A full field of 12 is entered in the 78th renewal of the Northwest's most prestigious race, the $200,000 Longacres Mile (gr. III) at Emerald Downs Aug. 18.
Runners will converge from virtually all points in North America—East, Midwest, California, Canada, and Washington. The one-mile dirt challenge will be contested as race eight on the Emerald Downs card, with an approximate post time of 5:32 p.m. PDT.
Eastern invader Politicallycorrect, who comes into the race off a runner-up finish in the James Marvin Stakes (gr. III) at Saratoga Race Course, drew the 3 post and was installed as the 7-2 morning line favorite. Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze, a three-time winner of the Longacres Mile who rides in it for a record 20th time, has the call on the Wesley Ward trainee for Ken and Sarah Ramsey.
Herbie D, impressive winner of the July 21 Mt. Rainier Handicap at Emerald, drew the 10 post and is the 4-1 second choice with Amadeo Perez in the irons. A 5-year-old British Columbia-bred who bids to become the second straight Canadian horse to win the Longacres Mile, the Robert Gilker trainee is 9-1-1 in 12 lifetime starts for owners George Robbins and Darcia Doman.
Politicallycorrect and Herbie D are starting co-highweights and will each carry 121 lbs.
Golden Itiz, a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred from John Sadler's barn at Del Mar, is 5-1 on the morning line. A grade III winner of the 2010 Affirmed Handicap, the Longacres will be his first start for owner K. K. Sangara since being claimed by Sadler in his last start, a winning performance in an allowance optional claiming event at Betfair Hollywood Park. Gerry Olguin will ride the son of Tiznow from post 7 with a 116-pound impost.
New Mike Puhich trainee Mr. Bowling, morning line 6-1 selection, recently transferred from the barn of trainer Larry Jones. The 4-year-old son of Istan who previously raced as a homebred for Brereton Jones, was purchased privately by Dr. Mark Dedomenico and Glen Todd (North American Thoroughbred Racing Co.). Puhich and Todd teamed up last year to win the Longacres Mile with Taylor Said.
Mr. Bowling ships to Emerald after a runner-up finish in the $101,000 Golden Bear Stakes at Indiana Downs. The dark bay colt will break from post 11 carrying117 pounds, including jockey Aaron Gryder.
"The Mile is the biggest race in the Pacific Northwest," Todd said "It was the best and most gratifying day I've had in horse racing. We've got two in (this year's race). I don't know if they're as good as Taylor Said, but we can't win if we're not in the race."
Hoist, owned by Todd and also trained by Puhich, looks to return to the winner's circle since his last victory in the Governors Handicap at Emerald three starts back on May 19. The chestnut gelding will carry 117 as he breaks from the 2 post at morning line odds of 20-1. Mario Gutierrez, last year's winning jockey in the Longacres aboard Taylor Said, has the mount.
Dual grade II earner with wins in the Swaps Stakes and the San Diego Handicap, Tres Borrachos is the field's richest earner with $1,030,973 in the bank. He comes into the race off a fifth place finish in the Mt. Ranier Handicap behind Longacres rival Herbie D. Mike Puhich trains the bay gelding for owners George Hicker and Button Stable. Tres Borrachos will break from post 8 post carrying 118 with David G. Lopez in the irons, at 10-1 morning line odds.
R and R Warren LLC's Jebrica, from the barn of five-time Longacres Mile-winning trainer Jim Penney, drew post 6 and will be ridden by Isaias Enriquez. Third last time out in the Mt. Ranier, the 5-year-old son of Liberty Gold was victorious two starts back in the one-mile Budweiser Handicap ahead of fellow starters Stryker Phd and Winning Machine. Morning line odds on Jebrica, who will also carry 118, are 12-1.
Winning Machine, who missed by a head to Taylor Said in last year's Mile, will break as a 15-1 shot from the outside 12 hole with Javier Matias up. A 7-year-old gelding, Winning Machine has won four stakes and three divisional honors at Emerald Downs, but only two horses—Coldwater in the inaugural running in 1935 and Assessment in 2009—have won from the 12 post. Frank Lucarelli trains the bay gelding for Fleur De Lis Stables.
Conditioner David B. Martinez sends out Until You, a 4-year-old son of Jazil, for his first stakes effort for owners Coal Creek Farm. The dark bay gelding comes in off a front-running win in a six-furlong allowance optional claiming race Aug. 4 over the Emerald oval. The longest shot on the morning line at 30-1, Until You will break from the rail with Juan Guitierrez in the saddle.
Kentucky-bred son of WhyWhyWhy, Why Not Be Perfect finished fourth in the Budweiser Handicap and third in the Governors Handicap. Since being claimed by trainer Jeffrey Metz on behalf of J.C. Racing Stable last October Why Not Be Perfect has captured four of his nine starts. The 6-year-old horse and 15-1 shot will carry 118 breaking from post 9 with jockey Anne Sanguinetti up.
Stryker Phd comes into the Longacres off a trio of runner-up finishes in the Mt. Ranier, Budweiser, and Governors handicaps, all over the Emerald track. Margo Lloyd sends out the 8-1 morning line shot who makes his graded stakes debut for owners Jim and Mona Hour. Stryker Phd will break from post 5 with Debbie Hoonan up and will carry 116 lbs.
Completing the field is Owens Farms' Gladding, a 6-year-old gelding trained by Vann Belvoir. Claimed by Belvoir for Gary Owens in January, Gladding is winless for his new connections, but last year captured the Alamedan Handicap at Pleasanton and in 2011 was victorious in the grade II San Antonio Stakes. Galdding drew post 4 and will break from the gate at morning line odds of 10-1 with jockey Dennis Carr.
$200,000 Longacres Mile (gr. II, Race 8, approximate post time 5:32 p.m. PDT), 3YOs & Up, 1 mile (dirt)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, ML Odds
1. Until You (WA), J. Gutierrez, 114, D. Martinez, 30-1
2. Hoist (KY), M. Gutierrez, 117, M. Puhich, 20-1
3. Politicallycorrect (KY), R. Baze, 121, W. Ward, 7-2
4. Gladding (FL), D. Carr, 116, V. Belvoir, 10-1
5. Stryker Phd (WA), D. Hoonan, 116, M. Lloyd, 8-1
6. Jebrica (WA), I. Enriquez, 118, J. Penney, 12-1
7. Golden Itiz (KY), G. Olguin, 116, J. Sadler, 5-1
8. Tres Borrachos (KY), D. G. Lopez, 118, M. Puhich, 10-1
9. Why Not Be Perfect (KY), A. Sanguinetti, 118, J. Metz, 15-1
10. Herbie D (BC), A. Perez, 121, R. Gilker, 4-1
11. Mr. Bowling (KY), A. Gryder, 117, M. Puhich, 6-1
12. Winning Machine (KY), J. Matias, 117, F. Lucarelli, 15-1
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