horses will be carrying equal weights in Saturday's race.
Meanwhile, the 1-3/8 miles Premiers offers no clear favorite. Last year's Premiers winner, At Attention, also trained by Heads, faces an unusual situation as the race has been shortened to a mile and an eighth. None of the eight horses entered in the race have previously challenged the traditional marathon distance of the Premiers. Bred by the esteemed Bryan and Carol Anderson, At Attention, a homebred son of Shanghai Bobby, has the opportunity to surpass the half-million dollar mark in earnings with a victory. Additionally, he would secure his second consecutive title as the champion older horse in British Columbia. At Attention comes into the race following a narrow loss to Big Union in the S.W. Randall Plate on September 9.
Trainer Heads expressed her confidence in At Attention, stating, "The farther, the better for him." She acknowledged that the horse faced challenges with the recently added surface on the track during the Randall Plate, given his size. However, At Attention has since adapted well and performed impressively during training on the new surface. As for Infinite Patience, Heads believes there isn't much to say as anything can happen in a race.
Another notable contender in the Premier's Handicap is Accidental Hero, trained by the capable Larry Grieve, who showcased his potential by narrowly defeating Sunbird in the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby on September 16. This 3-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Mo Town appears to be peaking at just the right time, with Grieve remarking, "He's a big strong horse and he just keeps getting better."
The Premier's Handicap offers a thrilling betting opportunity, with strong contenders like Big Union, trained by Nicole Rycroft, and Sunbird, trained by Terry Jordan. Big Union caused an upset by edging out At Attention by a head in the S.W. Randall Plate, while Sunbird narrowly missed victory in the B.C. Derby. With only three starts this year and five overall, Sunbird possesses significant potential.
If an upset were to occur in the Ballerina, and though it's highly unlikely, Above Average, trained by the skilled Mark Cloutier, could be the one to watch. This 3-year-old homebred filly, ridden by the talented Amadeo Perez, recently emerged victorious in the British Columbia Oaks. Above Average, a daughter of Ralis out of Ole's Miss, is owned by Ole Nielsen. Interestingly, Ole's Miss, with Perez as the jockey, triumphed in the Oaks nine years ago and subsequently finished fourth in the Ballerina. Silvino Morales will replace Perez as the jockey for Above Average, while Perez will continue his partnership with We B Three, trained by the accomplished Steve Henson.
Nielsen, the owner of Above Average, acknowledges the dominance of Infinite Patience and admits their chances of overcoming the frontrunner are slim. He emphasizes the importance of good sportsmanship. Nielsen reminisces about his experience with Monashee, a horse that achieved an impressive 11 consecutive stakes wins before retiring with a victory in the Paseana Stakes at Santa Anita. He ponders the possibility of Infinite Patience following a similar path in her final races.