AUBURN, Wash. – Only four horses will compete Sunday in Emerald Downs’s championship event for horses bred in Washington, the $40,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic at 1 1/16 miles. The centerpiece of Washington Cup Day – six stakes races for statebreds worth a total of $215,000 in purses – the Muckleshoot will go as the third race on a nine-race card that begins at 2 p.m. Pacific.

AUBURN, Wash. – It has been a long dry spell for Couldabenthewhisky, now more than 14 months removed from his last victory. But after a strong effort in his most recent outing, he will merit a long look from handicappers Sunday when he starts in the $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap at Emerald Downs.

AUBURN, Wash. – Handicappers were forced to dig deep to find a decent price during the first few days of the new meeting at Emerald Downs. The betting favorite won 16 of the 26 races during the three-day opening last weekend, and several favorites look formidable Sunday on an nine-race card that kicks off at 2 p.m. Pacific.

AUBURN, Wash. – Couldabenthewhisky, the leader of the 3-year-old division at Emerald Downs before a sluggish performance in his last start, will miss Sunday’s Pepsi Cola Handicap because of injury.

Couldabenthewhisky apparently injured himself in his stall a few days after running eighth as the odds-on favorite in the Auburn Handicap on May 30. In his previous start, his first outing following a seven-month layoff, he dominated a well-regarded field in the Jim Coleman Province Stakes at Hastings.

AUBURN, Wash. – Still early in Emerald Downs’s 82-day meeting, the track’s 3-year-olds have yet to separate themselves in any meaningful way. The winnowing begins Monday, when a field of nine is scheduled to run 6 1/2 furlongs in the $50,000 Auburn Handicap. The Memorial Day program begins at 2 p.m. Pacific, and the Auburn is race No. 6 on an expanded 11-race card.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Emerald Downs-based Couldabenthewhisky came from a stalking position to win the $50,000 Jim Coleman Province over an extremely sloppy track at Hastings Saturday. He paid $13.

AUBURN, Wash. – Couldabenthewhisky romped to a five-length victory Sunday in the $75,000 Gottstein Futurity as Emerald Downs brought down the curtain on its 15th season.

The fourth favorite in a field of eight in Emerald’s traditional 2-year-old championship, Couldabenthewhisky ($9.80) tracked pacesetter Winter Warlock from midpack down the backstretch, moved readily to take command turning for home, and quickly drew clear while running 1 1/16 miles on a sloppy track in 1:42.60.

AUBURN, Wash. – The $75,000 Gottstein Futurity is the centerpiece of an 11-race card Sunday as Emerald Downs pulls down the curtain on its 15th season. Getaway Day begins at 2 p.m. Pacific, and the Gottstein is the 10th race on a program that also includes the Ashbaugh Beal Claiming Challenge, a six-race showcase for horses who have started for various claiming prices in 2010.

AUBURN, Wash. - Harbor the Gold, a rising star in Northwest breeding circles, was represented by two juvenile stakes winners Sunday at Emerald Downs. Couldabenthewhisky captured the $30,000 Strong Ruler Stakes for colts and geldings, and first-time starter Carrabelle Harbor prevailed in the $30,000 Knights Choice Stakes for fillies.