For the Reporter

Southern California stakes winner Carving aims for a second straight local score and tops a list of 11 3-year-old colts and geldings nominated to the $50,000 Auburn Handicap on Sunday.

At 6½ furlongs, the Auburn is the shortest stakes of the meet for male sophomores and the first stop on the road to the $65,000 Emerald Derby at 1 1/8 miles on Sunday, August 11.

A Kentucky-bred son of Any Given Saturday, Carving turned in a solid Emerald Downs debut last month, rallying from last to defeat 2012 Gottstein Futurity winner Music of My Soul in a $21,000 allowance race at 5½ furlongs. Trained by Mike Puhich, Carving ran six furlongs in 1:09.74 and earned an 83 Beyer.

While in California with trainer Bob Baffert, Carving scored stakes wins in the $50,000 C. B. Afflerbaugh at seven furlongs and the $100,000 Real Quiet Stakes at a mile and one-sixteenth. Carving is undefeated in sprints, winning at five, six and seven furlongs.

Music of My Soul was voted Top 2-Year-old Male at Emerald Downs last year, finishing the season with strong wins in the Dennis Dodge Stakes and championship Gottstein Futurity. A Washington-bred by Harbor the Gold-Julia Rose, Music of My Soul is a full brother to two-time Horse of the Meeting Noosa Beach, and like his older brother is improving with racing experience. Music of My Soul also is versatile, winning stakes short and long for trainer Doris Harwood.

Harwood also nominated Forin Sea, a son of Brother Derek who showed promise as a 2-year-old and appears even better this year, based on an impressive come from behind victory vs. good allowance sprinters April 21.

Disruption is an interesting new shooter for Nelson Family Racing and trainer Blaine Wright, the same combination that won stakes with 3-year-olds D’honorable One in 2012 and Zayda in 2011. A Florida-bred gelding by Street Boss, Disruption is two-for-two this year at Golden Gate Fields, earning $33,600 for victories in a maiden special weight and first-level allowance race.

Mike Man’s Gold, a double stakes winner last year, and Finallygotabentley, runner-up to Music of My Soul in the Gottstein, have both earned over $50,000 each for trainers David Martinez and Tom Wenzel. Finallygotabentley has finished second in his last three starts while Mike Man’s Gold was fourth to Carving in his only start this year.

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Auburn Handicap

3-Year-Old Colts & Geldings, 6½ Furlongs, Sunday, June 2

Horse, owner, trainer

Ankeny Hill (3-Ky.), Dr. Rodney Orr, Chris Stenslie

Bound to Win (3-Wash.), Cliff Balcom, Cliff Balcom

Cariboo Road (3-Wash.), Glyn Kelly & Anne MacLennan, Dan Markle

Carving (3-Ky.), Pegasus Syndicate #4, Mike Puhich

Disruption (3-Fla.), Nelson Family Racing, Blaine Wright

Finallygotabentley (3-Ky.), Northwest Farms LLC & Debbie Paxton, Tom Wenzel

Forin Sea (3-Ky), Herman Sarkowsky, Doris Harwood

He’s Not Bluffin (3-Wash.), R & R Warren LLC, Jim Penney

Mike Man’s Gold (3-Wash.), Swag Stables-Gallo Stables, David Martinez

Music of My Soul (3-Wash.), Elttaes Stable, Doris Harwood

Whistle Cat (3-Wash.), Howard E. Maggard, David Martinez