VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Spaghetti Mouse is clearly the star of the show on B.C. Cup Day at Hastings on Monday. After all, he is the all-time leading money-winning British Columbia-bred with more than $919,000 in earnings and he has been a fan favorite at Hastings since he won the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby in 2005.
An 8-year-old, Spaghetti Mouse seems to be as good as ever, and should get the perfect trip in the $50,000 B.C. Cup Classic that drew five horses and goes as race 5 on a 10-race card that begins at 1:40 p.m. Pacific.
The 1 1/8-mile Classic is one of seven stakes races restricted to B.C.-breds that make up the major portion of B.C. Cup Day, which is the biggest day of the year at Hastings.
Spaghetti Mouse, trained by Terry Daponte, won the Classic in 2006 and 2008. Last year he was scratched during the post parade. It was later discovered he had a stone bruise in one of his feet. He is a very sharp horse right now. In his last two starts, Spaghetti Mouse won a $50,000 optional claiming race May 30 and was a clear second behind Teide in the $50,000 Lieutenant Governors on July 1. Daponte was pleased with the way he worked an easy five furlongs before the crowd that turned out for the B.C. Cup Clocker’s Corner breakfast last Sunday.
“He did it well in hand and he couldn’t be going any better,” she said. “Of course, we thought that going into last year’s race, and you saw what happened. He drew a perfect post and I hope he runs his race.”
Spaghetti Mouse drew post 4 and with his good tactical speed he should be sitting just off of Surprisal through modest fractions. A similar scenario unfolded when he beat Ganbei by 3 1/2 lengths on May 30. Dave Wilson rides.
Ganbei, trained by Mel Snow, is clearly the main threat. After finishing third in the Lieutenant Governors, Ganbei came back 17 days later to upset Burj Dubai in the S. W. Randall Plate on July 18.
Trick of the North appears to be rounding into form and will be looking for his first win since he surprised Teide in the Grade 3 Premiers last Oct. 18.
Krazy Koffee is also winless since he won the 2009 Classic.
