Kevin Krigger has made a spectacular return to the Pacific Northwest, winning 50 races and four stakes despite arriving six weeks into the 90-day meeting.

And things could get even better Sunday for the 26-year-old native of St. Croix, Virgin Islands when he rides live long shot Jersey Town for trainer Tim McCanna in the $250,000 Longacres Mile (GIII), and high weight and probable favorite Clair Annette for trainer Connie Bouslaugh in the $75,000 Emerald Distaff.

Krigger likes his chances aboard the strapping 4-year-old Jersey Town, who is 15-to-1 on the morning line in the Mile. The son of Speightstown has finished in the top two in seven-of-eight career races and came off the bench to score a powerful victory at 6 ½ furlongs last month. Jersey Town also set the pace and finished second to Winning Machine in last year’s $275,000 British Columbia Derby at Hastings Racecourse.

Krigger said he is confident that his horse is ready for the Mile.

“I know that some people might think that he is unfit,” Krigger said. “He is a big fat horse, and he’s as fit as they come.”

Emerald Downs’ leading rider in 2005 should know something about fitness, as he will ride the sharpest mare on the grounds in Sunday’s 1-1/8-mile Distaff. Clair Annette has transformed into a sensational route horse*winning three-of-three career routes*including the last two stakes at Emerald Downs, and she has quickly become a favorite of Krigger’s.

“I wouldn’t want to trade her for any other mare in the world,” Krigger said. “If she runs her race than she is unbeatable.”

Her race most likely means that she will either set the pace or pressure the leader, as she has done in her last 12 races. The 7-year-old daughter of Beau Genius has tremendous early speed, and in a race that doesn’t feature much early lick, she could be long gone by the time the rest of the field reaches the stretch.

“It would be really great to get the “w” in my comeback year,” Krigger said. “Especially winning the Mile for Tim McCanna. That would be special.”

McCanna*winner of nine training titles at Emerald Downs*is the track’s all-time wins leader with 754. However, he has yet to take home the Northwest’s richest event. His best Mile result came in 2003, when Poker Brad finished second to the Doug O’Neill-trainee Sky Jack.

NEWS AND NOTES

Week 19 honors: Jockey-Inoel Beato (3 wins); Trainer-Larry Ross (Zenovit, Washington Oaks); Owner-Gary Hughes (Saratoga Boot, Emerald Derby); Groom-Kimberly Stecker (Alan Bozell)*Winning Machine breezed three furlongs in :36 4/5 Thursday*the final workout for Sunday’s Longacres Mile*Trainer Tim McCanna said Emerald Derby winner Saratoga Boot would make his next start in the $100,000 British Columbia Derby (GIII-C), Sunday, Sept. 26, at Hastings Racecourse*West Seattle Boy, the track’s all-time leader with 17 wins, aims for another score in Sunday’s seventh race at 6 ½ furlongs*Longacres Mile nominees Taif and Dixie Meister are among a field of seven entered in Sunday’s ninth at 6 ½ furlongs*Polish Dollar (Saturday’s 4th race), Bijou Barrister (Saturday’s 7th race) and Noosa Beach (Longacres Mile) all attempt to win a meet-high fifth race this week at Emerald Downs. Runaway Speed, also with four wins at the meet, finished ninth in the Aug. 14 Washington Oaks*Polish Dollar’s race also features Silver Mench, Classielyte and Tom Bombadil*all triple winners at the meet…The Charles Essex-trained Tequila Gold goes for a fourth straight victory at the meet in Saturday’s 8th race, a $25,000 claimer for 3-year-olds with a $15,100 purse. Jiddaw, Cyber Bell, Howmuchisit, Blame the Jockey and Cat On Base are also entered in the six-furlong feature*Leslie Mawing, who rides morning line favorite Gallant Son in the Longacres Mile, also has four mounts Saturday at Emerald Downs. Mawing has 269 wins at Emerald Downs, including a runner-up finish with 86 wins at the 2007 meet. He most recently tied for second place with 15 wins at Santa Rosa*Alex Solis rides Irish import Berg Bahn in Saturday’s $400,000 Del Mar Oaks (GI) before heading to Emerald Downs to ride Burj Dubai in the Longacres Mile*Sunday’s simulcasts include the $15,000 Humboldt County Marathon from Ferndale, in which horses cross the finish line five times on the half-mile track.

250,000 LONGACRES MILE Grade 3

FACTS & FIGURES

When: 5:50 p.m. (approx.), Sunday, Aug. 22

Where: Emerald Downs, Auburn, Wash.

TV/Radio: TVG/FSN (Bob Rondeau, Joe Withee, Simon Bray, Mike Joyce, Robert Geller); KJR 950 AM (Mike Gastineau)

CO-FEATURE: $75,000 Emerald Distaff

GIVEAWAY: 50 iPads (five after each race)

FIRST POST: 2 p.m.

HONORARY STEWARD: Hall-of-Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye

2010 LONGACRES MILE

75th Running $250,000 Longacres Mile – Race 8 – 5:50 p.m.

Horse……….Trainer……….Jockey……….Wt……….M/L

1.Winning Machine…..F. Lucarelli…..I. Beato…..116…..20

2.Senor Rojo…..D. Forster…..M. Perez…..115…..15

3.Wasserman…..H. Belvoir…..J. Whitaker…..114…..20

4.Jersey Town…..T. McCanna…..K. Krigger…..116…..15

5.Noosa Beach…..D. Harwood…..R. Frazier…..120…..3

6.Gallon…..J. Penney…..J. Gutierrez…..115…..20

7.Almost Time…..D. Condilenios…..F. Fuentes…..119…..15

8.Gallant Son…..F. Lucarelli…..L. Mawing…..121…..5-2

9.Teide…..D. Condilenios…..C. Hoverson…..120…..6

10.Davos…..J. Coffey…..R. Baze…..114…..15

11.Assessment…..H. Belvoir…..G. Mitchell…..118…..5

12.Burj Dubai…..D. Condilenios…..A. Solis…..115…..10

15th Running $75,000 Emerald Distaff*Race 6**4:30 p.m.

Horse……….Trainer……….Jockey……….Wt

1.Clair Annette…..C. Bouslaugh…..K. Krigger…..121

2.Barbara’s Love…..J. Holmes…..G. Mitchell…..115

3.Christmas Ship…..J. Hollendorfer…..L. Mawing…..119

4.Summer Song…..T. Taylor…..M. Gutierrez…..121

5.Blue Sky Holiday…..J. Snow…..F. Fuentes…..115

6.Gadget Queen…..B. Wright…..R. Frazier…..118

7.Rewritten…..F. Lucarelli…..F. Duran…..111

8.Kimmyv…..D. Condilenios…..C. Hoverson…..117

9.Crocodile Tuff…..D. Markle…..R. Baze…..116

*Approximate Post Time