Oh Marvelous Me
OLDER HORSES MEET SUNDAY IN $50,000 GOVERNOR’S STAKES
In 73 days, the first ever Championship Sunday will be presented at Emerald Downs, featuring four championship stakes in one afternoon of racing on Sunday, August 11. The centerpiece of Championship Sunday is the 84th running of the $200,000 Longacres Mile, culminating the four-race series for 3-year-olds and up.
The first race–the $50,000 Governor’s Stakes at six furlongs–drew a field of seven and goes as Sunday’s seventh race at 5:09 p.m.
With Barkley sidelined, the division is up for grabs, but Anyportinastorm and Sippin Fire will be the top two choices Sunday.
Multiple stakes winner Anyportinastorm invades from the Bay Area for owner Peter Redekop and trainer Blaine Wright. A 5-year-old by City Zip, Anyportinastorm is 4-0-2 in six starts at six furlongs and possesses tremendous speed on either dirt or synthetic–winning the $100,000 Zia Park Sprint in 1:07.92 on dirt (90 Beyer) and $75,000 Lost in the Fog in 1:08.80 on Tapeta (94 Beyer).
Juan Hernandez, second currently at Golden Gate with 102 wins, rides Anyportinstorm and that usually means trouble for the riders at Emerald Downs. Hernandez is 5 for 10 in stakes the last four years at Emerald Downs including a victory on Mucho Amor in the Seattle Stakes three weeks ago.
Sippin Fire comes off a fine season debut, finishing second to Barkley in a $21,500 allowance test at 5 1/2 furlongs three weeks ago. A 4-year-old Harbor the Gold gelding owned by How We Roll #4 and trained by Steve Bullock, Sippin Fire might be better around two turns, but he did win the Coca-Cola Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs last season en route to Horse of the Meeting.
Todd and Shawn Hansen’s Oh Marvelous Me, also trained by Wright, finished third in the aforementioned allowance race, and is 6-3-5 in 18 lifetime starts at Emerald Downs including a third in last year’s Longacres Mile.
For sheer speed, Gary and Maureen Hallett’s Cody’s Choice is one of the quickest sprinters on the grounds, compiling a 4-4-0 record in 11 starts the last two years. His runner-up finish to Awhitesportscoat on April 28 looks even better considering Awhitesportscoat came back to romp in the $50,000 George Royal last week in Vancouver.
Richard Sena’s Grinder Sparksaglo is a hard-hitting 8-year-old equally capable around one turn or two. Hit the Beach won two late-season stakes at Emerald Downs’ in 2018, but has yet to fire in a pair of starts this year. Clemans View Racing’s Tumac Mountain is sharp, recording a win and a second in two starts at the meet, but is stepping way up in class Sunday.
Wasserman in 2008 is the last horse to win the Governor’s and Longacres Mile in the same year.
The field for the $50,000 Governor’s Stakes, 6 Furlongs: 1-Oh Marvelous Me, Jorge Carreno, 120 lbs; 2-Anyportinastorm, Juan Hernandez, 124; 3-Cody’s Choice, Javier Matias, 118; 4-Grinder Sparksaglo, Juan Gutierrez, 118; 5-Tumac Mountain, Patrick Henry Jr., 118; 6-Hit the Beach, Jose Zunino, 118; 7-Sippin Fire, Gary Wales, 122.
2019 LONGACRES MILE SERIES
June 2: $50,000 Governor’s Stakes, 6 Furlongs
June 30: $50,000 Budweiser Stakes, 6 ½ Furlongs
July 21: $50,000 Mt. Rainier Stakes, 1 1/16 Mile
Aug. 11: $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3), 1 Mile
CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY, AUGUST 11
$50,000 Muckleshoot Derby, 1 1/8 Mile
$50,000 Washington Oaks, 1 1/8 Mile
$50,000 Emerald Distaff, 1 1/8 Mile
$200,000 Longacres Mile (G3), 1 Mile
2018 LONGACRES MILE SERIES
$50,000 Governor’s Stakes, 6 Furlongs: Riser ($4.60) 1:08.23 92 Beyer
$50,000 Budweiser Stakes, 6 ½ Furlongs: Dedicated to You* ($24.20) 1:15.65 86 Beyer
$50,000 Mt. Rainier Stakes, 1 1/16 Mile: Riser ($2.60) 1:40.08 97 Beyer
$200,000 Longacres Mile (G3), 1 Mile: Barkley ($7.40) 1:34.93 94 Beyer
*Riser DQ’d from 1st
RACING THIS WEEK
Friday, May 31
6:30 p.m. (7 races)
Fab Friday
Saturday, June 1
2 p.m. (7 races)
First Responders Day
Sunday, June 2
2 p.m. (8 races)
$50,000 Governor’s Stakes (3&up, 6f)
Hawk Fest (1-5 p.m. in the Park)
Handicapping Tournament
BEYERS & FAST TIMES
Smoothee Lee
Friday, May 24
Race 1: French Candy-51
Race 2: Will Not-44
Race 3: Costal Tulips-55
Race 4: Bear Minimum-59
Race 5: Hejustkeepsgiving-60*
Race 6: Smoothee Lee-68
Race 7: Come On Miranda-44*
He’s Not Grey
Saturday, May 25
Race 1: Another Gem-46
Race 2: Forty Four Carat-59*
Race 3: Jupiter S-55
Race 4: Algorithmnblues-60*
Race 5: Ask Not-53
Race 6: Mystical Image-63
Race 7: He’s Not Grey-80*
Race 8: Hunter’s Blaze-37
Goldie’s Darlins
Sunday, May 26
Race 1: Cm Once Ina Bluemoon-qh
Race 2: Flatter Cat-64*
Race 3: Licorice Drop Pops-47
Race 4: Mad for More-52*
Race 5: Legitimate Cause-57
Race 6: Guardingthemoney-70
Race 7: Goldie’s Darlins-64
Race 8: Energica-39*
Ima Happy Cat
Monday, May 27
Race 1: Dazzleation-15+#
Race 2: Helaman-51*
Race 3: Raise the Woof-59#
Race 4: Suddenly Awesome-57*
Race 5: Alittlelesstalk-64
Race 6: Pure Pursuit-79*
Race 7: Ima Happy Cat-79
Race 8: Ninadavina-38*
* Career-high
+ 2-year-old
# First-time starter
Best of Me
Fastest Times
4 ½ Furlongs :53.27 Dazzleation (2f) May 27
5 Furlongs :56.54 Beau Rocket (4f) May 5
5 ½ Furlongs 1:02.04 Best of Me (4f) May 5
6 Furlongs 1:07.98 Baja Sur (3g) May 19
6 ½ Furlongs 1:16.13 Hejustkeepsgiving (3g) May 24
1 Mile 1:35.89 Guardingthemoney (6g) May 26
Betting Favorites
Last Week: 16-31 (51.6%)
Season: 51-122 (41.8%)
Largest $2 Win: $69.80, Stay in Grace (April 27)
$2 Place: $30, Stay in Grace (April 27)
$2 Show: $15.40, Excessive Belief (May 10)
Largest Payouts: $29,739.60 ($0.50 Pick 5, April 28); $12,038.25 ($0.50 Pick 4, April 27); $10,995.60 ($0.20 Jackpot Pick 7, May 19)
2019 Leaders
Heribert Martinez
Jockey*
18-Gary Wales
14-Juan Gutierrez
13-Javier Matias
13-Kevin Orozco
11-Franklin Ceballos
10-Jorge Carreno
10-Heribert Martinez
8-Jose Zunino
7-Lorenzo Lopez
5-Patrick Henry Jr.
5-Ryan Barber
*Thoroughbred only
Pablo De Jesus
Trainer
19-Frank Lucarelli
9-Blaine Wright
7-Vince Gibson
7-Pablo De Jesus
5-Candice Cryderman
5-Chris Stenslie
5-Jorge Rosales
4-Sharon Ross
4-Kay Cooper
4-Howie Gibson
3-Howard Belvoir
3-Joe Toye
3-Alan Bozell
3-Jose Navarro
Darrin Paul
Owner
6-Chad Christensen
4-John Parker
3-One Horse Will Do Corp. & Chris Stenslie
2-Marjoie Avery
2-Robbie Baze or Bill Nooney
2-Casa Loma Stable
2-Greg Conley, Chuck Conley or Terra Firma Farm
2-Emerald Racing Club
2-Todd & Shawn Hansen
2-Daniel Heap
2-Darrin Paul
2-Peter Redekop BC Ltd.
2-Wayne Williams or Linda Northam
2-H.R. Gibson or N.J. Gibson
2-Two Putts for the Win #4, David Lechmanik and Alliance Stable LLC
2-One Horse Will Do Corp., Tina and Scott Saxwold and Lynn Hallowell
2-Eric Amerland, Terezia Nyland & Cindy Winschell
2-Gary and Debbie Lusk
2-Randall and Rossi or Lucarelli Racing
2-Lucarelli Racing and Doug Walker
2-Hopper’s Racing Stable
Horse
2-Das Bear
2-E Z Star Maker
2-Flatter Cat
2-Hejustkeepsgiving
2-He’s Not Grey
2-Pure Pursuit
2-Roamin Effort
2-Rosies Baby
2-Smoothee Lee
2-Stay in Grace
Sue & Tim Spooner
WEEKLY HONORS #6 (May 24-27): Valpak Jockey: Javier Matias; Trainer: Pablo De Jesus; EmD Owner: Sue & Tim Spooner; Quarter Chute Café Groom: Angel Cruz (Sharon Ross); WTBOA WA Bred: Alittlelesstalk (Warlock Stables, Floyd, Hudson & Horseplayers Racing Club breeders); Exercise Rider: Zoe Couey.
NOTES: With a victory in Sunday’s third race, Mike Man’s Gold can tie West Seattle Boy’s all-time track record of 21 victories. Now trained by Rigoberto Velasquez, Mike Man’s Gold is the 5 to 2 second choice in a $25,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. . .With 19 wins in 15 days, trainer Frank Lucarelli is on pace to break the single-season record of 66 wins shared by Tim McCanna (2008) and Jeff Metz (2015). Lucarelli already has three triples: April 20, May 17 and May 24. . .Summerland is the 2 to 5 favorite in Saturday’s $50,000 Emerald Downs Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at Hastings Racecourse. A 3-year-old by He’s Tops, Summerland is 6-0-0 in seven career starts with earnings of $139,919. . .Emerald Distaff winner Reginella makes her 2019 debut in a $33,000 allowance Saturday at Golden Gate Fields. Owned by Luigi DiPietro and trained by Blaine Wright, Reginella won a pair of nine-furlong stakes last year: the Emerald Distaff and the Delta Colleen at Hastings.
