Big fields for Irish Day and Seattle Slew stakes

A total of 23 horses are entered in the two stakes for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs on Sunday. Mucho Amor and Alittlelesstalk figure to vie for favoritism in the $50,000 Irish Day for fillies. With the undefeated Baja Sur on the sidelines, the $50,000 Seattle Slew for colts and geldings is a wide-open event. Both races will be contested at 1 1/16 miles.

Sky Confidential is one of many possibilities in the 12-horse Seattle Slew. The son of Sky Mesa is peaking at the right time for trainer Howard Belvoir. He came from a stalking position when he won a maiden special weight race going six furlongs on June 1 and sat second before drawing away in his victory in a first-level allowance race with a $30,000 claiming option on June 29.

Sky Confidential is the third foal out of a two-time route winner and Belvoir is confident he will be able to handle a middle distance.

“He is just coming into his own and I think he’ll run all day” said the veteran trainer. “He is a good-sized horse and he acts like he wants more distance. The only thing that worries me is that it’s a full field and he’s been pretty bad in the gate.”

He will break from post 5 with Javier Matias riding.

Trainer Blaine Wright is hoping Baja Sur will be back in time to run in the $50,000 Muckleshoot Derby on Aug. 11.

“He dinged himself a bit, but hopefully we’ll get him back on the track soon,” said Wright.

Instead of having the overwhelming favorite in the Seattle Slew, Wright has decent chances with El Borracho, Rally Cat, and Perfect Dude.

A maiden, El Borracho finished well in his first route attempt in his last start at Golden Gate Fields.

Along with Rally Cat, who rallied to win a first-level allowance race with a $30,000 claiming option at Emerald on June 9, El Borracho should appreciate what will likely be a fast and contested pace.

Perfect Dude forced the pace before tiring to finish third in the $50,000 Coca Cola June 16.

Some of the speed will be provided by Free Speech, who is coming off a front-running win in a $50,000 optional maiden-claiming race at Hastings for trainer Steve Bryant. Charles Essex is the trainer of record Sunday.

In the Irish Day, the Wright-trained Mucho Amor will try to make amends for her loss as the heavy favorite in the $50,000 Kent Stakes on June 9.

After her six-length romp in the Seattle Stakes May 12, she was expected to dominate her rivals again in the 6 1/2-furlong Kent. It looked like she was going to blow away the field at the top of the stretch but she couldn’t get past Alittlesstalk.

“It’s a new game going around two turns and hopefully she will relax well,” said Wright.

The Kentucky-bred daughter of Mucho Macho Man will break from post 3 with Juan Hernandez riding.

Alittlelesstalk has the breeding to handle her first route assignment and trainer Roddinna Barret is pleased with how the Washington-bred is coming up to the race.

“She’s been training awesome,” said Barrett. “She has been galloping two and three miles and finishing off with works.”