Emerald Downs offers 20 live races this weekend, 10 Saturday and 10 Sunday, complemented by a promising weather forecast. Saturday calls for partly sunny conditions with a high of 59 degrees and Sunday is even better, sunny with a high of 64.

Saturday’s late Pick 4 (Races 7-10) includes 37 horses (9.25 per race) including an outstanding wagering event in the featured ninth race. The field of nine older $12,500 claimers compete at 5 ½ furlongs, and combined the runners have won 32 races at Emerald Downs. Highdleburg and Certified Diamond both each won three races here last year, while Snake Attack (6-for-17 at Emerald Downs) and Immigration (5-for-32) are familiar faces at Emerald Downs.

Sunday’s card features four races with fields of at least eight horses, and also marks the return of the track’s all-time wins leader, West Seattle Boy, who goes after his 19th Emerald Downs victory in the seventh race.

The racing week begins Friday with an eight-race card at 6 p.m. Temperatures are expected in the mid 50s with possible showers.

Win Photos Will Do could get picture taken Friday

Undefeated Win Photos Will Do will seek his third career victory in Friday’s feature race – a 5 ½-furlong allowance/$10,000 optional claiming event for sophomores at Emerald Downs.

Track photographer and part owner Erin Palmer photographed her aptly named 3-year-old by Vying Victor twice last season, after he captured a $12,500 maiden claiming race and a $25,000 claimer for non-winners of two. Palmer said Win Photos Will Do, who is also owned by Jody Peetz’s One Horse Will Do Corporation, looked great heading into his season debut.

“The horse is training great,” Palmer said. “We are all really excited to see him run this year.”

Seattle Sniper, appointed the 2-1 morning-line favorite by odds maker Rob Rau, could challenge Win Photos Will Do’s unbeaten streak, as the Strong Hope colt is the field’s only stakes-placed finisher. The Tom Wenzel trainee, second in last year’s Premio Esmeralda and Gottstein Futurity and third in the WTBA Lads, has posted a solid work tab including a brisk :58 2/5 (3/61) gate drill at five furlongs. Win Photos Will Do, trained by Chris Stenslie, is 8-1 on the morning line.

“It’s a pretty tough race,” Palmer said. “But as far as my horse knows, he is the best horse on the racetrack.”

The field for Friday’s feature: Hayjax, Joe Crispin, 118 lbs.; Win Photos Will Do, Jose Zunino, 118; Top Banker Al, Gallyn Mitchell, 118; Stellar Blue, Debbie Hoonan-Trujillo, 118; Buckle, Javier Matias, 118; Marvin’s Magic, Leslie Mawing, 118; Seattle Sniper, Juan Gutierrez, 118; Come Away Home, Pedro Terrero, 112.

You Mr and Em B heads to $17,600 allowance

One of last season’s most impressive debut runners returns to action Sunday when You Me and

Ema B faces four rivals in an $18,600 allowance event for fillies and mares at 5 ½ furlongs.

The third race on a 10-race card Sunday, the non-winners of two lifetime includes a pair of highly regarded 4-year-olds from the Jim Penney barn: Private Fortune, runner-up in last season’s $75,000 Washington Oaks, and Include the Baby, a speedy filly that showed great promise in two starts at age 3.

It would be difficult, however, to overlook You Me and Ema B, whose Aug. 1 unveiling turned many heads, including trainer Margo Lloyd’s.

Breaking from the No. 2 post-position, the Washington-bred daughter of You and I-Carrie Ann, was “bumped at the start, set a pressured pace from the inside while under restraint, opened a clear lead into the lane and drew off as an impressive handy winner.” So said Gary Norton, the official chart-caller for Equibase at Emerald Downs.

The 1:16 clocking for 6-½ furlongs was fast under any conditions, but especially so on Aug. 1. The winning times in four other 6-½ furlong races that day were 1:18 4/5, 1:17 1/5, 1:17 and 1:16 1/5. Runaway Speed turned in the latter clocking in an open allowance for 3-year-old fillies that also featured stakes winners Zenovit, Feeling Fancy and Knight Raider. You Me and Ema B earned a 77 Beyer Speed Figure, which is highest of any runner in Sunday’s race.

Following that big victory, however, You Me and Ema B was sidelined by an assortment of minor problems that included a virus and a hock ailment. It was enough to shelve her for the duration of 2010, but Lloyd said You Me and Ema B hails from a slow-maturing family anyway. She added, though, that this filly has a much better attitude than her half-sister, Ann’s Plan, a Game Plan filly that Lloyd also trained.

“It’s not a precocious family, but (You Me and Ema B) has a wonderful disposition, ” Lloyd said.

Lloyd owns You Me and Ema B in partnership with Pat Hoonan, the former Rogers High School football coach and the father of jockey Deborah Hoonan-Trujillo. Hoonan-Trujillo, a close friend of the trainer’s, will ride You Me and Ema B again Sunday.

“Am I nervous?” Lloyd said, repeating the question. “I’m always nervous. I have no idea (how good You Me and Ema B) is. She hasn’t been tested, but she’ll be tested Sunday.”

Hollywood Harbor and Peaceful Reign back in action

The 2009 Top 3-Year-Old Hollywood Harbor and stakes-winner Peaceful Reign will make their 2011 debuts Sunday to headline a talented group of older horses in a 5 ½-furlong allowance optional claimer.

The $18,900 co-feature—race eight on a 10-race card—marks the first time that Hollywood Harbor has been entered for a claiming price in his career. Peaceful Reign, meanwhile, is in for a tag for the first time since trainer Vann Belvoir took him for $30,000 in May 2009, when the Liberty Gold Gelding broke his maiden.

There are still some question marks surrounding Hollywood Harbor, who will make his first start since he finished ninth in the Harry Henson Stakes a year ago on Hollywood Park’s turf course. In preparation for last year’s Auburn Handicap, the 4-year-old sustained changes to his suspensory ligament and missed the rest of the season. But trainer Chris Stenslie said Hollywood Harbor has made a complete recovery and is feeling great.

No question Hollywood Harbor has been dominant at Emerald Downs. After running second in his career debut June 21, 2009,, he reeled off consecutive victories in the NWSS Strong Ruler Stakes, Premio Esmeralda Stakes, and WTBA Lads Stakes  and was voted Top Juvenile Male.

Sunday, Hollywood Harbor will have to contend with plenty of speed as Peaceful Reign can set torrid fractions. The 2009 Seattle Slew Handicap winner returned in torrid style last year while running 5-½ furlongs in 1:02 1/5— nearly setting a track record—and notching a career best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

The field, carrying 120 lbs., for Sunday’s eighth race: Bogachiel, Gallyn Mitchell; Seven Torrents, Juan Gutierrez; Hollywood Harbor, Jose Zunino; Peaceful Reign, Javier Matias; Davos, Leslie Mawing.

NOTES: Week 2 Honors—Jockey-Deborah Hoonan-Trujillo (5-for-15); Trainer-Gary Morris Jr. (3-for-3); Owner-Fleur De Lis Stables (Winning Machine wins $21,000 allowance); Groom-Jesus Valencia (Frank Lucarelli).

Emerald Downs is pleased to announce that Longhorn BBQ will sponsor its Trainer of the Week throughout 2011. The Gift Horse continues to sponsor Jockey of the Week, and Joe and Sally Steiner’s Quarter Chute Café, once again sponsors Groom of the Week…Oddfella’s Pub & Eatery, located at 102 West Main Street in Auburn, will host the 2011 Kentucky Derby Preview Party from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 5. The event includes free Derby racing forms for the first 100 fans, “Happy Hour” drink and food specials and a handicapping session with director of publicity Joe Withee and track announcer Robert Geller.

Atta Boy Roy seeks a confidence-building victory in Sunday’s third race at Turf Paradise. The 6-year-old faces five rivals (including Washington-breds Mobius and Goin’ Dancin) in the $17,200 optional claiming race at six furlongs. Vicky Baze has the mount for trainer Valorie Lund and owner REV Racing…Avram, a paddock scratch last Saturday, breezed five furlongs in a bullet :59 1/5 Wednesday for trainer Vann Belvoir.

Jockey Akifumi Kato, who spent a large portion of his career riding at Playfair, is approaching a personal milestone of 2,000 all time wins. Through Wednesday, Kato was at 1,992 wins. Trainer Gary Morris Jr. is off to his best start since a 13-for-56 meet at Les Bois Park in 2008, says he has eight horses at Emerald Downs including Bluegrass Chapp, a Bluegrass Cat colt purchased for $32,000 last month at the Barretts Sale by owner Jared Chappell.

(The jockeys’ leader board, formerly located north of the paddock, will be moved adjacent to the shoe board parallel to the paddock. Updated daily, the board features the current five leading riders at Emerald Downs and their win totals.

Washington-bred Howmuchisit ($10.80) prevailed in a $40,000 starter allowance with an $18,000 purse Thursday at Golden Gate Fields. Trained by Vann Belvoir, owned by Howard Maggard and ridden by Kevin Krigger, Howmuchisit was 2-for-5 last year at Emerald Downs.

Speaking of Golden Gate, Gallant Son is among nine entered in Saturday’s $100,000 San Francisco Mile (G3) on turf. William Antongeorgi has the mount for trainer Frank Lucarelli…Winning Machine received an 86 Beyer Speed Figure for his 1 ¾-length victory over He’s All Heart in Sunday’s $21,000 allowance race.

Washington-native Tyler Baze returned to competitive racing this week at Turf Paradise and was back at Hollywood Park Thursday with an eighth-place finish aboard Southern Sugah in the third race. The 2000 Eclipse Award-winning Apprentice was out nine months with an eye injury…Sun Downs in Kennewick wraps up its six-day meet with cards Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It’s the lone stop on this year’s Blue Mountain circuit.

The Quarter Chute Cafe continues to offer simulcast wagering every Monday and Tuesday.