The $75,000 Gottstein Futurity, set for Sunday, added another contender Wednesday when Jebrica, a full-brother to stakes winner Peaceful Reign, entered the 1-1/16 miles championship event for 2-year-olds.
Jebrica, fourth in the Premio Esmeralda, returned from his career debut with a seven-length trounce in a maiden special weight on Aug. 28, running the 6 furlongs in 1-minute, 10 4/5-seconds. Handicappers could excuse the Liberty Gold colt’s run in the Premio, after all, he broke slow and raced in tight quarters at the sixteenth-pole. Assistant trainer Kay Cooper said Jebrica looks to be heading in the right direction and should be able to handle the distance.
“He’s definitely improving,” Cooper said. “I know he’ll be closing strong and fast, for sure.”
If Jebrica expects to capture his first stakes race, he’ll have to run down a slew of front-runners including stakes winners Winter Warlock and Couldabenthewhisky.
Winter Warlock has yet to finish worse than second in five career starts, four of which were stakes races, including a ¾-length score in the Premio Esmeralda. The son of Demon Warlock attempts to even the stakes score with rival Couldabenthewhisky, the only double stakes winner in Sunday’s main event.
Couldabenthewhisky, if anything, looms large solely because he enters Sunday as the field’s only two-turn winner. The Harbor the Gold gelding got the jump on Winter Warlock in the one-mile WTBA Lads and prevailed by a half-length. Cooper said she expects both horses to be competitive.
“Couldabenthewhisky is a tough, tough horse, and so is Winter Warlock,” Cooper said. “We’ll just have to see what happens.”
Trainer Robert Meeking sends Tweetie Pie, the only filly entrant, who comes off a three-length maiden score for a $30,000 tag on Sept. 4.
The field for the 73rd running of the Gottstein Futurity is – Winter Warlock, Kevin Krigger, 120 lbs.; Seattle Sniper, Juan Gutierrez, 120; Tweetie Pie, Joe Crispin, 117; Couldabenthewhisky, Gallyn Mitchell, 120; Carr Creek, Ricky Frazier, 120; Jebrica, Francisco Duran, 120; Giuseppe G, Troy Stillwell, 120; Fueled by Kaffine, Inoel Beato, 120.
EMD LAUNCHES INAUGURAL QUARTER HORSE RACE;
SNIP N DALE RECEIVES HIGH WEIGHT
Emerald Downs launches inaugural quarter horse race; Snip N Dale receives high weight
Snip N Dale received the high weight of 126 lbs. Wednesday for the $10,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Dash*John Deere Bonus Challenge at Emerald Downs, the first ever quarter horse race in track’s 15-year history.
John Deere and Emerald Downs both contributed $5,000 for the 350-yard event, which runs in Saturday’s 11th and final race
Director of Racing Bret Anderson and Shorty Martin, the racing secretary for Washington Fairs, weighted 14 entrants and narrowed the field by highest weights for the maximum 12-horse field. Martin said that he was happy to see that quarter horses get the chance to compete at Emerald Downs.
“I am thrilled to death,” Martin said. “I think that all the breeds need to come together.”
Snip N Dale could be the horse to beat, as the Okey Dokey Dale gelding boasts an 18-2-3 record in 25 starts. The 5-year-old gray has won three races in a row, including four of his last five. Veteran quarter horse and thoroughbred jockey Joe Crispin, who captured two stakes races last year at Emerald Downs, gets the call. Martin said while Snip N Dale appears the horse to beat, Martin expects the race to come right down to the wire.
“It’ll be pretty competitive,” Martin said. “There are seven or eight horses that are pretty well matched.”
West Seattle Boy will headline Ashbaugh Beal
West Seattle Boy, the all-time leader with 18 wins at Emerald Downs, will headline the Ashbaugh Beal Claiming Challenge Sunday, which features six races worth an aggregate $76,000 in purse money. To be eligible for the Ashbaugh Beal, each horse must have started for the established claiming tag*$3,500, $7,500 or $15,000*or less in 2010.
The claiming challenge does more than provide an opportunity for “blue-collar horses” to collect a bigger paycheck. The end-of-the-meet event usually plays a vital role in the decision for Claimer of the Meet. This year doesn’t appear to be any different.
West Seattle Boy has already made his case for the honor, when he broke Bob Stories and Market Master’s track record with his 17th win at Emerald Downs. The 11-year-old gelding followed the record-setting performance with another victory and could capture a couple more votes with a win Sunday in the claiming challenge race coincidentally named “The Bob Stories.”
Also possible candidates for the yearly award are Bijou Barrister and Classielyte, both four-time winners at the meet, who will face off in “The Market Master.”
The claiming challenge’s sponsor Ashbaugh Beal, formerly known as Stanislaw Ashbaugh, is a Seattle law firm founded in 1987. Rick Beal, the firm’s longtime partner, ranks in the top 10 in the owner’s standings at Emerald Downs. Beal also owned Starbird Road who recently retired after an illustrious stakes-winning career.
Washington-Fair reps to compete Saturday in Blue Mountain Championship
Emerald Downs offers a unique opportunity Saturday, as the track will host The Blue Mountain Championship in an effort to showcase horses who have competed at Washington Fairs. One-third of the 12-horse field will make its first start at Emerald Downs in the 5 ½- furlong event.
Led by Eastern Sonny Boy (19-of-50), Mystic Wood (16-of-46), and Dance Composer (12-of-40), the 12 entrants have combined to win 101 races. It’s also a durable group, as the field has combined for 432 starts.
To be eligible for the Blue Mountain Championship, each entrant must have had at least one 2010 start at a Washington fair*Dayton, Kennewick, Waitsburg or Walla Walla*also known as The Blue Mountain Circuit. Shorty Martin, the racing secretary for Washington fairs said he is excited for Saturday’s race.
“It’s a great opportunity to give the fair circuit some exposure at the bigger tracks,” Martin said.
Tim McCana and Ricky Frazier cruising to latest Emerald titles
Tim McCanna is about to join Ben Harris as the only trainers in history to win four consecutive titles at a Thoroughbred track in Western Washington. Harris accomplished the feat at Longacres from 1989-92 while McCanna will do the trick at Emerald Downs in 2007-10.
All that remains to be settled is whether McCanna will break his own Emerald Downs’ single-season record of 66 wins set in 2008*and McCanna certainly is giving it a go. He has entered 15 horses (including multiple entries in three races) on closing weekend including four Friday, five Saturday and six Sunday.
McCanna*Emerald Downs’ all-time leader with 770 wins currently leads Vann Belvoir 63-51, with Frank Lucarelli, 47 wins, Jim Penney, 44, and Howard Belvoir, 42, rounding out the top five.
Ricky Frazier, meanwhile, has locked up his second straight riding championship and his fifth title at Emerald Downs since 2004. Frazier, who serves the second half of a two-day suspension Friday, leads Juan Gutierrez 111-91, with Gallyn Mitchell, 75 wins, Francisco Duran, 72, and Kevin Krigger, 66, completing the top five. Frazier also ranks first in stakes wins with 10*including five on certain Horse of the Meeting Noosa Beach*first in earnings with $1,166,337, and first in win percentage at 22.6.
In the race for leading owner, Howard Belvoir is clinging to a 16-15 lead over Ron Crockett, Inc., with Michael & Amy Feuerborn, third with 13 wins, followed by Sue & Tim Spooner with 12, and Larry & Veralene Hillis with 11.
Noosa Beach is No. 1 in wins, six, stakes wins, five, and earnings, $225,930.
NOTES: Week 24 honors: Jockey*Jorge Rosales (8-length victory on Champali Lace); Trainer*Charles Essex (3 wins); Owner*C. E. & Ann Richardson (2 wins); Groom*Victor Silva (Petra Lewin)*Multiple stakes winner Lady Golightly has a chipped knee and will undergo surgery later this month, trainer Tom Wenzel said. Wenzel said the Matty G filly probably sustained the injury in the Sept. 12 Diane Kem Stakes*Trainer Frank Lucarelli said he plans to have strings at both Golden Gate Fields and Turf Paradise this winter*And trainer Charles Essex, who usually ships to Turf Paradise, plans to run at Portland Meadows this winter*The 2010-11 Portland Meadows meeting runs Monday, Oct. 4, thru Wednesday March 30. Entries for PM opening day*featuring Wasserman in the $20,000 Inaugural Handicap at six furlongs*will be taken Wednesday, Sept. 29*Assistant trainer Kay Cooper said the Jim Penney-barn will close shop for the winter rather than ship horses to northern California*Trainer Mark Rheinford said he ships to Turf Paradise next week with a string of six horse*Howard Belvoir said Assessment came out of Sunday’s allowance victory in good order and remains a go for the $100,000 British Columbia Premiers Stakes on Oct. 10 at Hastings Racecourse*Saturday’s late Pick 4 will cover races 7-10. The 11th race will be the quarter horse race*Zenovit drew the No. 1 post-position and will be ridden by Kevin Krigger in Saturday’s $75,000 British Columbia Oaks at Hastings Racecourse*Washington’s Lottery Handicap winner Rewritten and 2009 Diane Kem victor Have’n a Wild Time head a six-horse field in Saturday’s $21,500 allowance race at one mile* Juan Gutierrez has ridden at least one winner on eight straight cards including three triples and three doubles. Since Labor Day, Gutierrez has averaged 2.25 wins a day and, with 91 wins, has a chance to break his career-high of 98 wins set in 2009*Trainer Blaine Wright said Hallelujah Trail, who finished second in the Hastings Handicap and the Washington State Legislators Handicap, will run in the $50,000 Harvest Stakes on Oct. 10 at Fresno*Vicky Baze remains atop the Assiniboia Downs jockeys’ standings, leading Janine Stianson 66-64, with three days left in the meet*Closing weekend weather forecast at EmD*Friday-partly sunny-high 68; Saturday-mostly sunny-high 73; Sunday-partly cloudy-68.
