Assessment continued his rapid rise in the handicap ranks with a 2 ½-length triumph Sunday in the $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap on Mile Preview Day at Emerald Downs.
With the victory, the 5-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding stamped his ticket as the top local horse for the 74th running of the $300,000 Longacres Mile (GIII) on Aug. 16.
A race earlier, in the $50,000 Boeing Handicap for fillies and mares, Elusive Horizon and Holy Nova produced the first dead-heat for win in Emerald Downs stakes history. That race was the final prep for the $100,000 Emerald Distaff, also on Aug. 16.
With regular rider Gallyn Mitchell aboard at high weight of 120 pounds, Assessment covered 1 1.8 miles in 1:47 on a fast track and paid $7, $4 and $3. Assessment has three wins and three seconds in six starts at the meeting while earning $92,000 for Lou and Dianne Tice of Seattle, Wash. Assessment has an overall record of 6-4-3 in 24 starts with earnings of $190,980.
Elusive Schemes, a 19-1 long shot, nearly pulled off a shocker on the front end—setting fractions of :23 1/5, :46, 1:09 4/5 and 1:34 1/5—before yielding late to Assessment. Ridden by Kyle Kaenel at 117 pounds, Elusive Schemes paid $14.40 and $6.
Gallon, with Ricky Frazier riding at 116 pounds, was a half-length back in third and paid $3.20.
Wasserman was another 2 ½ lengths back in fourth place, and the defending Longacres Mile champion has yet to beat barn-mate Assessment in six outings this season.
In fourth place early, Assessment commenced his bid on the last turn and entered the stretch with dead-aim on Elusive Schemes. They gained the lead at the eighth-pole and drew clear to the wire.
“He responded better to me better today than he has in the past,” said Mitchell, who moved back ahead of Frazier 58-57 in career stakes wins at Emerald Downs. “He’s getting better and better with each race.”
In the Boeing Handicap, Holy Nova, a prolific performer at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse, surged in the final jump to catch Emerald Downs-based Elusive Horizon in one of the meet’s most exciting finishes. The final time was 1:41 3/5 for 1 1/16 miles, just two ticks off the stakes record.
Ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 120 pounds, Elusive Horizon paid $2.60, $2.80 and $2.40. It was the fourth stakes victory for the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred, owned by Jerre Paxton’s Northwest Farms and trained by Doris Harwood.
Ridden by Mario Gutierrez (no relation) at 119 pounds, Holy Nova paid $3.60, $3.40 and $3.
Gadget Queen, with Frazier riding at 120 pounds, finished third and paid $2.60.
Elusive Horizon led through fractions of :23 1/5, :46 1/5, 1:10 and 1:34 4/5. She led by 1½-lengths into the stretch, but Holy Nova wouldn’t be denied. The 5-year-old Kentucky-bred gradually bridged the gap, and she caught Elusive Horizon in the final jump. Elusive Horizon and Holy Nova earned $18,7450 each.
Owned by Glen Todd of Surrey, B.C., and Patrick Kinsella of Vancouver, B.C., Holy Nova has 13-4-1 mark in 24 starts with earnings of $378,462. Terry Gillihan is the trainer.
Elusive Horizon has 7-2-1 record in 13 starts and earnings of $186,715. She is four-for-four in distance races—all stakes—and would appear to be the local favorite for the Emerald Distaff at 1 1/8 miles. The connections for Holy Nova said their mare would ship to Del Mar for a shorter race.
NOTES: Ricky Frazier hit the 100-win mark with a victory aboard Yodelfest ($3.40) in the second race. Frazier accomplished the feat in the 54th day of racing. Frazier added two more wins and finished the week with a 102-74 lead over Gallyn Mitchell in the jockeys’ standings. Frazier already has 35 multiple-win days…Juan Gutierrez also rode three winners after riding five winners on Saturday…The trainers’ race is heating up with Tim McCanna owning a 41-37 lead over Doris Harwood. Howard Belvoir is third with 35 wins, followed by Vann Belvoir with 34…The Boeing dead-heat is believed to be the first in a Washington stakes race since the 1982 Longacres Derby featuring Cassaleria and Flying Judgement…Racing resumes Thursday with first post at 6 p.m.
