Assessment is back.

The 2009 Horse of the Meeting issued that statement Sunday with a hard-earned neck victory over 1-to-2 betting favorite Noosa Beach in the 71st running of the $50,000 Governor’s Handicap at Emerald Downs.

In the $50,000 Washington’s Lottery Handicap for 3-year-old fillies, Rewritten collared 8-to-5 favorite Sis’s Sis in the deep stretch for a 1 ½-length victory.

With the top two jockeys in track history frantically urging their mounts through the stretch, Assessment and Gallyn Mitchell prevailed narrowly over Noosa Beach and Ricky Frazier.

Assessment carried 119 pounds and paid $15.40, $4.40 and $3.60. Howard Belvoir is the trainer for owners Lou and Diane Tice of Seattle. It was the first victory in three starts this year for the 2009 Longacres Mile winner, who underwent ankle surgery last September.

Noosa Beach, with Frazier up at high weight of 121 pounds, paid $2.20 and $2.60. The 4-year-old gelding had his three-race winning streak snapped, but performed gallantly in defeat.

Gallon, ridden by Juan Gutierrez at pounds lbs, was four lengths back in third place and paid $4.80. Davos finish fourth, followed by Wasserman, Margo’s Gift, Winning Machine and He’s All Heart.

Wasserman, the Governor’s winner in 2007 and 2008, earned $1,250 for finishing fifth and became the all-time leader in money-earned at Washington racetracks with $504,312, $1,027 more than the legendary Captain Condo.

The day, however, belonged to Assessment, a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred by Jump Start that dominated Emerald Downs last year with four wins and three seconds in seven starts.

“I feel so good that Assessment still has the heart and courage that he had last year,” Mitchell said. “This division is so competitive. It’s going to be the little things that win races. Everyone’s going to need a little racing luck. Now that he’s back on his game, we are looking for a repeat in the (Aug. 22) Longacres Mile (GIII). He’s coming around just in time.”

Assessment waited in fifth place as Noosa Beach, pressed by He’s All Heart, set fractions of 22 and 44 3/5. Then came perhaps the key point in the race as Gallon engaged Noosa Beach on the last turn—after six furlongs in a sweltering 1:08 1/5—a move that might have helped the winner.

Assessment, meanwhile, loomed up three deep into the lane, collared Noosa Beach past the eighth-pole, and looked home free. Noosa Beach wasn’t finished, though, and fought back gamely while pushing Assessment and Frazier to the limit.

“Howard (Belvoir) left the game plan up to me, because we knew it would be a rider’s race,” Mitchell said. “I just kept an eye on the leader and waited patiently. In the stretch I angled Assessment out, and he gave me his kick. I thought I was going to go by easily, but Noosa Beach fought back.”

Assessment earned $27,500 for his eighth victory in 28 career starts. His overall earnings are $384,730.

Noosa Beach was heavily favored after stylish wins in the six-furlong Seattle Handicap and the one-mile Budweiser Handicap. Frazier, on pace for his fifth riding title in seven years, said the sudden challenge from Gallon might have cost his mount the race.

“I had him in a full drive, and he gave me everything he had,” Frazier said of Noosa Beach. “We got pushed early, and I just didn’t have enough horse to beat Assessment. If Gallon doesn’t come after us, we win the race easily.”

Rewritten rallied from sixth-place to prevail in the Washington’s Lottery, running a mile and one-sixteenth in 1:43.

A Kentucky-bred daughter of El Corredor, Rewritten paid $18.40, $8.60 and $4.80. Francisco Duran rode the winner at 114 pounds for trainer Frank Lucarelli and owner Ron Crockett.

Rewritten took eight tries to break her maiden, finally earning her diploma over a sloppy track June 20, but she had fared well against tough company. As a 2-year-old, she finished second in the Barbara Shinpoch Stakes, third in the Angie C Stakes and fourth against males in the Gottstein Futurity.

“I knew Rewritten was something special, but I didn’t know how special she was,” said Duran, undefeated in two rides on the filly. “I had a lot of confidence that she would run well, and she proved that today.”

Sis’s Sis, ridden by Gutierrez at 118 lbs, opened a clear lead into the stretch, but could not hold off the winner late. Sis’s Sis, bidding for a second straight stakes victory, paid $3.20 and $2.60.

Soul Custody, with Kevin Krigger riding, finished third and paid $5.40 to show. Tapit So Lightly, Have’n a Wild Time, Ghost Girl, Sheza Foxy Jackpot, Rap Rance and Touch of Elegance completed the order of finish.

Rewritten has compiled a 2-4-1 mark in nine starts with earnings of $69,663. Sunday’s victory was worth $27,500.

The $75,000 Washington Oaks is next for 3-year-old fillies on Aug. 14.

News and Notes

• Federal Way Handicap winner Feeling Fancy ($3.60) remained unbeaten at the meet with a 2 ¼-length victory over Sweet Nellie Brown and Knight Raider in the $21,500 co-feature for 3-year-old fillies. Ridden by Duran and trained by Lucarelli, Feeling Fancy (7-4-0-0-$63,660) ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15 1/5 .

• Duran and Lucarelli have combined to win three of the first 11 stakes this season: Feeling Fancy, Federal Way Handicap; Posse Power, Auburn Handicap; Rewritten, Washington’s Lottery Handicap.

• Crockett ranks second on the all-time owners list with 16 stakes wins at Emerald Downs.

• Northwest Farms (Jerre Paxton) is first with 26 stakes wins.

• Trainer Tim McCanna had a big week with seven wins, including a record tying five wins on Thursday, and the nine-time leading trainer is back in title contention with 31 wins.

• Vann Belvoir leads the trainers’ standings with 35 wins while Lucarelli, who enjoyed a big day with Rewritten and Feeling Fancy, is second with 33.

• Duran rode three winners and Troy Stillwell and Frazier each had two wins. Frazier finished Week 14 with a 58-49 lead over Gutierrez in the jockeys’ standings.

• Live racing resumes Thursday with first post at 6 p.m.