With arch-rival elsewhere, Muncey gets chance to shine

Unmachable’s impressive win over older horses in the $40,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic last week stamps Muncey the one to beat in a first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds Thursday at Emerald Downs. There is a $30,000 claiming option available, but none of the five horses entered are in for the price. It goes as race 2 on a 10-race card that begins at 5 p.m. Pacific.

Trained by Howard Belvoir, Muncey is coming off a third-place finish behind Unmachable in a Sept. 24 allowance race for 3-year-olds and up open to nonwinners of two and to Washington-bred nonwinners of three.

With Jennifer Whitaker riding, Muncey came from a stalking position and lost by only a length in the one-mile race, contested over a track rated sloppy.

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Unmachable came back to beat the top older horses on the grounds in the Muckleshoot Classic, most notably Elliott Bay. Not only did he win the 1 1/16-mile race in decisive fashion, his final time of 1:40.71 was the fastest for the distance at the meet.

Muncey will appreciate the easier company after running against Unmachable in his last three starts. He finished third behind Unmachable in the $40,000 Muckleshoot Derby on Sept. 3, won by Gold Crusher, and third in the $40,000 Seattle Slew on Aug. 6, won by Unmachable.

A Kentucky-bred son of Munnings, Muncey is looking for his first win since he edged Harbors Rule by a neck in the $45,000 WTBOA Lads in his second start as a 2-year-old.

He should have an honest and contested pace to work with, and if he retains his current form, he should be able to get up in time at what will be a short price. Muncey will break from post 2 with Whitaker riding.

Spittin Image looks like the main threat. The Chris Stenslie-trained son of Harbor the Gold is coming off a neck loss going 6 1/2-half furlongs at the same level Sept. 20. With leading rider Alex Cruz aboard, he dueled with Wicked Winnings for a half-mile and was game in defeat to Fantastic Day, who came from last on a track rated muddy.

This will be Spittin Image’s first try going a middle distance, and his breeding suggests he should be okay going around two turns. Three of his six siblings, who are all winners by Harbor the Gold, won going a mile or longer. Most notable is O B Harbor, who used his considerable speed to win three stakes races for Stenslie at Emerald in 2016. Two of his stakes victories came in routes, and he finished third as the favorite in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile.

The big issue for Spittin Image is he is going to have to deal with Wicked Winnings again. Wicked Winnings is breaking from the rail, and it is safe to say Gary Wales will be asking the son of Dialed In to use his speed leaving the gate. If a duel develops, it could be difficult for Spittin Image to hold off Muncey in the stretch. Spittin Image will break from post 3 with Cruz retaining the mount.