Blazinbeauty should relish extra distance in Washington Oaks

Trainer Frank Lucarelli is hoping that the extra furlong Blazinbeauty gets to work with will help her turn the tables on Top Quality in the $75,000 Washington Oaks at Emerald Downs on Sunday. The richest race for 3-year-old fillies at Emerald drew five horses, but it is hard to go past Top Quality and Blazinbeauty in the 1 1/8-mile race.

Top Quality, trained by Blaine Wright, will be favored. In her first start at Emerald, she beat Blazinbeauty by 3 3/4 lengths in the one-mile Irish Day Stakes on June 25. Blazinbeauty came from well back in the Irish Day, and by the time she was in full flight, Top Quality, who stalked the early pace, had opened up a three-length cushion in midstretch.

“They got pretty spread out in the Irish Day, and Blaine’s filly got the jump on us,” said Lucarelli. “Going a mile and an eighth, she shouldn’t be that far back.”

A Kentucky-bred daughter of Tale of Ekati, Blazinbeauty should relish the added distance. In her only other route attempt, she romped by six lengths against males in the 1 1/16-mile Gottstein Futurity last year.

“A mile and an eighth should be perfect for her,” said Lucarelli. “But I don’t think Top Quality is going to have any problem going that far either.”

Blazinbeauty drew post 3, with Isaias Enriquez riding.

Wright is hoping for a repeat performance from Top Quality, who was making her first start for the leading trainer in the Irish Day. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Quality Road was coming off a win in a one-mile maiden special weight race at Golden Gate Fields for trainer Simon Callaghan.

“She ran a heck of a race last time,” said Wright. “I am happy she drew the outside post in the Oaks. She can get into the clear and hopefully come back with the same kind of performance. It should be a good race.”

Juan Gutierrez retains the mount.

Wright will also be represented by Reginella, who will break from the rail with Julien Couton riding. She finished a non-threatening fourth in the Irish Day, but she worked a bullet five furlongs in 58.60 seconds July 17, and Wright is expecting an improved performance Sunday.

“That was a super work,” he said. “She’s ready to run a big race.”

Daddyalwayssays will be the one they have to catch. Trained by Kay Cooper, the daughter of Sky Mesa has just three starts behind her, and in her latest, she dueled through moderate fractions before losing by a head to Gazing in a 6 1/2-furlong, $25,000 optional-claiming race July 8.

After winning her debut, Daddyalwayssays tried stakes company in the $50,000 Kent, where she was in contention at the eighth pole but faded to finish seventh in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint won by Risque’s Legacy.

Little Dancer, fifth in the Irish Day for trainer Doris Harwood, completes the field.

Alert Bay sidelined for summer

Wright was disappointed to report that Alert Bay won’t be running in the Grade 3, $200,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 13. The premier race in the Pacific Northwest was one of the goals for the California-bred son of City Zip who has earned more than $1.2 million for owner Peter Redekop.

“He’s got a minor injury and will miss the rest of the summer,” said Wright. “It doesn’t appear to be serious, but we have to do what’s right for him, so we’ll give him the time off to fully recover. Hopefully, he’ll come back as good as ever.”