Fifty-seven Washington-bred runners – an average of 9.5 horses per race – have been nominated for the Sept. 9 Washington Cup X at Emerald Downs.

A series of six races for Washington-breds worth $215,000 in purse money, Washington Cup X is a showcase for the state's breeding industry and features the $40,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic for 3-year-olds and up and the $35,000Belle Roberts for older fillies and mares.

The 57 nominations are up two from 2011 and include 12 returnees from last yearand six former Washington Cup winners.

The amazing 10-year-old Wasserman is expected to make his eighth Washington Cup appearance and his seventh straight start in the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic. Owned, bred and trained by Howard Belvoir, Wasserman has two wins, two seconds and two thirds in the Classic while earning nearly $125,000 of his track record$555,253.

In fact, none of the other horses nominated to the Classic – Couldabenthewhisky, Jebrica, Kooky Saluki, Ontheshadyside and Our Eagle Boy – had even been born when Wasserman appeared in his first Washington Cup, a runner-up effort in the 2005 Chinook Pass Stakes. Since then Wasserman has run in the Classic every year, finishing, in order, second, third, first, first, second and third.

Belvoir and Jim Penney, tied for first all-time in Washington Cup wins with five each, lead the way in 2012 nominations. Belvoir has five nominations while Penney has seven including former Washington Cup winners Sis's Sis and SweetNellie Brown in the Belle Roberts.

Other former winners nominated are Our Eagle Boy, winner of the 2011 Chinook Pass; Have'n a Wild Time, 2009 Diane Kem Stakes, and Brady's Kat, winner of the2011 Dennis Dodg

The $35,000 Diane Kem Stakes for 2-year-old fillies drew a whopping 16 nominations including Valid Vixen Queen, gate-to-wire winner of the Son of Briartic Stakes, while the Dennis Dodge Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings features undefeated double stakes winner Mike Man's Gold.

Makors Finale, gate-to-wire winner of the Emerald Downs Derby and a triple stakes winner at the meet, heads the nominations to the $35,000 Chinook Pass Stakes for 3-year-olds. And 2011 stakes winners Talk to My Lawyer and Sweet Saga top the list for the $35,000 John & Kitty Fletcher Stakes for 3-year-oldfillies.

Entries for all six Washington Cup races will be drawn 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Quarter Chute Café.

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