High Resolve assigned 121 pounds for Washington State Legislator’s Stakes

When Greg Gilchrist ships a horse to Emerald Downs, he obviously means business. In his two career starts here, Gilchrist saddled Verne Winchell’s Wild Wonder to a victory in the 1998 Longacres Mile, and Harry Aleo’s Victorina to a victory in the 2008 Washington State Legislators Stakes.

Sunday, Gilchrist could make it three-for-three when he sends out High Resolve in the 2009 renewal of the $50,000 Washington State Legislators Stakes. A 4-year-old Florida-bred by Put It Back, High Resolve arrived Thursday and has been assigned high weight of 121 pounds for the 14th running of the six-furlong event. The speedy filly has a 7-2-2 mark in 11 starts with earnings of $438,270 for the estate of Harry Aleo.

Gate-to-wire winner of the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint, High Resolve was to have run May 9 in the Raise Your Skirts at her home base of Golden Gate Fields. That race would serve as a steppingstone to the $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap, a Grade I event on the Summit of Speed card at Calder Race Course on July 11. That’s the same race local fans might recall that Ema Bovary won in 2004.

However, Gilchrist was forced to audible. High Resolve has such a reputation in Northern California that none of the 10 horses nominated were entered in the Raise Your Skirts. “It was disappointing, to say the least,” Gilchrist said.

Desperate for a race before the Summit of Speed, Gilchrist decided on Emerald Downs and the Washington State Legislators Stakes. Gilchrist knows the drill, after all, having shipped up Victorina for last year’s race.

“We looked for a race, and this was one of the best options for us,” Gilchrist said of the Washington State Legislators Stakes.

Clair Annette faces tough task in bid for second stakes win

While it’s always great to see a high-class horse in action, excuse trainer Connie Bouslaugh and owner Nina Egbert if they aren’t thrilled by the prospect of seeing High Resolve at Emerald Downs on Sunday. Their razor-sharp mare—Clair Annette—would seem to benefit the least from the presence of the speedy invader.

Clair Annette was loose on the lead and scored a decisive 4 ¾-length victory in the May 17 Hastings Park Handicap. In fact, she has now led gate-to-wire in her last six races and probably would have been a heavy favorite on Sunday—if not for High Resolve. Bouslaugh, however, was good-natured when asked about a potential speed duel.

“I know there’s a good horse coming for the race, but (Clair Annette) is just going to have to run her race,” Bouslaugh said. “She’s doing well.”

A sore knee has ailed Joe Crispin, who picked up his first Emerald Downs stakes win in the Hastings Park, and Gallyn Mitchell rode Clair Annette in Monday’s workout. Bouslaugh said Crispin told her he would be able to ride Clair Annette on Sunday.

Weights: High Resolve, 121; Blue Sky Holiday 119; Clair Annette, 118; Elusive Horizon, 118; Gadget Queen, 118; Judicature, 117; Angie’s Top Dot, 112; Mirror Pond, 111.

Wasserman looks for win in Saturday allowance

Winless in three starts at the meet, Wasserman has been entered in Saturday’s $20,000 allowance/claiming feature at six furlongs. Owner/trainer Howard Belvoir said he wants the 2008 Longacres Mile champion to rediscover his winning ways—hence the drop into allowance company.

The track’s all-time leading earner with $443,662, 7-year-old Wasserman has run decently in his starts this season—especially a late-finishing third in the May 25 FSN Handicap—but a cut below his remarkable 2008 campaign.

“It’s surprising,” Belvoir said of entering Wasserman in the allowance race For 3-Year-Olds and Upward Which Have Not Won $20,000 Since January 1, 2009 Or Which Have Never Won Three Races Or Claiming Price $50,000. “We got to get him a win and this race came up. Actually, it didn’t come up that easy. There’s some tough horses in there.”

Fear No Evil, a double stakes winner last year as a 3-year-old, and Café Tortoni, unraced since finishing second in the 2008 California Derby, head up the opposition.

The field for Saturday’s feature race: Fear No Evil, Flaming Bullet, Atta Boy Roy, Café Tortoni, (a) Immigration, (a) Wasserman, Way too Much.

Tory Stillwell riding high in comeback at age 43

Troy Stillwell continues his remarkable comeback story as a jockey, He rode three more winners and was named Jockey of the Week, Sponsored by The Gift Horse. A 43-year-old native of the Aberdeen/Hoquiam area, Stillwell spent the last 19 years as a Farmer’s Insurance agent, but riding has remained in his blood.

Stillwell emerged from nearly two decades on the sidelines to win the 2008 riding title at Grants Pass, Oregon, and this past winter finished fourth at Portland Meadows with 55 victories. This season at Emerald Downs he’s won with 10-of-71 starters for a respectable 14.0 win percentage, a feat made even better considering Stillwell often rides horses with big odds. “It’s gone really good so far,” Stillwell said, “The adrenalin, the thrill of victory, it’s what it’s all about.”

On Thursday, May 28, Stillwell tasted victory twice. He guided Fort Yates to a dead-heat with Yes Bay in the fifth race, and later won the feature race on Full Court Press for trainer Charles Essex.

NOTES: Week 7 honors: Jockey-Troy Stillwell (three wins); Trainer-Mike Chambers (four wins); Owner-Al Benton (two wins); Groom-Gilberto Carrahza (Noosa Beach-Pepsi Cola Handicap)…Advance wagering on the Belmont Stakes will be available Friday, and there also will be a special daily double on the Brooklyn Handicap/Belmont Stakes…Post time for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes is 3:27 (PDT)…When Chambers and Three Sisters Thoroughbreds (Ron Judy, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) combine forces, watch out. They’re 13-for-19 the last two seasons including a win by Elusive Schemes ($4) in Sunday’s ninth race. That’s 68.4 percent wins…The Ron Crockett-owned Davos is entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Ack Ack Handicap at Hollwyood Park. A race later, Dave & Jill Heerensperger’s Artiste Royal runs in the $300,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (Gr. I) on turf…Co-owner Gordy Jarnig said Washington-bred Reba Is Tops will make her next start in the $70,000 Great Lady M. Handicap at six furlongs on turf, Friday June 19, at Hollywood Park. The 5-year-old mare set a course record for five furlongs on turf in the May 15 Lawndale Stakes at Hollywood Park…If Clair Annette wins the Washington State Legislators Stakes, she would become the fourth double stakes winner at the meet, an oddity since Sunday’s race is only the eighth stakes to date. Kruger Park (Seattle/FSN), Ladyledue (Inaugural/Federal Way) and Noosa Beach (Auburn/Pepsi-Cola) already have two stakes wins apiece…Favorites have won five of seven stakes, the exceptions being Kruger Park ($12.60) in the Seattle Handicap and Ladyledue ($7.20) in the Federal Way Handicap… Noosa Beach and Winning Machine both received 85 Beyer Speed Figures for their efforts in last Sunday’s Pepsi-Cola ’Cap…With 46 wins in 23 days, Ricky Frazier is on pace to finish with 182 wins which would break his own EmD mark of 157 wins by a jockey set in 2007…Tim McCanna, meanwhile, has 24 wins and is on pace to shatter his own single-season record of 66 wins by a trainer set in 2008. At his current clip, McCanna would finish with 93 wins…Former Emerald Downs jockey Luis Jauegui celebrates his 40th birthday Friday. Jauregui, who last rode at EmD in 1999, is now a steward in California…The weather report heading into Week 8: Thursday (6 p.m. post)-sunny/high 88; Friday (6 p.m. post)-partly cloudy/high 80; Saturday (2 p.m.)-mostly cloudy/high 70; Sunday (2 p.m.)-partly cloudy/high 72.