Stryker Phd says yes to Washington Cup | Emerald Downs

Published 9:33 am Friday, August 21, 2015

For the Reporter

Fans will get another chance to watch Stryker Phd at Emerald Downs in 2015.

Assistant trainer Sharon Ross said Stryker Phd — the first horse to win the Longacres Mile twice at Emerald Downs — is a go for the $60,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic on Sunday, Sept. 13.

At 1 1/16 miles, the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic anchors the 2015 Washington Cup, six stakes worth an aggregate $310,000 exclusively for Washington-breds.

“Today was his first day back at the track for Stryker, and he’s doing great,” Ross said. “The Washington Cup fits the schedule.”

In winning Sunday’s 80th Mile, Stryker Phd rallied from ninth for a one-length victory in 1:34.06 and earned a career-high 99 Beyer, two points higher than last year’s Mile and a point better than his previous best in the Budweiser Handicap two months ago.

Following the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic, Stryker Phd could be shipped to Golden Gate Fields for the $100,000 Berkeley Handicap, a Grade 3 at one mile on Tapeta. Although the stakes schedule isn’t set, the Berkeley is usually run in late November.

Such a scenario would allow Stryker Phd to be turned out in the winter before taking a run at a Longacres Mile three-peat as a 7-year-old in 2016.

“He likes having those three months off,” Ross said. “It works well for him.”

Stryker Phd’s seven straight stakes wins ties Ropersandwranglers for second longest streak in Emerald Downs’ history, and a victory in the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic would tie Stopshoppingdebbie’s track record of eight straight stakes wins.

In fact, Stryker Phd began his Emerald Downs winning streak with a 3 ¼-length victory in the 2013 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.99. He sat out last year’s race, mainly due to a short two-week gap between The Mile and Washington Cup, and the schedule was revamped this year with an eye toward luring horses from The Mile.

With a career mark of 21-8-5-5-$485,651, Stryker Phd has moved into 10th place all-time in Washington-bred earnings. His $437,046 in Emerald Downs’ earnings ranks fourth behind Wasserman ($575,024), Assessment ($472,744) and Noosa Beach ($465,308).

His seven stakes wins are tied with Jumron Won for sixth all-time.

The Washington Cup is restructured this year with two races for older horses, the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic for routers and $50,000 Chinook Pass Sprint Stakes at 6½ furlongs. Noosito, Del Rio Harbor and Absolutely Cool, fourth, fifth and sixth place finishers in the Longacres Mile, are obvious candidates for either race.

Ross-Mawing combo says hot

The combination of trainer Larry Ross and jockey Leslie Mawing is smoking hot at Emerald Downs.

In fact, their 2015 success is unprecedented: 25-14-5-2-$335,012, with six stakes wins—including Stryker Phd in the Longacres Mile and Belle Hill in the Washington Oaks.

That equals 56 percent wins, and an amazing $13,400 per start. Their combined record in 2014/ 2015 is 80-25-17-8-$683,471 with nine stakes wins.

Ross and Mawing also are climbing the ladder in all-time Emerald Downs stakes wins —Ross is 10th with 22 while Mawing is fourth with 39. Combined Larry and Sharon Ross have 45 stakes wins here, which would rank No. 3 all-time behind Doris Harwood (66) and Bud Klokstad (49).

Lady Rosberg eyes Washington Cup

Top Training Accomplishment is shaping up as the toughest category for voters in 2015, with several sensational achievements to ponder:

Larry Ross becoming the first trainer to win two straight Longacres Miles with the same horse at Emerald Downs, guiding the 6-year-old gelding to a 6-6-0-0 record the last two seasons.

Jeff Metz capturing his third straight training title.

Tom Wenzel for two straight sweeps of the older filly and mare division, an unprecedented feat culminated by Lady Rosberg’s 3¾-length romp in Sunday’s $65,000 Emerald Distaff.

Who knows, perhaps the Washington Cup will sway the vote. Stryker Phd is committed to the $60,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic while the Wenzel-trained Lady Rosberg would be odds-on in the $50,000 Pegasus Training Center Stakes for older fillies and mares, a race Wenzel said he and owner Karl Krieg would consider.

With Stryker Phd winning The Mile and Lady Rosberg taking the Distaff, it marks the first time since 2007 that Washington-breds have swept the track’s two biggest events for older horses.

Wenzel swept this year’s series with two horses, Kikisoblu winning the one-turn Hastings Handicap and Washington State Legislators Stakes and Lady Rosberg winning the two-turn Boeing Handicap and Emerald Distaff.

A 5-year-old homebred by Rosberg-Enter Laughing, Lady Rosberg earned an 83 Beyer in the Distaff, running 1 1/8miles in 1:48.68, and pushing her career mark to 15-8-2-2-$170,022.

Finish lines

Weekly Honors #18-Jockey – Leslie Mawing; Trainer – Larry Ross; Owner- Jim & Mona Hour; Groom – Gumaro Martinez (Frank Lucarelli);WTBOA Washington-bred- Stryker Phd; Exercise Rider of the Week- Brad Balcom (Robbie Baze). … Mach One Rules’ 72 Beyer is highest at the meet by a 2-year-old and six points better than Trackattacker earned winning the 2014 WTBOA Lads. … Lads runner-up Viewingthegold also got a 72, and the terrific effort by the first-time starter makes his head defeat one of the toughest of the meet. … Julien Couton serves a two-day suspension Friday and Saturday, but begins Week 19 with a 75-59 lead over Juan Gutierrez in the Thoroughbred jockeys’ standings. … Javier Matias tops the Quarter Horse standings with a sterling 6-for-11 record in QH races. … Both Washington-breds by Harbor the Gold, Mach One Rules and Viewingthegold could have a rematch in the $50,000 Captain Condo Stakes on Sept. 13. … Sunday’s 11-race card begins with two 440-yards trials for the $60,000 Bank of America Emerald Downs Championship Challenge on Sunday, Sept. 6. Defending champion Chicks Special Angel drew the one-hole in Race 1 with Jesus Valenzuela up for trainer Jose Sanguino. The 10 fastest times qualify for the final. … Saturday simulcasts include the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar, featuring Beholder taking on the boys at 1 1/4 miles. Also Saturday at Del Mar, Boyett, runner-up to Stryker Phd in last year’s Mile, races in a $78,000 allowance/optional claimer on turf., and 2014 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic winner Mike Man’s Gold runs in a $32,000 claimer at six-furlongs.