A field of 11 thoroughbreds are expected to run in the 81st edition of the Grade 3 Longacres Mile Handicap Sunday at Emerald Downs.
A field of 25 were nominated, both local and from out of the state, to run for the $200,000 stakes.
The race features the first, second and third place finishers from the 2015 Mile. Stryker PHD stood in the winner’s circle for the second consecutive year after the 2015 Mile. The 7-year-old Washington-bred son of Bertrando, trained by Larry Ross and owned by Jim and Mona Hour, will be attempting to win a third consecutive Mile carrying 121 pounds, a feat that has not been accomplished in the previous 80 times the race has gone to post.
Stryker has not been as dominating this season, running two races finishing third in the Budweiser and fourth in the Mount Rainier.
In March Ross was planning to run him in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate, but he picked up a virus and was kept out of the race. Recently Ross said Stryker is training well coming into the Mile. Stryker’s regular rider Leslie Mawing will be in the irons.
Sammy Mandeville, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred, ran second last year and will carry 116 pounds. Last year Sammy Mandeville, conditioned by Doug O’Neil, came from 18 lengths back to take second. The Emerald Downs leading rider, Rocco Bowen, will be in the saddle.
The third place runner last year, Alert Bay, the 5-year-old son of City Zip trained by Blaine Wright, will be carrying the high weight of 123.
The gelding has won nine stakes in his career, earning $1,127,815 lifetime. This year Alert Bay won the San Francisco Handicap, Grade 3, at Golden Gate Fields.
Tyler Baze will ride. Baze won the Eclipse Award as an apprentice jockey in 2000. He will be looking for his first Mile victory in his home state.
Wright said the gelding is ready to go and “he deserves a shot” at winning the Mile.
The other high weight at 123 pounds is O B Harbor, 4-year-old Oregon-bred son of Harbor The Gold owned by One Horse Will Do Corporation. He should be one of the favorites and will be a local fan favorite. The O B in his name stands for Oregon bred.
Trained by Chris Stenslie, the gelding has won his four starts this season at Emerald Downs, including all three Mile series stakes, the Governor’s at 6 1/2 furlongs, the 1-mile Budweiser and the Mount Rainier at 1 1/16 mile.
His lifetime earnings going into the Mile are $133,191. Jose Zunino will be riding O B Harbor. The long-striding bay set the fastest time during the 2016 Emerald Downs’ meet at 5 ½ furlongs in 1:00.97, 6 ½ furlongs in 1:13.59, 1 mile in 1:34.73, 1 1/16 mile in 1:41.05.
Stenslie said she is “really please how he is coming into the race.”
Challenging the local runners is a Jerry Hollendorfer-trained 4-year-old Kentucky-bred Cyrus Alexander. Mario Gutierrez, winner of two Kentucky Derbys, will be in the irons and the colt will be carrying 119 pounds. Cyrus Alexander is the younger brother of 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.
