Point of Reference, a 4-year-old Benchmark filly, prevailed by one length at 7-to-1 odds in 1 minute, 10.12 seconds on the synthetic Tapeta surface in an open six-furlong allowance race at Golden Gate Fields on Dec. 10.

Gadget Queen, a 6-year-old Flying With Eagles mare, rallied from last to finish in second place at 3-to-1.

Neither horse is a stranger to Emerald Downs.

Point of Reference, 7-4-6 in 27 starts with earnings of $221,137, had a hard-luck campaign here in 2009 while finishing second in three stakes and was runner-up to Ladyledue in balloting for Top 3 Year-Old Filly.

Gadget Queen, 10-11-4 in 35 career starts, has finished first or second in seven stakes at Emerald Downs, including wins in the 2008 Belle Roberts and 2009 Washington State Legislators Stakes. The $7,600 she earned at Golden Gate made her only the 67th Washington-bred to surpass $300,000 in career earning. With $302,310 Gadget Queen is sandwiched between Super Seven ($303,929) and Miss Pixie ($301,619) on the all-time list.

According to trainer Blaine Wright, Gadget Queen isn’t finished yet. He and owners John and Janene Maryanski would like to run their star bay one or two more times, probably on the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate Fields and perhaps down the hill at Santa Anita. Then it will probably be on to the breeding shed.

“We’ll take it race by race,” Wright said. “She’s still running hard, and she pulled up well from her last race.”

Hallelujah Trail, also trained by Wright and owned by the Maryanskis, adds depth in the filly and mare ranks. After finishing second in two stakes last year at Emerald Downs, the 4-year-old Gilded Time filly smoked Golden Gate allowance/optional claimers at six furlongs on Dec. 1.

Hallelujah Trail (14-5-4-1-$137,550) has never raced beyond six furlongs, but Wright said he would like to experiment with her in a route race.

Wright, currently with 16 horses in training at Golden Gate, added he might split his stable in 2011 with strings in Washington and Northern California.

CARRABELLE HARBOR DEFEATED IN OREGON CHAMPIONSHIP

On paper, Carrabelle Harbor appeared to be the biggest cinch at Portland Meadows on Oregon Championship Day, Sunday, Dec. 12.

A double stakes winner and runner-up to Lady Golightly in voting for Top Juvenile Filly last summer at Emerald Downs, the Harbor the Gold filly was sent off as the 1-to-2 betting favorite in the $24,950 Janet Wineberg Stakes for 2-year-old Oregon-breds at six furlongs.

Kate Winsalot, however, proved to be the better filly. Unraced since winning her debut for a $30,000 claiming tag June 12 at Emerald Downs—in which she was the longest price in the race at 6.30-to-1. Kate Winslaot engaged Carrabelle Harbor into the stretch and gradually edged clear to win by 1 ½ lengths in 1:12.10. Carrabelle Harbor, trained by Charles Essex and ridden by Joe Crispin, held second by 2 ½ lengths over Legendary Madame.

Ridden by Troy Stillwell for owner/trainer/breeder Dr. Ryland Harwood, Kate Winsalot paid $13.20. Kate Winsalot is 2-for-2 with $21,258 in earnings. Dr. Harwood, incidentally, paid a $2,000 supplemental nomination fee to make Kate Winsalot eligible for the Janet Wineberg.

Trainer Ben Root saddled three winners on Oregon Championship Day, which featured seven stakes event for Oregon-bred runners: Shamundi ($3.80) in the $23,350 Bill Wineberg Stakes for 2-year-old colts & geldings; Shame On Rosie ($2.40) in the $13,300 Oregon Hers for 3-year-old fillies; and Catalina Harbor ($5) in the $7,950 Distaff Starter Handicap.

Catalina Harbor, like Carrabelle Harbor, is by Harbor the Gold, who sired a single-season record 11 stakes winners at the 2010 Emerald Downs meet.

Jockey Jose Zunino, who struggled thru an injury-riddled Emerald Downs season, played a hand in the day’s biggest upset with a $65.20 score aboard Mr Baquero for owner-trainer Darrell Caron in the $8,225 Oregon Starter Handicap.

Tillman’s Image, ridden by David M. Lopez, took advantage of a pace duel between Taylor Jones and He’s a Goblin and rallied for a $24.80 upset in the $13,600 Lethal Grande Oregon Sprint Championship.

Despite torrential rains throughout the weekend and a sloppy racing surface, track announcer Jason Beem said on-track handle was double the last time the event was held on a Sunday in 2008.

News and Notes

• Tapit So Lightly, runner-up to Sis’s Sis in the Irish Day Handicap at EmD last June, is among five fillies and mares entered in the $15,000 Donna Jensen Handicap for fillies and mares Wednesday at Portland Meadows.
• Hollywood Park has a Pick 6 carryover of $106,356 on Thursday, Dec. 16…Simulcast wagering at Emerald Downs on Friday, Dec. 17, will be available only on the 3rd floor.
• Former EmD trainer Mark Glatt finished second with 37-1 long shot Big Tiz in the Grade I Hollywood Starlet Saturday, Dec. 11. Undefeated Turbulent Descent prevailed by 1-¼ lengths in the Starlet.
• In addition to Point of Reference, Lucarelli scored with $33 winner Hope I Do at Golden Gate, Friday, Dec. 10. The Washington-bred 3-year-old by Slewdledo won twice last season for trainer Larry Wolf at EmD.
• Tim McCanna sends out the razor-sharp 3-year-old Big Sky Posse in Thursday’s seventh race at Golden Gate. The 3-year-old is 3-4-3 in 11 starts this year with earnings of $31,590
• McCanna, incidentally, celebrates his 49th birthday, Monday, Dec. 20… Russell Baze will need a big finish to notch another national victory title. With 18 days left, Ramon Dominguez led Deshawn Parker 362-353, with Baze in third place with 347 wins.
• Washington-bred 2-year-old filly Special Holiday (By Private Gold-Special Return) scored impressively vs. special weights for trainer Bud Klokstad, Saturday, Dec. 11 at Golden Gate…The Thoroughbred Times reports Washington native Sophia Mangalee, a former intern in the Emerald Downs marketing department and wife of jockey Navin Mangalee, is among 25 international riders chosen to participate in the in the 2011 Mongol Derby. The race, which begins Aug. 6, is a 600-mile marathon in which riders are warned to guard against possible exhaustion and heat stroke. Trainer Sharon Ross provided a letter of reference to race organizers on behalf of Mangalee.