8/9/2024

(Auburn, WA) The fields are set for Championship Sunday where 4 Stakes races will be contested culminated by the $150,000 89th running of the Longacres Mile. An average field size of 10 are set for the Stake races with 40 total entries and will be run from the 6th thru the 9th races and for the 4th straight season will be a special Championship Pick 4 wager.

The 89th Longacres Mile 

The 9th race will be the 89th running of the NW jewel the Longacres Mile and last year’s winner Five Star General is back to defend his title. Five Star General is trying to become just the 4th horse to win back-to-back Longacres Mile’s with the being Stryker PHD last doing it in 2014 and 2015 and would be just the 5th 2 time winner. Simply Majestic won back-to-back in 1988 and 89 and Trooper Seven was the first go do it in 1980 and 81. Amble In was the other 2 time winner in 1946 and 48.

Five Star General is starting in his 5th Longascres and if he can finish in the top 3 will be the 1st horse to place in 5 Mile’s as he won last year placed 2nd in 2020 and 3rd in 2021 and 22. Trainer Grant Forster is shooting for his 3rd Mile victory after winnig it with the longest shot in Mile history at 60-1 when No Giveaway finished 1st in 2005 for owner Herman Sarkowsky.

Forster won last year far less dramatic fashion as the 2-1 favorite for owner Elttaes Stable headed by Ken Alhadeff. Joe Bravo will make his 2nd career appearance at Emerald Downs with 2 mounts as he will ride 7-2 Meeking in the Muckleshoot Derby. Five Star General is an 8 year-old Kentucky bred and comes in with a record of 12-6-9 from 38 starts a 32% win rate and 71% top 3 finish with a career bankroll of $819,702. Five Star General is the 5-2 morning line favorite.

The 2nd favorite is also a local favorite and the 2022 Longacres Mile Champion Slew’s Tiz Whiz. Slew has raced all of his 22 career races at Emerald Downs and jockey Jose Zunino has been aboard the last 19 in a row beginning his partnership and friendship with Slew on July 21, 2021. In that run of 19 races Zunino is 8-4-3 winning the 2022 Longacres Mile and winning 4 other stakes races including a breath taking move to get up for a deadheat in the Governors Stakes on July 21. 

Slew’s Tiz Whiz is owned by Slew’s Racing Crew and trained by Tom Wenzel. Slew is a Washington bred by Karl Krieg. Wenzel is seeking his 3rd Mile trophy as he also won the big race in 2007 with The Great Face for owner and Emerald Downs’ founder Ron Crockett. Slew’s Tiz Whiz will begin as the 2nd choice on the morning line at 4-1.

The shippers coming in to try and take local money out of state beside Five Star General include 3rd favorite at 9-2 Clovisconnection who has won at Emerald before and races for leading stakes trainer Blaine Wright who is shipping in Clovis from his Northern Cal base and brings up jockey William Antongeorgie to ride.

Wright brought comapny for Clovisconnection from Northern Cal in Prince Abu Dhabi with his rider Alexander Chavez. The Prince and Chaves ran in the Muckleshoot Derby last year and won. They are also coming off a solid 3rd place finish most recently in the Pleasanton Mile.

Other shippers include 20-1 Phantom Ride with Rocco Bowen up for trainer Ian Jewell, 12-1 Il Bellator for trainer Jose Bautista and jockey L M Jimenez Aburto will get the ride. And recently aquired Giant Game comes to the top trainer at Emerald Downs Justin Evans’ barn. Giant Game is 12-1 with Alex Cruz in the saddle. This is just 1 of 4 entries for Evans who will also start 10-1 Neiman with Luis Reyes, Arma d’Oro who is coming off that deadheat with Slew’s Tiz Whiz will get Kevin Krigger riding and 15-1 10 year-old Surprisinglyperfect and Luis Negron riding.

Trainer Frank Lucarelli starts 20-1 Deshambeau with Isaias Enriquez and Muncey for trainer Howard Belvoir will be the longshot in the race at 30-1 and will break from the far outside 12 post with Javier Matias. Matias and Belvoir teamed up to win the 2018 Longacres Mile with Barkley.

ESN talks with Five Star General Barn Manager Jim Hawley

ESN talks with Slew’s Tiz Whiz trainer Tom Wenzel

Muckleshoot Derby

The 1st Stakes race is the $50,000 Muckleshoot Derby and will run as the 6th race. The field of 8 will go 1 1/16 miles. The morning line favorite is 3-1 Tougherthantherest and will break from the 8 post with Silvio Amador aboard. Amador is the current leading stakes winning jockey at Emerald Downs with 3 Stakes wins. Tougherthantherest is trained by leading Stakes trainer Blaine Wright and 3 year-old gelding is owned by Heidi Nelson and Dale Varbel.

The Derby welcomes invaders Goodbye Dal the 1 horse from Northern Cal for trainer Jose Bautista with L M Jimenez Alburto riding at 6-1. Meeking also heads north for local trainer Tim McCanna and Joe Bravo will get the ride at 7-2.

Whiskeyjack is the other co-2nd favorite at 7-2 with Carlos Montalvo riding for trainer Ryland Harwood. Frank Lucarelli has a pair in this one with #2 Well Imagine That at 10-1 with Alex Cruz and 15-1 Polis with Isaias Enriquez. Trainer Bonnie Jenne has 4-1 Dynamic Secret with Juan Gutierrez up and 15-1 Veritas Aequitas and Karlo Lopez for trainer Dan Markle. 

Emerald Distaff

The 7th race will be the Emerald Distaff with a field of 9 set to go 1 1/16 miles for a $50,000 purse. Speedster Aloha Breeze will is the morning line favorite at 5-2 with regular rider Carlos Montalvo riding for trainer Tom Wenzel and owner George Todaro. Aloha Breeze is a beast at the sprints her one attempt at 2 turns last year she struggled in the Oaks tiring before the stretch and finishing a well beaten 7th.

Wenzel says that remains the question but thinks they have her a lot more prepared for the 2 turns this go round and expects tl see much improvement from last year’s attempt. Aloha Breeze is coming off a crushing performance in the Washington State Legislators Stakes winning easily. She is winning at a 60% rate with a lifetime record of 6-2-0 from 10 starts.

Trainer Justin Evans will send out the 2nd choice with Kevin Krigger aboard in Tizzy Twister breaking from the 1 hole. Evans also has the 3rd choice at 5-1 in Ruby Ray who breaks from the 5 gate and Luis Negron rides.

Daffodil Sweet woke up with a strong performance in her last and the Stakes winning mare will break from the 7 hole for trainer Marshall Allen and is at 6-1. 8-1 Jamies Inheritance with Allyssa Morales riding for trainer Charles Essex, 10-1 Nan Eliabeth and Karlo Lopez for trainer Lucinao Gabriel, 15-1 Ropers N Wranglers for trainer Kimberly Johnston and Alex Cruz riding, Emerald Sea with Leslie Mawing and trainer Rigoberto Velazquez at 15-1 and longest M/L longshot 20-1 English Meadow and Luis Reyes and trainer R W Leonard.

Washington Oaks

The 8th race the $50,000 Washington Oaks is a great field of 11 3 year-old fillies going 1 1/16th miles and 3-1 Arctic Breeze has been installed as the 3-1 lukewarm morning line favorite. Artic Breeze will have Karlo Lopez and try to repeat their last race together when they won the Kent Stakes at a big price of 11-1. Artic Breeze is trained by Blaine Wright for owner Peter Redekop. A-B is 3-2-2 from 11 lifetime starts and has banked $79,910.

Chai is the 7-2 2nd choice and is coming off a neck loss to Artic Breeze in the Kent Stakes. Chai will again have the services of Isaias Enriquez in the saddle for trainer Kay Cooper and owners Jill Fabulich and Lori Heist.

Trainer Tom Wenzel has 2 going in the Oaks with 5-1 Lapush and Carlos Montalvo and 10-1 Veronica’s Delight and Jose Zunino. David Martinez sends out 6-1 Paynt Ya Later with Juan Gutierrez up, Special Diva at 8-1 breaks from the 6 hole and Rocco Bowen aboard for trainer Vince Gibson, Kevin Orozco rides 12-1 Rocky Bay Rae for Frank Lucarelli, Signora Vittoria and Kevin Krigger run for Tim McCanna at 15-1, the other 15-1 morning line shot is #11 I’m Telling Mom for trainer Joe Toye and Alex Cruz gets the call.

A pair of 20-1’s will complete the field with Cape Blossom and Luis Reyes for trainer David Martinez and Pop Chart for trainer Elodio Madrigal who has Silvio Amador riding.

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