Alert Bay

SIX PACK READY TO ROLL IN $200,000 LONGACRES MILE

Millionaire Alert Bay drew the No. 2 post-position and was installed 9/5 morning line favorite for the 83rd renewal of the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) on Sunday, August 12.

A field of six entered the Grade 3 event, which goes as Race 8 at 5:53 p.m. The card also features the $50,000 Emerald Distaff, $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes, $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes, and a special $0.50 all stakes Pick 4.

Trained by Blaine Wright and owned by Peter Redekop of Vancouver, BC, Alert Bay will attempt to win the race off a 13-month layoff. A 7-year-old California-bred, Alert Bay is 14 for 33 lifetime with earnings of $1,252,555, but has not raced since a third in the American Stakes (G3) on July 4, 2017 at Santa Anita.

Alert Bay has Longacres Mile experience, finishing third to Stryker Phd in 2015 and fourth to Point Piper in 2016. The City Zip gelding has 10 stakes wins including a pair Grade 2s and four Grade 3s.

Juan Hernandez will ride Alert Bay, the starting high-weight at 121 lbs.

Barkley (left) and Mach One Rules (right) are the top local threats at 5/2 and 4/1 on the morning line.

Owned by Rising Star Stable III and trained by two-time Longacres Mile-winning trainer Howard Belvoir, Barkley is a five-time stakes winner and finished fourth to Gold Rush Dancer in the 2017 Mile.

“I couldn’t ask for (Barkley) to be coming into the race any better,” Belvoir said. “It all depends how the race shapes up, but he’s very sharp right now.”

A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred by Munnings, Barkley is 8-4-1 in 16 career starts with earnings of $242,900.

REV Racing’s Mach One Rules has finished third in all three older horse stakes this season, and is 7 for 23 lifetime with earnings of $316,026. Mach One Rules, a 5-year-old by Harbor the Gold, is one of two Washington-bred in the race.

“(The Longacres Mile) is the one you want the most,” said trainer Frank Lucarelli. “(Mach One Rules) is doing good, and he ran well last year in the race. Riser is out, but there’s still plenty of good horses in the race.”

Kaabraaj, track and state record-holder at six furlongs, attempts to carry his prodigious speed around two turns. The 6-year-old Washington-bred comes off a sparkling 2 ¾-length victory at 6 ½ furlongs, but is winless in three career routes.

“We’re hoping the shorter field helps us,” trainer Jeff Metz said of Kaabraaj. “It looks like there’s a couple less speed horses in the race this year.”

Co-owned by Warlock Stables, Horseplayers Racing Club 240 and Saratoga West, Kaabraaj is 8 for 30 lifetime with earnings of $175,030. His 1:06.84 clocking April 23, 2016, broke the track and state record of 1:07 for six furlongs shared by Atta Boy Roy and Noosa Beach.

Conquest Windycity, 9/2 on the morning line, is a wildcard for owner Dave Staudacher and Churchill Downs-based trainer Mike Maker.

A 5-year-old Tiznow gelding, Conquest Windycity is very capable—registering five Beyers of 92 or higher, including a 100 earlier this year in Florida. In his four most recent races, however, Conquest Windycity finished sixth, ninth, fifth and sixth,

Wright, the top stakes trainer the last two seasons at Emerald Downs, also saddles Todd and Shawn Hansen’s Oh Marvelous Me, longest shot in the field at 12/1. A 6-year-old Bluegrass Cat gelding, Oh Marvelous Me thrives at Emerald Downs with a 6 for 12 record, albeit vs. softer competition.

$200,000 LONGACRES MILE (G3)

1-Mach One Rules, Pedro Terrero, 119 lbs, 4/1
2-Alert Bay, Juan Hernandez, 121, 9/5
3-Barkley, Javier Matias, 120, 5/2
4-Kaabraaj, Jose Zunino, 117, 6/1
5-Conquest Windycity, Erick Lopez, 118, 9/2
6-Oh Marvelous Me, Julien Couton, 117, 12/1

Career records of Longacres Mile entrants:
Alert Bay (33-14-7-4-$1,252,555)
Barkley (16-8-4-1-$242,900)
Conquest Windycity (22-4-3-4-$282,651)
Kaabraaj (30-8-3-5-$175,030)
Mach One Rules (23-7-9-4-$316,026)
Oh Marvelous Me (20-6-5-3-$82,228)

PERFECT WEATHER FOR LONGACRES MILE

Weather will not be a factor Sunday; the National Weather Service forecast calls for clear skies and a high of 81 degrees for the 83rd running of the Northwest’s premier race.

While weather is expected to soar into the mid-90s Wednesday and Thursday, the temperature is expected to cool to 79 on Friday and 76 on Saturday.

In the 83-year history of the Mile, there has only been 11 off tracks and only two in 22 runnings at Emerald Downs—Adreamisborn in 2004 and The Great Face in 2007 both won on sloppy tracks.

Bob Rondeau

RONDEAU HONORARY STEWARD FOR MILE

Bob Rondeau—11-time Washington State Sportscaster of the Year—is Honorary Steward for the 2018 Longacres Mile.

Rondeau, who retired last year after 37 years as the voice of the Washington Huskies, is an avid Thoroughbred race fan and former winner of the Mark Kaufman Media Award for excellence in coverage of racing in Washington.

2YO Filly Northwest Factor

$0.50 ALL STAKES PICK 4 SUNDAY

A special $0.50 All Stakes Pick 4 will be offered Sunday at Emerald Downs, composed of races 5 through 8. There are 38 horses in the four races (9.5 average) including full fields of 12 in both the $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes and $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes.

Race 5: $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes, 2-Year-Olds, 6F
Race 6: $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes, 2-Year-Old Fillies, 6F
Race 7: $50,000 Emerald Distaff, Older Fillies & Mares, 1 1/8 M
Race 8: $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3), 3-Year-Olds & Up, 1M

LONGACRES MILE AT EMERALD DOWNS (1996-2017)
WINNING TIMES & BEYERS

YEAR. . .WINNER. . .TIME. . . BEYER
1996 Isitingood (5) 1:35 3/5 105
1997 Kid Katabatic (4) 1:34 1/5 105
1998 Wild Wonder (4) 1:33 1/5 111
1999 Budroyale (6) 1:34 3/5 106
2000 Edneator (4) 1:33 1/5 104
2001 Irisheysareflying (4) 1:35 2/5 100
2002 Sabertooth (4) 1:34 3/5 96
2003 Sky Jack (7) 1:33 105
2004 Adreamisborn (5) 1:34 4/5# 99
2005 No Giveaway (4) 1:35 3/5 93
2006 Flamethrowintexan (5) 1:34 2/5 101
2007 The Great Face (5) 1:35 2/5# 91
2008 Wasserman (6) 1:35 90
2009 Assessment (5) 1:33 2/5 94
2010 Noosa Beach (4) 1:34 4/5 99
2011 Awesome Gem (8) 1:34.80 96
2012 Taylor Said (4) 1:33.79 98
2013 Herbie D (5) 1:35.12 100
2014 Stryker Phd (5) 1:33.67 97
2015 Stryker Phd (6) 1:34.06 99
2016 Point Piper (6) 1:32.90* 103
2017 Gold Rush Dancer (4) 1:33.85 97
*Track & State Record
#Sloppy track

Top Quality

$50,000 EMERALD DISTAFF DRAWS FIELD OF EIGHT

Trainer Blaine Wright goes for a sweep of the 2018 older filly and mare division in Sunday’s $50,000 Emerald Distaff.

Wright sends out the top three starting high-weights—Ten Broeck Farm’s Top Quality, Red Leaf Stable’s Daz Lin Dawn, and Luigi DiPietro and Diana DiPietro’s Reginella.

Wright has won the first three races with different horses, Invested Prospect taking the Hastings Stakes, Alliford Bay capturing the Washington State Legislators Stakes, and Top Quality romping in the Boeing Stakes.

The Distaff at 1 1/8 miles is the longest race of the series, and both Little Dancer and Daz Lin Dawn are proven at the distance. Little Dancer won the 2017 Washington Oaks at 1 1/8 miles and finished second vs. older horses in the Emerald Distaff, and Daz Lin Dawn captured the 2017 British Columbia Oaks at 1 1/8 miles for her seventh stakes win last year at Hastings Racecourse.

The field from the rail out for the $50,000 Emerald Distaff with jockey and handicap weight: 1-Grace Bay, Pedro Terrero, 115 lbs; 2-Reginella, Juan Hernandez, 119; 3-Jerre to Carrie, Leonel Camacho-Flores, 117; 4-Blazinbeauty, Javier Matias, 115, 6/1; 5-No Talking Back, Anne Sanguinetti, 118; 6-Top Quality, Kevin Orozco, 122; 7-Daz Lin Dawn, Julien Couton, 120; 8-Little Dancer, Eswan Flores, 117.

RACING THIS WEEK

Friday, August 10
6:30 p.m. (7 races)
Fab Friday

Saturday, August 11
5 p.m. (8 races)
Twilight Saturday (thru Sept. 22)
Breakfast at the Wire (thru Aug. 25)
“Horsemen Helping Horsemen”
Distance Series, Event #1

Sunday, August 12
2 p.m. (11 races)
$200,000 Longacres Mile (G3)
$50,000 Emerald Distaff
$50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes
$50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes
$0.50 All Stakes Pick Four

BEYERS & FAST TIMES

Friday, August 3
Race 1: Mystic Beauty-12
Race 2: Desert Prophet-65*
Race 3: Seattle Sea Gal-39
Race 4: Bella Colomba-49
Race 5: Cecil the Cat-70
Race 6: Estiqaa-70
Race 7: Dark Morning-44*

Saturday, August 4
Race 1: Lofty Cause-41
Race 2: Pulpits Power-79*
Race 3: Alittlelesstalk-32+
Race 4: Slingshot Mistress-43+
Race 5: Owners’ Prestige (Aus)-70
Race 6: Royal Privacy-84*
Race 7: Brilliant Bird-67*
Race 8: Merveilleuse-59

Sunday, August 5
Race 1: Poutn On the Wagon-qh
Race 2: Charming Ruler-56*
Race 3: Bernie-49
Race 4: Kalikimaka-26
Race 5: Snowball’s Chance-58
Race 6: Little Joker-58*
Race 7: Justitia-56
Race 8: Afleet Hope-74*
Race 9: Hey Sequoia-61
Race 10: Scout Patrol-47
* Career-high
# First-time starter
+2YO

Kaabraaj

Fastest Times
4 ½ Furlongs :51.87 Sunshine Emily (2yof) June 16
5 Furlongs :56.52 Das Bear (3yog) May 5
5 ½ Furlongs 1:02.94 Barkley (5yoh) May 13
6 Furlongs 1:08.09 Daytona Beach (6yog) June 17
6 ½ Furlongs 1:14.31 Kaabraaj (6yog) July 8
1 Mile 1:34.60 Huya (5yog) June 16
1 1/16 Mile 1:40.08 Riser (4yoc) July 15
1 1/8 Mile 1:48.54 Sippin Fire (3yogf) July 29

Betting Favorites
Last Week: 6-25 (24.0%)
Season: 130-381 (34.1%)
Largest $2 Win: $66 Pretty Miss Vanna (May 26)
$2 Place: $31 Colour of Money (May 11)
$2 Show: $16.20 Vintastic (May 13)
Largest Payout: $57,865 ($0.20 Jackpot 7, July 14)

Leading Jockeys
77-Rocco Bowen
52-Kevin Orozco
48-Julien Couton
40-Gary Wales
34-Eswan Flores
17-Anne Sanguinetti
16-Javier Matias
15-Leonel Camacho-Flores
15-Erick Lopez
14-Austin Solis
13-Jose Zunino

Jockeys Earnings
$750,327-Rocco Bowen
$578,405-Kevin Orozco
$573,986-Julien Couton
$398,758-Gary Wales
$360,406-Eswan Flores
$227,389-Javier Matias
$227,262-Austin Solis
$221,303-Leonel Camacho-Flores
$213,409-Jose Zunino
$200,043-Erick Lopez

Leading Trainers
32-Jeff Metz
29-Blaine Wright
27-Frank Lucarelli
20-Joe Toye
16-Vince Gibson
15-Manny Ortiz
11-Howard Belvoir
11-Candi Tollett
11-Tom Wenzel
10-Robbie Baze
9-Mike Puhich
9-Chris Stenslie
9-David Martinez

Blaine Wright

Trainers Earnings
$531,265-Blaine Wright
$332,481-Frank Lucarelli
$243,993-Jeff Metz
$182,464-Tom Wenzel
$172,747-Howard Belvoir
$162,283-Vince Gibson
$147,290-Steve Bullock
$141,171-Chris Stenslie
$138,246-Joe Toye
$124,573-Mike Puhich

Tim Bankers

Leading Owners
13-Saratoga West
10-Rick Kessler or Terra Firma Farm
8-John E. Parker
7-Tawnja Elison
7-Tim Bankers
6-Kenneth Elison or Vicky Jo Elison
5-Randall and Rossi or Lucarelli Racing
5-Todd & Shawn Hansen
5-Luigi DiPietro or Diana DiPietro
5-Aaron Bresko

Guardian One

Horses Wins
3-Copy Begone
3-Curious Rumor
3-Daytona Beach
3-Guardian One
3-Party for One
3-Rojo Bou Peep
3-Ryan Walt
3-Sippin Fire***
3-Will Not
2-Hill Croome
2-Golden Cowboy
2-Wine At Nine
2-Zanab
2-Dudley Studley
2-Ryan Walt
2-Mintenized
2-Mitch and John E
2-No Talking Back
2-Bet the Harbor
2-Grand Palais
2-Fernet Me Not
2-Please Be Me
2-Awesome Return
2-She Got Away
2-Briana Jean
2-Outdidya
2-Regazze Cat
2-Iron Rob
2-Double A. Prospect
2-Blame It On Royce
2-Cold Hard Luck
2-Ask Not
2-Riser**
2-Endangered
2-Choreography
2-Tesla
2-Calex
2-Outa Here
2-Bye Bye Sal
2-Mister Breeze
2-Oldtimers Vision
2-Diamonds R*
2-Tizzy Dean
2-Serbian Syclone
2-Papa Mambo
2-Josie Treasure
2-Meet At Jakes
2-Que Chistoso
2-Party for One
2-Bell of Rainier
2-Ever Special
2-Jake’s a Poppin
2-Fly Far Away
2-Cats Gulch
2-Cody’s Choice
2-Bullet Drill
2-Sea Basket
2-Cruzin in Style
2-Baja Sur*
2-Buckley Bay
2-Marymoor Park
2-Kenzie Blake
2-Our Silver Lining
2-Rough and Ready
2-Mike Man’s Gold
2-Levitation
2-Long Game
2-Instinctual Kash
2-Crushin Candy
2-Thirty Pepperonis
2-Hart Mountain
2-Iknowyourface
2-Private Boss
2-Huggy Bear
2-Lucky Cleric
2-Jupiter S.
2-Seattle Sea Gal
2-Bella Colomba
2-Charming Ruler
2-Bernie
*Stakes Win

Sippin Fire

Horses Earnings
$81,200-Sippin Fire
$56,250-Riser
$54,688-Diamonds R
$54,350-Bella Mia
$39,545-Northwest Factor
$38,587-Ima Happy Cat
$37,325-No Talking Back
$36,350-Invested Prospect
$35,575-Barkley
$34,650-Baja Sur

Chris Tubbs

WEEKLY HONORS #16 (August 3-5): Valpak Jockey-Eswan Flores; Las Margaritas Trainer-Tom Wenzel; EmD Owner-Wing Ho: Quarter Chute Café Groom-Chris Tubbs (Jeff Metz); WTBOA WA-Bred-Brilliant Bird (Bret Christopherson breeder); Exercise Rider-Analissa Culy.