Trooper Jenny set to break through

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – With six stakes, including the Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby, coming up Sept. 8, it wasn’t surprising that Monday’s card at Hastings came up a bit weak. The most interesting races on the seven-race card are a maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies and a $50,000 optional maiden-claiming race for fillies and mares.

Trainer Craig MacPherson is hoping for a big effort from Trooper Jenny in the fillies and mares race, which concludes the evening’s festivities.

A daughter of Colonel John, Trooper Jenny will be making just her second start in the 1 1/16-mile race, which drew a field of six. She showed a lot of potential when she was the runner-up in her debut Aug. 6. With Richard Hamel aboard, she was a bit restless in the starting gate and then broke a step slowly in the 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race. After gathering herself, she finished full of run to finish second by a length behind Dorys Darlin.

A half-sister to four route winners, Trooper Jenny could thrive going a middle distance.

“We always thought she would be a decent route horse,” MacPherson said. “It would have been nice to get another sprint into her, though.”

MacPherson doesn’t expect Trooper Jenny to trail the field early like she did in her debut. She will break from post 2 with Hamel retaining the mount.

“She won’t be on the lead or anything like that, “he said. “But she should break a little better, and I expect Richard to have her within range of the early leaders.”

The horse she will have to run down is Bad and Bougie, who set the pace in Trooper Jenny’s race before settling for third. She was making her first start at Hastings and for leading trainer Phil Hall.

A California-bred daughter of Roi Charmant, Bad and Bougie’s best race going a middle distance came when she set the pace and tired to finish fourth going a mile in a $30,000 maiden-claiming race at Santa Anita.

Warriors Promise will be among the favorites in the 2-year-old race, which drew 11 horses and goes as race 4.

A daughter of Warrior’s Reward, Warriors Promise rallied to finish second when she debuted in a maiden special weight race July 14 and came back to finish fourth in the quickly-run B.C. Cup Debutante won by first-time starter Dancin Shoes on Aug. 6.

Trained by Patty Leaney, she signaled her readiness when she worked a bullet four furlongs in 47.60 seconds on Aug. 22.

The Monday card begins at 6 p.m. Pacific.