The 76th British Columbia Derby (G3) takes place Saturday at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver and the 1 1/8 mile race on dirt for three-year-olds has a competitive field led by morning line favourite SUNBIRD.
The BC Derby concludes the Western Canadian Triple Crown which began with the Manitoba Derby, won by Mano Dura, and the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Century Mile in Alberta, won by Abeliefinthislivin. The latter was expected to be a major player in the BC Derby but trainer Barbara Heads reported Peter Rdekop’s gelding came out of a recent workout with a sore foot.
Two sophomores who competed in the Canadian Derby are the two early favourites for the $125,000 race on Saturday, which is the eighth event on the card with a post time of 8:43 p.m. EST.
Sunbird, a Kentucky-bred by Orb who was bred by the late Glen Todd, won the first four races of his career for Pauline Felicella and the estate of Nick Felicella. Trained by Terry Jordan, Sunbird won the Sir Winston Churchill Stakes in his second outing of 23, earning a 76 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
In the Canadian Derby, Sunbird was in a contending position early in the race while wide before slipping back to fifth place. Jordan told The Province‘s Randy Goulding that the gelding didn’t care for racing “in the middle of the night, fighting mosquitos.” Antonio Reyes will ride Sunbird for the first time.
Wyn Racing Stables Corp.’s ACCIDENTAL HERO, trained by Larry Grieve, was third in the Canadian Derby, and Sir Winston Churchill and the son of Mo Town is in improving form. The Kentucky-bred will be ridden by Kimal Santo.
The $75,000 BC Oaks is race 7 at Hastings on Saturday evening and the card also has the $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity and $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity.
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