Washington Horse of the Year Stryker Phd continued his preparations for his 2015 Emerald Downs campaign Thursday, working five furlongs in 1:02 (3/6).

With regular rider Leslie Mawing out of town, Joe Steiner came in relief for the morning drill. On a side note, agent Vito Lucarelli confirmed Thursday that Mawing would indeed ride Stryker Phd for the 2015 meeting. Mawing projected to have other options in the older horse division including last year’s Top 3-Year-Old Noosito.

Also on the work tab this week, the state’s Top Older Female Madame Pele worked six furlongs Monday in 1:12.60 (1/2). Madame Pele could be favored in next Sunday’s $50,000 Hastings Handicap.

BROTHER & SISTER HAVE NEAR IDENTICAL RECORDS

Owned and bred by Keith Swagerty and produced by the same dam, Mike Man’s Gold and No Flies On Doodle enjoyed remarkably similar careers. Mike Man’s Gold is still going strong, however, and scheduled to run in the $50,000 Governor’s Handicap on Sunday, May 17.

FAST TIMES & FIGURES: WEEK 2

2015 Fastest Times

5 Furlongs :57.01 Fooled Again, April 18

5-½ Furlongs 1:02.39 O B Harbor, April 18

6 Furlongs 1:09.18 Trick Or Retreat, April 19

1 Mile 1:37.78 It’s Our Pleasure, April 19

FINISH LINES: Weekly Honors #2 -Trainer- Jeff Metz ; Jockey- Cerapio Figueroa ; Owner- Woodway Stable ; Groom- Gordy Nyhus ( Martin Pimentel ); WTBOA Washington-bred- Mike Man’s Gold ( Keith & Jan Swagerty ); Exercise Rider- Lance Bullock . . . Mr. Top Kat puts a five-race winning streak on the line Sunday in the $18,800 feature for older $25,000 claimers at 5 ½ furlongs. A 6-year-old Katowice ridgling, Mr. Top Kat is 14-for-34 lifetime and unbeaten in five races for trainer Rigoberto Velasquez , including a 2 ¾-length win on opening day in which Mr. Top Kat ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:02.56 for an 80 Beyer. . .Nominations close Saturday for the $50,000 Hastings Handicap for older fillies and mares at six furlongs. The Hastings is the first of 29 stakes this year at Emerald Downs. . .Friday’s $13,600 feature race for older fillies and mares marks the EmD debut for Krazy for Kugel , a 5-year-old Indygo Shiner mare that won races and $43,574 in 2014. Strawberry Dawn is the 9-to-5 morning line choice in the six-furlong dash. . . Thundering Away , a 4-year-old Stormin Fever gelding that debuts Sunday for Howard Belvoir and owners Todd & Shawn Hansen , is out of the great producer Timely Bet , whose 12 winners to date include 2001 Northwest Stallion Stakes winner Ippodamia . . . It’s a Seahawks weekend at Emerald Downs: Shehawk runs Friday and Twelfth Fan and Legion of Boom are entered Saturday. . . Nothing but clear skies and sunshine this weekend at Emerald Downs: Friday 65 & clear, Saturday 64 & clear, Sunday 68 & clear. Zero percent chance of rain!…Sun Downs offers a pair of $10,000 Quarter Horse stakes on Saturday. A Real Steal 613 is the 5-to-2 morning line favorite in the Dick Monahan AQHA Maiden Challenge Final and Cm Got Overserved is 5-to-2 in the $10,000 AQHA Bonus Challenge. Cm Got Overserved finished sixth in the 2013 Bank of America Emerald Downs Championship Challenge.