BIOS ON 2022 LONGACRES MILE NOMINEES
1: SLEW’S TIZ WHIZ (8/1)
4-year-old bay gelding by Slew’s Tiznow-Ros’s Girl
Bred in: Washington
Record: 12-5-1-1
Earnings: $88,207
Owner: K D Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Tom Wenzel
Jockey: Jose Zunino
Improving gelding rallied for a $20.40 upset in the July 24 Governor’s Stakes and has won two straight overall, defeating Mile nominees Fantastic Day and Take Charge Deputy in July 10 allowance race.
2: TOP EXECUTIVE (6/1)
4-year-old chestnut gelding by Street Boss-Severn Shore
Bred in: Kentucky
Record: 11-6-1-0
Earnings: $151,323
Owner: John & Janene Maryanski & Riverbend Stable
Trainer: Blaine Wright
Jockey: Evin Roman
2021 Emerald Downs’ Horse of the Meeting is 5-1-0 in six career starts at Emerald Downs. Versatile runner has stakes wins at four different distances—5 ½ furlongs, 6 furlongs, 6 ½ furlongs, 1 1/16 miles. Trainer Blaine Wright won the 2020 Mile with Anothertwistafate while co-owner Riverbend Stable won in 2019 with Law Abidin Citizen.
3: MAJESTIC EAGLE (4/1)
7-year-old bay gelding by Medaglia d’Oro-Double Tapped
Bred in: Kentucky
Record: 38-4-9-4
Earnings: $468,641
Owner: Rave Green Racing
Trainer: Neil Drysdale
Jockey: Declan Cannon
Beautifully bred gelding captured the 2019 American Stakes (G3) on turf at Santa Anita and recently finished second in the Daytona Stakes (G3) on turf at Santa Anita. Unproven on dirt, but hails from a Hall of Fame barn. Originally owned by the late Dave Heerensperger, currently owned by Seattleites Ray Morton and John Lindley, the latter of whom publishes Parker’s Picks at Emerald Downs.
4: BACKGROUND (2/1)
5-year-old chestnut gelding by Khozan-Ephyra
Bred in: Florida
Record: 20-6-3-4
Earnings: $430,488
Owner: Giddyup Stables LLC (Bob and Molly Rondeau)
Trainer: Mike Puhich
Jockey: Geovanni Franco
Attempts to become only the fifth two-time winner of the Longacres Mile, and just the second at Emerald Downs. Glittering 4-1-1 record in six starts at one mile, including gate to wire score in $100,000 allowance this spring at Oaklawn Park. Trainer Mike Puhich bids for this third Longacres Mile victory. Owned by former University of Washington broadcaster Bob Rondeau and wife Molly.
5: KINGMEISTER (30/1)
5-year-old bay gelding by Bodemeister-Gold d’Oro
Bred in: Kentucky
Record: 16-2-3-2
Earnings: $155,620
Owner: Fred and Cindy Desimone
Trainer: Bob Meeking
Jockey: Javier Matias
Claimed for $50,000 at Churchill Downs in June, finished 6th in the Governor’s Stakes in his Emerald Downs debut. Well-traveled gelding has raced at 10 different tracks, scoring maiden win at Gulfstream Park and allowance win at Saratoga. Bob Meeking, 94, attempts to become the oldest trainer to win the Longacres Mile.
6: HUGE BIGLY (8/1)
5-year-old chestnut gelding by Midshipman-Gadget Queen
Bred in: Washington
Record: 16-3-3-2
Earnings: $148,006
Owner: Todd & Shawn Hansen
Trainer: Blaine Wright
Jockey: Heribert Martinez
Todd & Shawn Hansen homebred is a distance specialist and has wins on dirt, turf and synthetic, including a $134,000 allowance race at Churchill Downs. Her dam was a multiple stakes winner at Emerald Downs.
7: UNMACHABLE (15/1)
5-year-old dark bay or brown gelding by Macho Uno-Point of Reference
Bred in: Washington
Record: 17-6-5-2
Earnings: $170,117
Owner: Tawnja Elison
Trainer: Jack McCartney
Jockey: Kevin Orozco
A multiple stakes winner at Emerald Downs and two for two in 2022 with allowance victories at Turf Paradise and Arizona Downs. Finished a fast-closing fifth in the 2021 Longacres Mile.
8: HARD TO DENY (30/1)
6-year-old chestnut gelding by Hard Spun-Queen Martha
Bred in: Kentucky
Record: 20-4-4-2
Earnings: $85,874
Owner: One Horse Will Do Corp., Chris Stenslie and Pete Deraitus
Trainer: Niccolo Troiani
Jockey: Jake Samuels
Thrives at the mile distance, compiling a 3-1-1 record from six tries at the distance. Jody Peetz (One Horse Will Do Corp.) and Chris Stenslie finished third in the 2016 Longacres Mile with O B Harbor.
9: TORPEDO AWAY (20/1)
6-year-old dark bay or brown gelding by Jake La Gold-Victorys Legacy
Bred in: Washington
Record: 35-9-4-7
Earnings: $158,271
Owner: Seamist Racing, BDW Racing Stable, or Dallas Becker
Trainer: Blaine Wright
Jockey: Alex Cruz
Ran the meet’s fastest 6 ½ furlongs, 1:14.26, in winning a $40,000 optional claiming race on July 30. Eight of nine career wins are sprints on the Tapeta synthetic surface at Golden Gate Fields, although sire Jake La Gold won both career starts at Emerald Downs. Co-owner Seamist Racing finished second with Windribbon in 2021 Longacres Mile.
10: FIVE STAR GENERAL (12/1)
6-year-old bay horse by Distorted Humor-Party of Interest
Bred in: Kentucky
Record: 21-7-2-5
Earnings: $321,312
Owner: Elttaes Stable (Ken Alhadeff)
Trainer: Doris Harwood
Jockey: Leslie Mawing
The 2019 British Columbia Derby winner has fared well at Emerald Downs, finishing runner-up to Anothertwistafate in the 2020 Longacres Mile and third to Background in 2021. Purchased from the Glen Todd dispersal in May, he finished third in the Budweiser Stakes and fourth in the Governor’s Stakes. Doris Harwood won the 2010 Mile with Noosa Beach.
11: SPITTIN IMAGE (15/1)
5-year-old dark bay or brown gelding by Harbor the Gold-Flying Memo
Bred in: Washington
Record: 16-5-3-5
Earnings: $94,001
Owner: John Parker
Trainer: Candice Cryderman
Jockey: Juan Gutierrez
Consistent gelding comes off a third in the Governor’s Stakes and has finished in the money in all three career tries around two turns. His older brother, O B Harbor, was 2016 Horse of the Meeting at Emerald Downs and finished third in that year’s Longacres Mile.
12: PAPA’S GOLDEN BOY (10/1)
6-year-old dark bay or brown gelding by Harbor the Gold-Brookie Girl
Bred in: Washington
Record: 21-7-4-0
Earnings: $171,096
Owner: Lusk Racing
Trainer: Vince Gibson
Jockey: Kevin Radke
The dominant sprinter at Emerald Downs the last two years with three sprints stakes victories including a meet-fastest 1:07.76 clocking in this year’s Budweiser Stakes. Finished a close fourth in the 2021 Longacres Mile. Bids to become the ninth Washington-bred and the first since Stryker Phd in 2016 to win the Mile at Emerald Downs.