For the Reporter
Defending champion Stryker Phd heads a full field of 12 older horses in Sunday’s 80th running of the $200,000 Longacres Mile (Grade 3) at Emerald Downs.
Stryker Phd drew the No. 7 post-position at Wednesday’s annual Longacres Mile Draw Breakfast, with regular rider Leslie Mawing named to ride the 123-pound high-weight. Track line maker Rob Rao installed the defending champion as the 9-to-5 favorite, followed by California invaders Alert Bay and Sammy Mandeville at 4-1 and 9-2.
The Longacres Mile goes as Race 7 with post time 5:35 p.m.
Unbeaten in his last six starts at Emerald Downs including a half-length victory in the 2014 Mile, Stryker Phd bids to join Amble In (1946, 1948), Trooper Seven (1980-81) and Simply Majestic (1988-89) as two-time winners of The Mile. He also would become the first to accomplish the feat at Emerald Downs.
Trained by Larry Ross for owners Jim and Mona Hour of Bellevue, Wash., Stryker Phd is beginning to challenge Noosa Beach for unofficial title of greatest horse in track history. A 6-year-old Washington-bred by Bertrando-Striking Scholar, he’s running in his third straight Mile and is unbeaten here since finishing runner-up to Herbie D in the 2013 Mile.
In last year’s race, Stryker Phd came from last to defeat Boyett by a half-length in 1:33.67. In two starts this year, Stryker Phd defeated Noosito by a neck in the one-mile Budweiser Handicap and beat Absolutely Cool by six lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Mt. Rainier Handicap.
“He worked really good last Sunday and he looked good on the track today,”said assistant trainer Sharon Ross. “We just have to make sure nothing happens to him between now and the race.”
Alert Bay enjoyed a remarkable 2014 season, winning six stakes and nearly $600,000 for trainer Blaine Wright and owner Peter Redekop of Vancouver, B.C. A 4-year-old California-bred by City Zip, Alert Bay drew the No. 8 post and will be ridden by Rico Walcott at 122 pounds.
“His (two) races so far this year don’t indicate that he’s back to his 3-year-old form,” Wright said. “He’s trained very smart for this race. Hopefully he can come back here and get back to good form again.
“The Mile has always been on our radar since we turned him out last year,” Wright added. “It’s been a focal point for us and maybe he’ll make a good showing.”
Other Mile notes
• 14 horses entered the race, with high weights preferred. Botch, low-weighted at 114 pounds was excluded, and a draw was held between three horses weighted at 115 pounds — Prohibition, Solemnly Swear and Scat Daddybaby —with Scat Daddybaby the odd-man out.
• The Southern California contingent of Sammy Mandeville, Majestic City and Prohibition are scheduled to arrive by van Thursday morning.
• For the third time in their last four Mile starts, trainer Dino Condilenios and owner Swift Thoroughbreds drew the dreaded No. 12 post-position. Track announcer Matt Dinerman drew the pill in absentia for the Canadians, and pulled No. 12. Last year, Shooting Jacket finished fifth out of the No. 12 post for Condilenios, and in 2010 Burj Dubai finished 11th out of the 12-hole.
• Assessment in 2009 and Coldwater in 1935 are the only horses to win from post- position 12.
• Only two horses are back from last year’s Mile: Stryker Phd and seventh-place finisher Prohibition.
• Five trainers in this year’s race are previous Mile winners: Doris Harwood, Tom Wenzel, Doug O’Neill, Mike Puhich and Larry Ross. Three owners previously won the race: Jim & Mona Hour (Stryker Phd), Jeff Harwood (Noosito) and North American Thoroughbred Racing Co. (Taylors Deal, Solemnly Swear). Only two jockeys are previous Mile winners: Juan Gutierrez and Leslie Mawing.
• A victory by Absolutely Cool, Del Rio Harbor, Noosito or Stryker Phd would tie Washington-breds with Kentucky for most wins in the race. Heading into the 80th running, Kentucky-breds rank No. 1 with 21 wins, followed by Washington with 20 and California with 16.
• Doug O’Neill (Sammy Mandeville) and Richard Baltas (Majestic City) currently rank first and third in the Del Mar trainers’ standings.
• Fleet Eagle ran the meet’s fastest 6½ furlongs, 1:14.27, while winning the May 17 Governor’s Handicap by 6¾ lengths. Fleet Eagle’s 99 Beyer is largest by any horse at the 2015 meet; Stryker Phd earned a 97 in the Budweiser Handicap and a 94 in the Mt. Rainier.
• Entries also were drawn for Sunday’s $65,000 Emerald Distaff; the remainder of Sunday’s card will be drawn Thursday.
• Saturday’s 10-race card features two stakes for 2-year-olds: $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes for colts and geldings at 6 ½ furlongs, $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch for fillies at 6½ furlongs.
BEYERS OF LGA MILE WINNERS AT EmD
2014: Stryker Phd-97
2013: Herbie D-100
2012: Taylor Said-98
2011: Awesome Gem-96
2010: Noosa Beach-99
2009: Assessment-94
2008: Wasserman-90
2007: The Great Face-91
2006: Flamethrowintexan-101
2005: No Giveaway-93
2004: Adreamisborn-99
2003: Sky Jack-105
2002: Sabertooth-96
2001: Irisheyesareflying-100
2000: Edneator-104
1999: Budroyale-106
1998: Wild Wonder-111
1997: Kid Katabatic-105
1996: Isitingood-105
Longacres Mile Facts & Figures
What: 80th Running $200,000 Longacres Mile (Grade 3)
When: Sunday, August 16, 5:35 p.m. (Race 8)
Where: Emerald Downs
TV: Emerald Downs Live on CSN (CSN-179) 2-6 p.m.
Co-Feature: $65,000 Emerald Distaff, Race 7, 4:50 p.m.
Giveaway Item: American Pharoah Triple Crown T-Shirts
First Post: 2 p.m.
$200,000 LONGACRES MILE (G3)
Race 8—5:35 PM
Post, horse, jockey, trainer, weight, morning line
1. Del Rio Harbor, Julien Couton, Marshall Allen, 116, 30-1
2. Noosito, Juan Gutierrez, Doris Harwood, 116, 10-1
3. Fleet Eagle, Diego Sanchez, Paula Capestro, 118, 10-1
4. Taylors Deal, David G. Lopez, Troy Taylor, 116, 12-1
5. Majestic City, E. Maldonado, Richard Baltas, 118, 10-1
6. Absolutely Cool, Rocco Bowen, Tom Wenzel, 118, 15-1
7. Stryker Phd, Leslie Mawing, Larry Ross, 123, 9-5
8. Alert Bay, Rico Walcott, Blaine Wright, 122, 4-1
9. Sammy Mandeville, Alex Solis, Alex Solis, 117, 9-2
10. Prohibition, Tiago Periera, Vann Belvoir, 115, 20-1
11. Solemnly Swear, Joe Steiner, Mike Puhich, 115, 20-1
12. Modern, Richard Hamel, D. Condilenios, 118, 20-1
Also Sunday: $65,000 Emerald Distaff
Lady Rosberg heads a field of six fillies and mares entered in Sunday’s 20th running of the $65,000 Emerald Distaff, the championship race for older fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles.
Carded as Race 7, the Distaff goes at 4:55 p.m.
Lady Rosberg drew the No. 6 post and carries high-weight of 121 pounds.
Win lose or draw, owner/breeder Karl Krieg deserves to take a bow, as the veteran horseman sends out homebreds Absolutely Cool in the Longacres Mile and Lady Rosberg in the Emerald Distaff.
Tom Wenzel trains both Absolutely Cool, an 8-year-old gelding by Absolute Harmony-Coup de Foudre, and Lady Rosberg, a 5-year-old mare by Rosberg-Enter Laughing. Absolutely Cool is 15-1 in The Mile while Lady Rosberg will be favored when the Distaff line is released Thursday.
State champion sprinter in 2013 and 2014, Absolutely Cool comes off a runner-up effort to Stryker Phd in the Mt. Rainier Handicap, proof positive that the gelding isn’t just a late-running sprinter.
“It’s a real honor to be here,” Krieg said of Absolutely Cool. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long, long time. This is his biggest test and biggest race.
“He’s proven he can run the mile distance,” Krieg added. “You can’t push him though. You have to let him run his race and he’ll come running.”
Lady Rosberg exploded for a 5½-length victory in the Boeing Handicap, earning a 92 Beyer after running one-mile in 1:35.92. Her overall mark is 7-2-2 in 14 starts, with four stakes wins and $134,272 in earnings.
Prior to Emerald Downs, she rolled to two stakes wins this spring at Turf Paradise, one on dirt and one on turf.
“We’ve always thought so highly of her,” Krieg said of Lady Rosberg. “When we brought her to Emerald Downs, we expected her to be tough. That race in the Boeing was really fun to watch. She’s coming into the Distaff as good as you could hope for.”
Sarahline, a 4-year-old Northern Afleet filly trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, made a good impression in her Emerald Downs debut while finishing runner-up to Lady Rosberg in the Boeing. Although winless in eight starts this year, she has five seconds and two thirds and just missed the win at 1 1/8 miles earlier this year at Golden Gate Fields.
Our Little Hen leads the field with 10 career wins and comes off a one-length victory in a $25,000 allowance at 1 1/16 miles.
$65,000 EMERALD DISTAFF
Race 7, 5:59 P.M.
Post, horse, jockey, trainer, weight, morning line
1. Our Little Hen, Julien Couton, Doris Harwood, 117, TBD
2. Sarahline, Leslie Mawing, Jerry Hollendorfer, 115, TBD
3. Madame Pele, Juan Gutierrez, Jim Penney, 116, TBD
4. Alli Leigh, Javier Matias, Diane Garrison, 113, TBD
5. Among the Stars, Joe Steiner, Candi Tollett, 114, TBD
6. Lady Rosberg, Gallyn Mitchell, Tom Wenzel, 121, TBD
