Who is the best horse at Emerald Downs in 2010? Three weeks ago the answer was simple: Noosa Beach.
The Harbor the Gold gelding captured his first three races of the season including the track’s first two stakes races for older horses this season. In last month’s Budweiser, he dominated an eight-horse field with a 9 ¼-length triumph. And in each of those three races, Noosa Beach has beaten almost every suitable contender at least twice.
Sunday’s $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap at 1 1/8 miles —the final tune-up for the $250,000 Longacres Mile—will help to separate the contenders from the pretenders in the handicap division. Assessment, defending Mile champ and Horse of the Meeting, clouded the picture just a bit, after he snapped Noosa Beach’s 6-for-6 sprint record with a neck victory in the Governor’s Handicap on July 11. However, Assessment’s trainer, Howard Belvoir said Noosa Beach should still be considered the horse to beat.
“Noosa Beach is a nice horse,” Belvoir said. “He’s good enough to where he can make mistakes and still find a way to win. Assessment is still a race behind most of these horses, but he’s coming up to this race good.”
Assessment scored a 2 ¼-length victory in the last year’s Mt. Rainier, becoming the third Mt. Rainier-victor in four years to capture the Mile in the same year. The Jump Start gelding suffered an ankle chip last September and after two disappointing starts in 2010, questions arose about his ability perform at the top level. Assessment’s performance in the Governor’s proved to his skeptics that he still possessed the ability to compete with the best horses.
The field for the 15th running of the Mt. Rainier Handicap: Senor Rojo, Miguel Perez, 116 lbs.; Gallon, Juan Gutierrez, 116; Wasserman, Jennifer Whitaker, 114; Rooster City, Kevin Krigger, 117; Dixie Meister, Inoel Beato, 113; Noosa Beach, Ricky Frazier, 121; Assessment, Gallyn Mitchell, 120.
Talented six-horse field will take center stage
in Sunday’s $50,000 Boeing Handicap
The older filly and mare stakes division took another step forward heading into Sunday’s $50,000 Boeing Handicap at 1-1/16 miles—the final prep for the $75,000 Emerald Distaff on Aug. 22.
Already containing quality multiple stakes-winners Clair Annette and Gadget Queen, the division added even more depth with shippers Kimmyv and Pretty Katherine.
Pretty Katherine has faced some of the best fillies and mares in the country including St. Trinians and runner-up Horse of the Year Zenyatta—arguably one of the best mares to ever set foot on a racetrack. Pretty Katherine has only raced three times on a dirt surface and will likely come from off the pace.
Kimmyv comes off a 6 ¼-length romp at Churchill Downs, where she led the entire duration of the race. Swift Thoroughbreds Inc. purchased Kimmyv privately after her win and moved barns from trainer Bob Baffert to Dino Condilenios. The daughter of El Corredor has never routed and with her sprint speed, she could be a pace factor that Clair Annette would have to contend with. However, Condilenios said that he would be surprised to see her on the lead.
“I’m not positive what to expect from her, “ Condilenios said. “Her last work really impressed me. She showed that she is really ratable.”
A Beau Genius mare, Clair Annette is pure speed and will likely be the one to catch going into the final turn. Clair Annette upset 6-to-5 favorite Gadget Queen with a wire-to-wire, 5 ½-length score on the Fourth of July in the King County Handicap. Trainer Blaine Wright said he was surprised that Gadget Queen was the favorite.
“I didn’t think we could win that race because there was no pace,” Wright said. “Nobody can beat Clair Annette if she doesn’t get hooked on the front end. Every time Clair Annette gets headed, she gets beat.”
Gadget Queen should have plenty of speed to run at with Clair Annette and Cliff’s Secret, who also won her last race from start-to-finish.
The Cliff’s Edge Filly has been an interesting story at Emerald Downs this season. Cliff’s Secret is 3-for-3 in her career, which she started in a $5,000 maiden claimer. Steadily climbing up the class ladder, her most recent victory came on July 9, when she captured a $17,500 claiming race by 5 ¾ lengths. She received an 88 Beyer Speed Figure—the highest last-out number posted by any horse in this field.
The field for the 15th running of the Boeing Handicap: Barbara’s Love, Gallyn Mitchell, 116 lbs.; Pretty Katherine, Juan Gutierrez, 120; Gadget Queen, Frazier, 119; Clair Annette, Kevin Krigger, 122; Cliff’s Secret, Francisco Duran, 113; Kimmyv, Chad Hoverson, 118.
Condilenios: Teide and Burj Dubai are Mile possibilities
The 75th Running of the Longacres Mile is less than one month away, and the possible contenders from outside Emerald Downs have started to emerge.
Trainer Dino Condilenios holds a pair of aces, who will run in the Mile if they can overcome a few potential obstacles.
Condilenios said Teide, who finished third the ’09 Mile, is listed as questionable after suffering a quarter crack on July 1. The injury occurred during his victory in the Lieutenant Governor’s Handicap at Hastings Park, in Vancouver, B.C.
“If you would have asked me a week ago, if Teide would be in the Mile, I would‘ve said no, “ Condilenios said. “He seems to be doing a lot better now, and if all goes well, he’ll be there.”
Condilenios said that his up and coming star Burj Dubai would run in the Mile—if he were assigned a high enough weight to qualify. The 4-year-old by Distorted Humor has only raced three times, but according to Condilenios, Burj Dubai has more raw talent than Teide, who has reeled off five career stakes races.
News and Notes
Week 15 honors: Jockey-Gallyn Mitchell (5 wins); Trainer-Blaine Wright (3 wins on 36th birthday); Owner-John & Janene Maryanski (Newfound Man, Seattle Slew Handicap); Groom- Gabriel Moreno (Rigoberto Velasquez, West Seattle Boy)…Bell Adieu, who finished third to stablemate Carrabelle Harbor in the NWSS Knights Choice Stakes on July 18, will attempt to break her maiden in Saturday’s second race—a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds …Federal Way Handicap winner Feeling Fancy will make here second start since recovering from a foot abscess in Sunday’s $21,500 allowance race for 3-year-old fillies. The daughter of Sky Mesa will be the likely betting favorite facing multiple stakes-winner Knight Raider and stakes-placed Zenovit in Sunday’s ninth race…Longacres Mile hopeful Gallant Son finished third as the 13-to-10 favorite Wednesday in the $75,000 Wickerr Stakes on the turf at Del Mar. Blue Chagall ($24) was the winner by 1-¼ lengths and Aggie Engineer finished second, a nose ahead of Gallant Son, who might have been compromised by a tardy break…. Washington-bred 4-year-old filly Point of Reference, runner-up in three stakes last year at Emerald Downs, broke an eight-race losing streak in a $26,000 allowance race Wednesday at Santa Rosa…
Newfound Man and Posse Power both earned 84 Beyers for last Sunday’s Seattle Slew Handicap, which Newfound Man won by a nose…Call On Carson, a double stakes winner at Emerald Downs in 2007 and sixth in the 2008 Longacres Mile, finished fourth in a $5,000 claiming race at Arapahoe Park last week.
