The British Columbia Derby could be Academic

What is with these daughters of Henny Hughes dominating their male competition? In the States, we all know how Beholder became the toast of old Del Mar with a scintillating performance over the boys in the million dollar Pacific Classic. North of the border, there was an equally dominant case of the lady beating the men, when Academic rolled home the easiest kind of winner in last month’s Grade 3 Canadian Derby. The Tim Rycroft trained miss will try to make it two derbies in a row in Sunday’s $250,000 British Columbia Derby at Hastings Racecourse.

If her last performance is any indication, her competition on Sunday better be ready for the only female in the field. The first filly to win Alberta’s richest and most important horse race in a dozen years, Academic (Henny Hughes--Awesome Lass, by Awesome Again) stalked the early pace of the heavily favored Blue Dancer for much of the race before pouncing on the final turn of the 1 3/8 mile affair. That move proved decisive, as she cruised home while lengthening her advantage with every stride. Not only did she win by eight lengths, but it was the fastest Canadian Derby in some 14 years.

After an improving, but nondescript juvenile season, Academic burst onto the Canadian racing scene with a dominating front running score in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks in June. It was only her second race of the season, having wired a maiden race a month before, also at Woodbine. Apparently the bettors did not place too much stock in that maiden win, because she went off at odds of 66-1 that afternoon.

The bay filly was shown much greater respect when she came back to face 12 males in Canada’s most prestigious race, the Queen’s Plate, but the 5-1 shot filly was cooked on suicidal fractions in the ten furlong classic, and ended up being eased. Since, she was transferred from the Reade Baker barn to Tim Rycroft to make a raid on the western half of the country, and proved her Woodbine Oaks win was no fluke with the impressive score in the Canadian Derby.

It can be tricky to drop down from the demanding 11 furlongs of the Canadian Derby at Northlands Park to the 9 furlongs of the British Columbia Derby, but with the high turn of speed possessed by Academic, she should be able to handle the cutback. Like the last one, though, she may need to stalk the early pace early before making her move. Jockey Justin Stein will again make the trip west to be aboard Academic for the fourth straight time, and it will be his task to get her to relax enough early to have a strong punch left for the lane

On Sunday, Academic will face a field of eight males, including plenty of early pace. Among her competition will be the local horse, Bluegrass Angus. A very speedy sort, he has finished first or second in all seven starts at Hastings, including three straight easy stakes wins at the Vancouver oval. Adding to the speed in the British Columbia Derby, Blue Dancer will be back to try the filly again. If all this speed sets things up for a closer, beware the American shipper, Percy Fawcett, who comes in off a rallying third in the Emerald Downs Derby.

Whatever happens on Sunday, the 2015 British Columbia Derby will not be remembered as a stallion maker. Besides the filly, Academic, the other eight participants are all geldings.