As well as the four stakes mounts for Mario Gutierrez this Thanksgiving Monday, the spotlight will also be on the $100,000 BC Premiers when Mr. Bowling engages in an anticipated showdown with Alert Bay.
Gutierrez rides Mr. Bowling for trainer Troy Taylor and owners Mark Dedomenico and Glen Todd while Rico Walcott gets the ride for Alert Bay, owned by Peter Redkop and trained by Anita Bolton.
Alert Bay won the BC Derby on Sept. 14 by two lengths as the 3-2 wagering choice over the late-running Koffee Grinder, who is also in Monday’s field on nine in the Premier’s. Richard Hamel rides Koffee Grinder. Mr. Bowling, an invader from Emerald Downs, won the S.W. Randall Plate on Sept. 14
Other favoured challengers in the Premier’s include Wilo Kat (Amadeo Perez) and Prohibition (Alex Bisono).
Ole’s Miss, the B.C. Oaks winner trained by Tracy McCarthy for Canmor Farms, will be ridden by Perez in the Ballerina. Gutierrez rides Touching Promise for trainer Barb Heads while the early morning line favourite Madeira Park has Northlands leading rider Rico Walcott in the irons.