Princess of Cairo on improve

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – There are no standouts in the $50,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club at Hastings on Sunday. All six of the 3-year-old fillies entered will be stretching out to a middle distance for the first time in the 1 1/16-mile race. It goes as race 7 on an eight-race card that begins at 4:30 p.m. Pacific.

Princess of Cairo has the pedigree for the assignment. Trained by Glen Todd, she is coming off an impressive win in a maiden special weight race in just her second start.

With Efrain Hernandez riding, she broke alertly from the rail in the 6 1/2-furlong dash and looked very comfortable stalking Fly Away and Miss

Earl for a half-mile. She moved outside of the dueling pair and took the lead turning for home. It was a very mature performance for a horse with just one race behind her.

By Cairo Prince, the Kentucky-bred Princess of Cairo is a half-sister to She’s Lovely, who could run all day. Counting races on turf and a walkover in a race washed off the turf at Penn National, She’s Lovely has won nine routes.

Todd said Princess of Cairo “improved 200 percent in her second start.”

“After watching how she finished, I couldn’t wait to run her long,” he said. “I know it is a big step up in class, but I think she has an excellent chance.”

Princess of Cairo drew the outside post, from where she figures to get a nice trip stalking a quick pace. Hernandez retains the mount.

The Todd-trained Miss Prospector guarantees a fast pace.

In her lone win, which came at Emerald Downs last year, she broke on top and drew off to win a maiden special weight race by over 11 lengths. In her next start, going 1 1/16 miles at Hastings, she dueled through honest fractions before finishing third in the $75,000 Fantasy.

Miss Prospector is back with her own age group after getting fried in a duel in a conditioned allowance race for fillies and mares on July 7.

Sangria should be okay with the added yardage after finishing third to Floral in the $40,000 Supernaturel going 6 1/2 furlongs July 21. Trained by Barbara Heads, the daughter of Sungold rallied to win the $102,000 Freedom of the City at Century Downs going 7 1/2 furlongs in her final start as a 2-year-old.

Jose Gomez rides.

Floral took them all the way in the Supernaturel, but the Craig MacPherson-trained daughter of Bakken set moderate fractions and she won’t have that luxury Sunday.

Fully Lent figures to move forward following her runnerup finish in the Supernaturel in her first start this year. Trained by Dave Forster, she finished second to the sensational Infinite Patience in the $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity and the $50,000 CTHS Stakes as a 2-year-old.

Walkinthewalk, fourth in the Supernaturel for trainer Mark Cloutier, completes the field.