Candians invade for juvenile stakes

The Canadian-U.S. border is closed to nonessential travel, but that won’t stop a couple of prominent owners at Hastings from shipping horses to Auburn, Wash., to run in the two stakes races for juveniles on Thursday at Emerald Downs.

Judging from how Anothersunnyday and Great Gasby ran in their debuts, there is an excellent chance they will bring home plenty of valuable U.S. dollars.

First up in race 7 is the $50,000 Angie C., where the Peter Redekop-owned Anothersunnyday is clearly the one to beat in the 5 1/2-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies, which drew eight horss.

The $50,000 King County Express isn’t as clear cut, but Glen Todd’s Great Gasby could be a handful despite getting trounced by Anothersunnyday in his debut. The 5 1/2-furlong

King County drew 12 colts and geldings and goes as race 9.

Post time for the first of 10 races is 5 p.m. Pacific.

Anothersunnyday could not have been more impressive when she debuted in a 3 1/2furlong $50,000 optional maiden-claiming race at Hastings for trainer Keith Pederson on July 14. The race was pretty much over after she broke on top and quickly opened up a clear lead. The final margin was 6 1/4 lengths over Great Gasby.

Redekop’s trainer at Emerald, Blaine Wright, liked what he saw.

“It was a visually impressive performance,” Wright said. “Keith told me she was a real racehorse, and, from what I’ve seen, he’s right. She arrived here in great shape.”

Juan Gutierrez will be aboard when the British Columbiabred daughter of Sungold breaks from post 7.

First-time starter Lets Declare Peace may have tipped her hand when she worked three furlongs in a blistering 33.80 seconds for trainer Joe Toye on July 18.

The Kentucky-bred daughter of Declaration of War is a halfsister to Twelve Twenty Two, who won four stakes at Sunland Park and banked $305,356.

Great Gasby will be a better price in the King County then he was in his debut.

He was sent off as the 1-2 favorite, partly due to how impressively he had worked. He also received a lot of attention because he is a half-brother to the 3-year-old Mischevious Alex, who won the Grade 3 Swale at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct.

“He’s a real nice horse,” Todd said. “I was concerned when he drew the rail for his first start, and he was done when he broke the way he did. He came out of the race in great shape, though, so I expect him to run well.”

Sandy Gann trains for Todd at Emerald. Great Gasby drew post 4 and will be ridden by Lorenzo Lopez.

Seattlesbestsecret looks like the main threat. He looked good wiring a maiden special weight race at Emerald for trainer Steve Bullock on July 9. The 44 Beyer Speed Figure he got is the best of the locals and second to the 45 that Great Gasby received.

He drew post 8, with Alex Cruz retaining the mount.

Dutton has been training forwardly for trainer Howard Belvoir.

The Washington-bred son of Noosito worked a bullet five furlongs in 59.80 seconds on July 18 and tuned up for this with a sizzling three-furlong move out of the gate in 34.00 on July 24.

He drew the rail, which can be intimidating for a 2-year-old making a first start.