Kruger Park, a newcomer to Emerald Downs, turned in a superb Northwest debut Sunday in the $30,000 Seattle Handicap at Emerald Downs. The Florida-bred gelding raced to a three-quarter-length victory over Assessment in the first stakes event for older horses at the meet.

Reel Prime rallied for third and defending Longacres Mile champion Wasserman closed ground belatedly and finished in fourth place.

With Javier Matias riding at 117 pounds, Kruger Park ran six furlongs in 1:08. 3/5 and paid $12.60, $6.40 and $5.40. Carlos Moreno is the trainer for owner and wife Maria Isabel Moreno of Federal Way, Wash.

The 5-year-old gray broke sharply from the No. 1 post position and dueled with A Cat Named Snipe through fractions of :22 and :44 2/5 seconds. Kruger Park shook off A Car Named Snipe turning for home, opened a 1 ½-length lead into the stretch and then was fully extended to hold off Assessment late.

Assessment, ridden by Gallyn Mitchell at 118 pounds, paid $5.20 and $4.40 for place and show.

It was 2 ¾ lengths back to Reel Prime, a 45-1 long shot ridden by Jose Zunino at 119 pounds, and a $10.40 show payoff. Wasserman, some 14 lengths behind Kruger Park on the backstretch, found his best stride too late and settled for fourth place.

Starbird Road, Exclusive Eagle, Fear No Evil, Margo’s Gift and A Cat Named Snipe, the 7-2 wagering favorite, completed the order of finish.

Claimed for $50,000 at Santa Anita on March 22, Kruger Park won for the fourth time in 15 career starts and earned $16,500. He has an overall mark of 15-4-3-3 with earnings of $170,454. It was the first Emerald Downs stakes victory for Moreno.

“This was a speed race, so we just wanted to get out first and really send him,” Matias said. “I knew if we could get out in front and set the pace, with his speed, he could win it.”

Wasserman, meanwhile, earned $2,250 for finishing fourth and increased his all-time earnings record at Emerald Downs to $426,162. He has finished fourth in both starts in 2009, and regular rider Jennifer Whitaker said the 7-year-old gelding’s closing style might have worked against him Sunday.

“It’s a speed track right now, and we did what we could, but it was hard to get around with the horses so spread out.”

The older handicap runners reconvene on May 25 for the $50,000 FSN Handicap at 6 ½ furlongs.

NOTES: All-time leading trainer Tim McCanna saddled his 650th and 651st winner as Emerald Downs with Martimatic ($4.40) in the first race and Spunky Harry ($10) in the eighth. Frank Lucarelli, second all-time with 546 wins, scored with American Avenue ($2.60) in the second and saddled Fear No Evil to a seventh-place finish in the Seattle Handicap…With 11 wins in the first nine days including a triple on Sunday, Cassie Papineau is on pace to break the single-season record of 47 wins by an apprentice jockey set by Jennifer Whitaker in 2001. After winning twice Saturday, Papineau the first on Martimatic, the fifth on Rosieontop ($9) and the ninth on Zayboom ($5) …Ricky Frazier is even hotter than Papineau. He also rode three winners Sunday, has 15 wins in the last six racing days and has opened a 17-12 lead on Gallyn Mitchell in the standings…Racing resumes Friday with first post at 6 p.m.

Posted by SHAWN SKAGER