Emerald Downs Director of Racing Bret Anderson has released a list of 25 horses* nominated to the 74th running of the $300,000 Longacres Mile (GIII), to be run Sunday, Aug. 16.

The 2009 renewal of the Northwest’s richest and most prestigious race is the annual centerpiece of the 91-day meeting and caps a weekend that includes the $100,000 Emerald Distaff for older fillies and mares and the $75,000 Washington Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.

The 25 Mile nominations (*pending fax or late mail) suggest that the starting gate will again be full for the eight-furlong classic. Since 2000, the Longacres Mile has averaged over 11 starters with full fields of 12 in both 2007 and 2008. Weights for this year’s Mile will be released Saturday, Aug. 8, and with high weights preferred, would decide who gets in the race. And once again, the winner of the Longacres Mile automatically qualifies for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park.

Assessment, the ultra-steady 5-year-old, heads a local contingent of nominees that also includes the brilliant speedster Atta Boy Roy, double stakes winner Kruger Park, and, of course, Wasserman. The defending Longacres Mile champion is the track’s all-time leading earner with $454,912 and attempts to hit the board for a third straight time in The Mile. Local runners, in fact, have captured the last four Miles: Wasserman, 2008; The Great Face, 2007; Flamethrowintexan, 2006, and No Giveaway, 2005.

A slew of Californians—including four horses trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert—could end the trend this year. Awesome Gem, a $1.2 million earner trained by Craig Dollase for West Point Thoroughbreds, might be the most accomplished runner on the list. The stretch-running Kentucky-bred son of Awesome Again has finished second in two Grade I races and was third to Curlin and Hard Spun in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Baffert, who saddled Isitingood to win the inaugural Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs in 1996, nominated a quartet of runners including two owned by former Washington resident Mike Pegram. Darley Stable’s Sangaree, winner of three of his last four starts at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park, might be the best of the Baffert lot.

Sierra Sunset and Dakota Phone would be considered top contenders if they invaded for The Mile. Trained by Jeff Bonde, Sierra Sunset captured the Grade III Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park in 2008, but the California-bred by Bertrando was knocked off the Derby trail with an ankle injury. Apparently good as new, Sierra Sunset is back in form, earning a 101 Beyer Speed Figure for his five-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Alamedan last month at Pleasanton.

Dakota Phone, from the potent barn of Longacres Mile-winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, has held up well versus the best handicap horses in Southern California. The Kentucky-bred 4-year-old by Zavata has already run in six graded stakes this year, racking up a second in the Grade II San Fernando, and thirds in the Grade II Californian and Mervyn Leroy Handicap.

The nominations are composed of 14 Kentucky-breds, five California-breds, three Washington-breds, two Florida-breds and two Texas-breds.

Talkin to Mom Roo is one of the Texas-breds, and the You and I gelding has connections (trainer Ted. H. West and owner Jeffrey Sengara) who are familiar with the Longacres Mile—they won the race with Budroyale in 1999. Talkin to Mom Roo earned 104 and 97 Beyers in his most recent starts at Hollywood Park, but the biggest obstacle might be the distance. He has routed only once in a 19-race career, but it was a victory in a one-mile turf race at Hollywood.

Autism Awareness is a rags-to-riches story for trainer Genaro Vallejo and owner Johnny Taboada, who gave the colt his name to promote awareness of the developmental disability that affects children. Taboada’s son, Renzo, has autism. Purchased for $1,000, Autism Awareness has earned $281,475, and the colt scored a shocking $126 upset in the 2008 El Camino Real Derby at Bay Meadows.

Trumpet Player is conditioned by Northwest native Mark Glatt, looking to saddle his first starter in The Mile, and has relished the distance in his brief career.

As usual, Canada—specifically Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver—figures to be well represented in The Mile. Swift Thoroughbreds’ Teide, winner of the nine-furlong Lt. Governor’s Handicap, heads a group that includes 18-ace winner Bank Emblem and 2008 Gothan Stakes runner-up Texas Wildcatter.

Mayor Marv, winner of the Turf Paradise Derby in February, is the lone 3-year-old nominated to The Mile, and local 4-year-olds Gallon and Margo’s Gift are seeking to break through this year at Emerald Downs. Davos, a late-running sprinter in California, is owned by Ron Crockett, who took down first and second place with The Great Face and Raise the Bluff in the 2007 Longacres Mile.

Nominations for the 74th running of the $300,000 Longacres Mile (nominee, trainer, owner):

Assessment (5-KY), Howard Belvoir, Tice Ranch Stables LLC; Atta Boy Roy (4-WA), Valorie Lund, R.E.V. Racing LLC; Autism Awareness (4-CA), Genaro Vallejo, Johnny Taboada; Awesome Gem (6-KY), Craig Dollase, West Point Thoroughbreds; Bank Emblem (6-CA), Robert Gilker, Leo & Norma Shaw; Chhaya Dance (5-KY), Mike Chambers, Three Sisters Thoroughbreds; Crafty Power (5-CA), Jerry Hollendorfer, Hollendorfer & Todaro; Dakota Phone (4-KY), Jerry Hollendorfer, Carver/HaloFarms/Hollendorfer/Todaro; Dixie Meister (7-TX), Michael Puhich, Johanna Louise Glen-Teven; Elusive Schemes (4-KY), Vann Belvoir, Belvoir or Ballestrasse; Gallon (4-KY), Jim Penney, Michael & Amy Feuerborn; Kruger Park (5-FLA), Carlos Moreno, Maria Isabel Moreno; Margo’s Gift (4-WA), Doris Harwood, Elttaes Stables; Mayor Marv (3-KY), Bob Baffert, Michael Pegram; Sangaree (4-KY), Bob Baffert, Darley Stable; Screen to Screen (4-FLA), Bob Baffert, Pegram/Glasscock/Ol Memorial Stable; Sierra Sunset (4-CA), Jeff Bonde, Lebherz/Mariani/Schmitt; Silver Stetson Man (5-KY), Bob Baffert, Michael Pegram; Stormy Seattle (4-CA), Peter Axmaker, Peter Axmaker; Talkin to Mom Roo (6-TX), Ted H. West, Jeffrey Sengara; Teide (5-KY), Dino Condilenios, Swift Thoroughbreds, Inc.; Texas Wildcatter (4-KY), Terry Gillihan, Todd & Kinsella; Trumpet Player Jay (4-KY), Mark Glatt, Ellenay Racing Inc.; Wasserman (7-WA), Howard Belvoir, Howard Belvoir; and Z Humor (4-KY), Mike Chambers, Zayat Stables, LLC.