Assessment continued his rapid rise in the handicap stakes ranks with a 2-1/2length triumph Sunday in the $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap during Mile Preview Day at Emerald Downs.
The 5-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding stamped his ticket as the top local horse for the 74th running of the $300,000 Longacres Mile, Grade III, Aug. 16.
With regular rider Gallyn Mitchell aboard at the high weight of 120 pounds, Assessment covered 1-1/8 mile stakes in 1 minute, 47 seconds on a fast track and paid $7, $4 and $3.
Assessment has three wins and three seconds in six starts at the meeting while earning $92,000 for Lou and Dianne Tice of Seattle. Assessment has an overall record of 6-4-3 in 24 starts with earnings of $190,980.
Elusive Schemes, a 19-1 long shot, nearly pulled off a shocker on the front end, setting fractions of :23 1/5, :46, 1:09 4/5 and 1:34 1/5, before yielding late to Assessment. Ridden by Kyle Kaenel at 117 pounds, Elusive Schemes paid $14.40 and $6.
Gallon, owned by Maple Valley residents Michael and Amy Feuerborn and ridden by Ricky Frazier at 116 pounds, was a half-length back in third and paid $3.20.
Wasserman was another 2-1/2 lengths back in fourth place. The defending Longacres Mile champion has yet to beat stable-mate Assessment in six outings this season.
In fourth place early, Assessment entered the stretch with dead-aim on Elusive Schemes. He gained the lead at the eighth-pole and drew clear to the wire.
“He responded better to me today than he has in the past,” said Mitchell, who moved back ahead of Frazier 58-57 in career stakes wins at Emerald Downs. “He’s getting better and better with each race.”
In the $50,000 Boeing Handicap for fillies and mares, Elusive Horizon and Holy Nova produced the first dead-heat for win in Emerald Downs stakes history. That race was the final prep for the $100,000 Emerald Distaff, also on Aug. 16.
Holy Nova, a prolific performer at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse, surged in the final jump to catch Elusive Horizon in one of the meet’s most exciting finishes. The final time was 1:41 3/5 for 1 1/16 mile, just two ticks off the stakes record.
Ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 120 pounds, Elusive Horizon paid $2.60, $2.80 and $2.40. It was the fourth stakes victory for the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred, owned by Jerre Paxton’s Northwest Farms and trained by Doris Harwood.
Ridden by Mario Gutierrez (no relation) at 119 pounds, Holy Nova paid $3.60, $3.40 and $3.
Gadget Queen, with Frazier riding at 120 pounds, finished third and paid $2.60.
Elusive Horizon led through fractions of :23 1/5, :46 1/5, 1:10 and 1:34 4/5. She led by 1½ lengths into the stretch, but Holy Nova wouldn’t be denied. The 5-year-old Kentucky-bred gradually bridged the gap, and she caught Elusive Horizon in the final jump.
Owned by Glen Todd of Surrey, B.C., and Patrick Kinsella of Vancouver, B.C., Holy Nova has 13-4-1 mark in 24 starts with earnings of $378,462. Terry Gillihan is the trainer.
Elusive Horizon has 7-2-1 record in 13 starts and earnings of $186,715. She is four-for-four in distance races, all stakes, and would appear to be the local favorite for the Emerald Distaff at 1 1/8 miles. The connections for Holy Nova said their mare would ship to Del Mar for a shorter race.
Track notes:
•Ricky Frazier hit the 100-win mark with a victory aboard Yodelfest ($3.40) in the second race. Frazier accomplished the feat in the 54th day of racing. Frazier added two more wins and finished the week with a 102-74 lead over Gallyn Mitchell in the jockeys’ standings. Frazier already has 35 multiple-win days.
•Juan Gutierrez also rode three winners after riding five winners on Saturday…The trainers’ race is heating up with Tim McCanna owning a 41-37 lead over Doris Harwood. Howard Belvoir is third with 35 wins, followed by Vann Belvoir with 34.
•The Boeing dead-heat is believed to be the first in a Washington stakes race since the 1982 Longacres Derby featuring Cassaleria and Flying Judgement
•Racing resumes 6 p.m. Thursday.
