The $50,000 Premio Esmeralda Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings appears to be a wide-open affair heading into Sunday’s six-furlong stakes at Emerald Downs.

Couldabenthewhisky looked tough in his 1 ¼-length victory over Winter Warlock in last month’s NWSS Strong Ruler Stakes. A victory by the Harbor the Gold gelding would give jockey Ricky Frazier his third Premio Esmeralda victory (Knightsbridge Road in ’02 & Margo’s Gift in ’07). The 24-year riding veteran is currently tied with Jennifer Whitaker at two.

While Seattle Sniper doesn’t have a stakes win, the Strong Hope colt does sport the field’s highest Beyer Speed Figure with a 76, 14 points higher than Couldabenthewhisky’s 62 given after his stakes win. Seattle Sniper was not eligible for the Strong Ruler because Strong Hope was not nominated for the Stallion Stakes. The weather forecasts call for rain on Sunday, a plus for Seattle Sniper, whose two career races have been on a sloppy track.

Trainer Jim Penney entered first-time starter Jebrica,a potential wildcard to add to the mix. The Liberty Gold colt has shown promise in the mornings the past couple weeks, including a five-furlong bullet going :59 2/5 on Aug. 1. Penney said his horse could show speed in Sunday’s race.

“He’s pretty quick out of the gate,” Penney said. “Still, there are some pretty tough horses in this race.”

The field also includes Strong Ruler second and third-place finishers Winter Warlock and Gdanz Xpress, respectively. Both horses closed well and could improve in their third career start.

The field for the 15th running of the Premio Esmeralda Stakes: Winter Warlock, Kevin Krigger, 120 pounds; Jebrica, Francisco Duran, 118; Gdanz Xpress, Miguel Perez, 120; Fueled by Kaffine, Gallyn Mitchell, 120; Couldabenthewhisky, Frazier, 120; Seattle Sniper, Juan Gutierrez, 120.

Harwood goes after fourth straight Angie C.

Trainer Doris Harwood has had tremendous success with 2-year-olds the past few seasons at Emerald Downs. The track’s all-time leader in stakes victories has won 15 2-year-old stakes races at Emerald Downs since 2007 and will have a great chance Sunday with likely betting-favorite Carrabelle Harbor in Sunday’s $50,000 Angie C. Stakes,a race that Harwood has won the past three years.

Carrabelle Harbor dueled three-wide and drew clear from Iforgottobeme for a 1 ¼-length triumph in the NWSS Knights Choice Stakes. Ricky Frazier, who piloted the Oregon-bred filly, won his fifth straight Knights Choice with the victory.

Harwood will also saddle Boogie to Seattle, a daughter of Bluegrass Cat who broke her maiden with a six-length victory over stablemate Belle Adieu on June 26. Boogie to Seattle was ineligible for the Knights Choice because her sire had not been nominated to the Stallion Stakes.

Trainer Bill Thompson appeared to make a great claim on July 8, when he put in a tag for Iforgottobeme who broke her maiden that race with a seven-length victory. The daughter of Free at Last ran second in the Knights Choice for her new connections. Iforgottobeme will have to break well from the usually unfavorable inside-post to compete with Carrabelle Harbor.

Giacomina, Wings of Pegasus, and Ms Moscow Mattie will attempt to give trainer Vann Belvoir his first career 2-year-old stakes win at Emerald Downs. The latter-pair both enter Sunday’s race after breaking their maiden as a first-time starter.

The field for the 15th running of the Angie C. Stakes: Iforgottobeme, Juan Gutierrez, 119 pounds; The Gang and I, Francisco Duran, 119; Wings of Pegasus, Kevin Krigger, 119; Giacomina, Miguel Perez, 117; Boogie to Seattle, Gallyn Mitchell, 119; Ms Moscow Mattie, Inoel Beato, 119; Carrabelle Harbor, Frazier, 119.

News and Notes

Week 17 honors: Jockey-Anne Von Rosen (4 wins); Trainer-Margo Lloyd (You Me and Ema B); Owner-H.B. Pat Mullens, Ed Zenker and R.A. Larson (Bijou Barrister); Groom-Miguel Ortiz (Tim McCanna).

Saturday’s feature is a $50,000 optional claiming race at one mile that includes Portland Meadows’ stakes-winner Seven Torrents, Davos, He’s All Heart and Noble Juan*Undefeated (17-for-17) Zenyatta will continue her illustrious career Saturday at approximately 6 p.m., in the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes (Gr. 1) at Del Mar in California. The 2009 runner-up for Horse of the Year and two-time Clement Hirsch champion will face five rivals going 1-1/16 miles.

Considered by many as this year’s top two older males in the country, Quality Road and Blame will face off Saturday at approximately 5:48 p.m., in the $750,000 Whitney Handicap (Gr. 1) at Saratoga in New York.

Personality Kid (30-1), trained by Vann Belvoir, drew the 12-hole in a two-mile marathon Saturday at Prairie Meadows in Iowa. The $38,000 race will be the eighth on the card and will run at approximately 9:37 p.m.

Mt Rainier Handicap winner Noosa Beach and Boeing Handicap winner Clair Annette earned a 95 and 77 Beyer Speed Figure, respectively, after their victories in last week’s stakes races.

Longacres Mile contender Gallant Son galloped Thursday morning with exercise rider John Frousiakis for trainer Frank Lucarelli, more than a week after finishing third in the $75,000 Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar.

The 4-year-old colt will ship to Emerald Downs on Tuesday, with his sights set on the Northwest’s most prestigious race.