Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 3 Longacres Mile goes down this Sunday, August 23 from Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington. Horses three years old and upward will take to Emerald Downs’ main track and go one mile looking for the winner’s share of the $200,000 purse.
A field of 12 have been confirmed for the main event in Emerald Downs’s summer meet. It is race 7 on Emerald Downs’s Sunday card with a post time of 5:09 PM. Let’s take a peek into the past performances of all 12 entries for this Grade 3 stakes.
Stryker Phd – defending runner up in this race had spent his whole racing career at Emerald Downs before a sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Golden Gate in November and a fifth in the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap on that same track November 29. Besides those results he has finished off the board just once in 13 other career starts. Last year he had a win September 8 in the minor Muckleshoot Tribal Classic after a second in the 2013 Longacres during a string of four straight second place finishes – the others being minor stakes action. Stryker Phd has two starts this year and two minor stakes scores – the Mr. Rainier Handicap July 20 and the Budweiser Handicap June 15 by 3 1/2 lengths. He has been on fire this year and has been competitive every time out on this track. He should be a factor Sunday with Leslie Mawing aboard as the 121 pound highweight and 5-2 morning line favorite.
Prohibition – New York shipper has won three of six starts this year and has six wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 17 career starts. Last time out was a fourth behind the impressive Zivo in the minor Commentator Handicap at Belmont Park May 31 after an Allowance score at Parx May 2 and an Allowance score at Aqueduct in March. He makes his first start on the west coast and his second stakes start overall with Isaias Enriquez aboard from gate 3 at 3-1 odds.
Title Contender – is coming off a nice win in the minor David Foster Hall of Fame Stakes at Hastings August 4 after a second in the minor Lieutenant Governor’s Handicap, a win in the minor Sir Winston Churchill Handicap and another second in the minor John Longden 6000 Stakes in May – all results at Hastings. His career highlight came in July, 2013 – a win in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistletown and he also won the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby in October at Hastings. Title Contender has six wins, four seconds and two third place finishes in 17 career starts and has been in some big races – an eighth behind Bobby’s Kitten in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile being the biggest. He has alternated wins and second place finishes in his last seven starts overall -competitive every time out. Current form and level of competition has Title Contender looking like a Real Contender this weekend. He leaves from post 7 with Rico Walcott guiding him at 9-2 on the morning line.
Jebrica – finished fourth in this race last year and eighth the year before and has placed in five of nine starts since – two Claiming scores on this track in his last three starts overall being the highlights. Jebrica has been a fixture in the Pacific Northwest with 31 career starts there – eight wins, four seconds and six third place finishes. He looks for his first graded stakes score in his sixth try Sunday when he starts from the rail.
Dontmesswithkitten – makes his graded stakes debut Sunday for trainer Chris Stenslie after 19 career starts yielded just two wins, 10 seconds and two third place finishes. He enters having placed in just one of his last three starts – that being a second last time out in the minor Mt. Rainier Handicap on this track July 20. He has yet to record a stakes score but will have Rocco Bowen in the saddle hoping to break through from post 2.
Disruption – has placed in seven of eight career starts – three wins, three seconds and a third place finish – the lone blemish came in his debut. Last time out was a third in the minor Mt. Rainier Handicap here July 20 after an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track in June and a second in the minor Auburn Handicap also in this track – way back in June, 2013. Disruption has been competitive every time out and will depart from post 5 with Eliska Kubinova in the reins.
Longacres Mile betting online at Emerald Downs with OffTrackBetting.com
Boyett – ships north from California off a fourth in the competitive minor Wickerr Stakes at Emerald Downs July 23 and two Allowance Optional Claiming scores at Santa Anita. He has placed in eight of his last nine starts with that fourth last time out breaking the streak and has to be in the conversation based on the level of competition he’s faced. Boyett has four wins, three second and four third place finishes in 14 career starts and lines up in gate 6 with Agapito Delgadillo aboard.
Mr. Bowling – is coming off a disappointing sixth in the minor Mt. Rainier Handicap here July 20 after a nice win in the minor Lieutenant Governor’s Handicap at Hastings July 1 and a second in the Budweiser Handicap here June 15. He had some graded stakes experience back east in 2011-2012 with a nice win in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds in January, 2012 being the highlight. He finished eleventh in this race last year and has been inconsistent since. David Lopez rides from post 11.
Mysterious Soul – has alternated wins and second place finishes in his last four starts overall – last time out was an Allowance score at Hastings which followed a second in the minor Turf Paradise Handicap in February, an Allowance score at Turf Paradise in January and a second in the minor Hank Mills Sr. Handicap on that same track in December. He has 19 career starts with four wins, three seconds and four third place finishes and enters this weekend in the best form of his career – with Richard Harvey Hamel in the reins from post 10.
Shooting Jacket – has two wins and five third place finishes in 15 career starts – two third place finishes in four starts this year. He enters off a fourth in the minor Mt. Rainier Handicap after a third in the Budweiser Handicap and another third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Hastings in May. His career highlight came a year ago when he finished third in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park – but he`s been inconsistent since. Felipe Valdez gets the call from the outside post.
Twistgrips – is coming off a respectable second in the minor David Foster Hall of Fame Stakes at Hastings August 4 after a fifth in his only start on this track – the minor Budweiser Handicap June 15. He has 13 career starts with three wins, three seconds and a third place finish and enters having placed in just one of his last three starts – that coming last time out. Twistgrips leaves from gate 4 with Amadeo Perez in the irons.
Scat Daddybaby – has 12 career starts, all on this track with five wins and three second place finishes. He enters this weekend in terrific form – four straight wins over the last year before a second last time out in an Allowance August 3. He has raced just two stakes – both in the summer of 2012 with a seventh place finish being the best result. Scat Daddybaby should easily be able to better that when he departs from gate 8 with Gallyn Vick Mitchell aboard.
