Assessment, the only horse to defeat Noose Beach this season at Emerald Downs, asserted his class Sunday with a three-length victory over Taif in the featured $21,500 Next point IS Purse.

With regular rider Gallyn Mitchell aboard, Assessment ran the fastest mile of the meeting, 1 minute, 34 3/5 seconds and paid $3.20, $2.40 and $2.10. Howard Belvoir is the trainer for owners Lou and Diane Tice of Seattle.

Taif, ridden by Francisco Duran, finished strongly to take second place and paid $3.20 and $2.40. Winning Machine, the early leader under Kevin Krigger, finished third and paid $2.20.

Cyber Bell and Gallon completed the order of finish.

The 2009 Horse of the Meeting and Longacres Mile winner, Assessment has been overshadowed this year by Noosa Beach, who won six of seven starts including the 75th Longacres Mile last month in which Assessment finished third.

Assessment has had his moments, however, most notably a neck victory over Noosa Beach in the July 11 Governor’s Handicap. Sunday’s victory gave the 6-year-old Kentucky-bred a 2-0-1 mark in six starts this season, and his year isn’t finished, as Belvoir said Assessment would ship to Vancouver for the $100,000 British Columbia Premiers Stakes at Hastings Racecourse on Sunday, Oct. 10.

Overall, Assessment is 9-4-4 in 31 stars with earnings of $434,055.

Sunday, Assessment moved in tandem with Gallon, and they dueled with Winning Machine through a half-mile in :45 1/5 and six furlongs in 1:08 4/5. Assessment gained the lead into the lane and steadily drew off to the wire. Taif came back on to gain second by a neck over Winning Machine.

News and Notes

Belvoir saddled three winners on the 10-race card and is tied for fifth place with 41 wins…Tim McCanna had one winner and finished the penultimate week of racing with an 63-51 lead over Vann Belvoir in the trainers’ standings. McCanna has locked up his 10th training title and needs four wins in the final four days to break his own mark of 66 wins set two years ago.

Ricky Frazier rode one winner and leads Juan Gutierrez 111-88 in the jockeys’ standings…Pedro Terrero rode one winner and needs nine wins closing week to break Cassie Papineau’s single-season apprentice mark of 70 wins set last yeas.

Season honors will be announced next week, and Top Claimer figures to be one of the toughest categories. Tom Bombadil ($10.60) tossed his name into the hat of contenders with a front-running score under Francisco Duran in third race, becoming the 11th horse to win four races at the meeting.

Noosa Beach is expected to sweep several categories including Horse of the Meeting and Top Older Horse.

Also announced next week will be the 2010 winners of the Lindy and Durkan Awards, which are presented annually to an Emerald Downs trainer and jockey, respectively, for sportsmanship and integrity on and off the track.

The final week of live racing begins Wednesday with a special matinee card at 1 p.m.