California shippers Awesome Gem and Slew the Man arrived safely at Emerald Downs early Wednesday morning in advance of Sunday’s $200,000 Longacres Mile, Grade 3.
“I just talked to (assistant trainer) Sergio (Martin) and he said the horse shipped great,” trainer Craig Dollase said. “We’ll gallop the horse tomorrow or the next day, and then walk him on race day.”
Awesome Gem’s charter left LAX on Wednesday evening and picked up Slew the Man in Oakland. Larry Dennis, assistant to trainer Jeff Bonde, said Slew the Man seems to be doing well.
“He shipped well this morning,” Dennis said. “We had no problems.”
Both invaders have raced well previously at Emerald Downs. Awesome Gem seeks revenge after finishing second in the 2009 Mile. While Slew the Man raced here twice last season finishing a troubled fourth in the Emerald Derby followed by a three-length victory in the Chinook Pass Stakesâ on Washington Cup Day.
Current form hasn’t been an issue for either horse. Awesome Gem, with all six starts at six different tracks this year, has earned nearly $300,000 due in most part to his one-length score in the May 30 Lone Star Park Handicap, Grade 3.
Slew the Man, incidentally, has raced at four different ovals in four 2011 starts, including most recently, a gate-to-wire victory over Bold Chieftain in the Alamedan Handicap at Pleasanton. Frank Alvarado, post nine, a postposition that has produced four winners, but not since Trooper Seven won his first Mile in 1980.
The 8-year-old Awesome Gem and jockey David Flores will have to navigate breaking from post 12, the same post Assessment beat Awesome Gem from in ’09. Dollase, however, said he isn’t too concerned with the outside post.
“We’re not a speed horse, so it shouldn’t hamper us too much,” Dollase said. “He’s training really well, and I expect him to run his best.”
LONGACRES MILE iPAD2 GIVEAWAY
In celebration of the 76th Longacres Mile, Emerald Downs is giving away the coveted iPad2 mobile digital device, on Sunday, August 21. Fifty iPad2s will be given away to fans, five after each race. Each iPad2 features a multi-touch screen and Wi-Fi. However, winners must be 18 years or older and be in attendance to claim their prize.
Also, as part of Facebook Fridays, Emerald Downs will reward one lucky fan with an iPad2 giveaway on Friday, August 29. To be eligible, become a fan of Emerald Downs on Facebook and you can walk away with a brand new iPad2. Entries are due by Friday’s fifth race and fans must print their entry slip off of Facebook prior to arriving at Emerald Downs.
2011 Longacres Mile, Sunday, Aug. 21
$200,000, Grade 3, 3-year-olds-&-up One Mile
Horse Trainer Jockey Weight
1-Posse Power Frank Lucarelli Russell Baze 115
2-Assessment Howard Belvoir Juan Gutierrez 117
3-St Liams Halo Michael Puhich Mario Gutierrez 120
4-Honour the Deputy Jerry Hollendorfer Kevin Krigger 117
5-Saratoga Boot Tim McCanna Joe Crispin 116
6-Winning Machine Frank Lucarelli Leslie Mawing 117
7-J P Jammer Karyn Seal Pedro Terrero 114
8-Wasserman Howard Belvoir Jennifer Whitaker 112
9-Slew the Man Jeff Bonde Frank Alvarado 119
10-Crew Leader Dino Condilenios Chad Hoverson 118
11-Noosa Beach Doris Harwood Gallyn Mitchell 125
12-Awesome Gem Craig Dollase David Flores 122
2011 Emerald Distaff, Sunday, Aug. 21
$65,000, Fillies and Mares 3-year-olds-&-up*1-1/8 Miles
Horse Trainer Jockey Weight
1-Kimmyv Dino Condilenios Chad Hoverson 116
2-U R All That I Am Jerry Hollendorfer Kevin Krigger 119
3-Hard Way Ten Doris Harwood Gallyn Mitchell 115
4-Private Fortune Jim Penney Leonel Camacho-Flores115
5-Rewritten Frank Lucarelli Leslie Mawing 118
6-Sweet Nellie Brown Jim Penney Pedro Terrero 118
7-Zenovit Larry Ross Russell Baze 117
8-You Me and Ema B Margo Lloyd Jose Zunino 112
$200,000 LONGACRES MILE VITAL STATISTICS
What: 76th running $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3)
When: 5:53 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 21 (Race 8)
Where: Emerald Downs, Auburn, Wash.
TV: CSN (Ch. 179) 3-7 p.m., TVG (Ch. 409) 4:30-7 p.m. (Joe Withee, Simon Bray, Mike Joyce)
Radio: KJR Sports Radio 950 AM 4:30-6:30 p.m. (Mike Gastineau, Robert Geller)
Gates Open: 9 a.m.
Giveaway Item: 50 ipad2’s (five after each race)
Sub-Feature: $65,000 Emerald Distaff, 1-1/8 Miles (Race 6, 4:45 p.m.)
Other Longacres Mile Developments:
Defending champion Noosa Beach is scheduled to school in the gate and backtrack with a pony Friday at 7 a.m.
J P Jammer breezed three furlongs Thursday in :36 flat (2/4) at Emerald Downs.
Multiple stakes winner St Liams Halo arrived Wednesday and is stabled at the barn of Michael Puhich.
Trainer Howard Belvoir said Mile winners Assessment and Wasserman would gallop Friday.
NOTES: Week 16 Honors
Jockey-Pedro Terrero (six wins);
Trainer-Jim Penney (2 stakes wins);
Owner-R & R Warren LLC (2-2-0-0);
Groom-Larry Ramnarine (2-for-2; grooms & trains both winners)
The weekly honors awards will be presented Saturday after the following race: Groom, 2nd race; Jockey, 3rd race; Trainer, 4th race; Owner, 5th race.
West Seattle Boy, the track’s all-time winningest horse with 19 wins, will run his 100th career race on Saturday in a one-mile $3,500 claiming race. The 12-year-old by Majesterian has compiled a 23-13-19 record in 99 starts.
James Corral, the rider aboard 1990 Mile winner Snipledo, was spotted at the Quarter Chute Café Thursday kibitzing with the local horsemen. Corral will join jockeys Gary Baze (5-time winner), Glen Dixon (Miracle Escort, 1957), Larry Pierce (Silver Mallet, 1973), Basil Frazier (Times Rush, 1974) and Bryson Cooper (Theologist, 1977) for the Jockeys’ Reunion Purse, which goes as Sunday’s fourth race. Corral will also be featured on the Saturday’s race coverage on Comcast Sports Net with host Joe Withee*On Sunday, Jon White, on-air analyst for Santa Anita and HRTV, will join host Jacob Pollowitz for the Paddock Preview Show. The 20-minute special begins at 1 p.m. and can be seen from the Emerald Downs’ paddock and heard from around the track*Gallant Son, trained by Frank Lucarelli for owner Randall and Rossi LLC, finished eighth Wednesday in the $85,000 Green Flash Handicap at on the Del Mar turf.
Northern Indy, third to Zayda in the July 17 Seattle Slew Handicap, will make his next start Saturday in the $300,000 Canadian Derby (G3) at Northlands Park.
Sunday’s non-stakes sub-feature is a $30,000 allowance race at 6 ½ furlongs and goes as the seventh race. The field includes Mile nominees Hollywood Harbor, Davos and Seven Torrents.
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