Blowout was just the ticket for Klokstad filly

AUBURN, Wash. - When stakes are run at Emerald Downs, trainer Bud Klokstad comes prepared.

Klokstad, who was second only to Glen Williams in stakes victories at Longacres, is Emerald's leading stakes trainer with 37 added-money wins, and is the only trainer who has won stakes in each of the track's nine seasons.

Klokstad had Swingn' Notes prepared for Sunday's one-mile Irish Day Handicap, and that was no mean feat. Swingn' Notes, a 3-year-old daughter of French Deputy, had raced only once since January, finishing an even fourth in the May 16 Federal Way Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs. What's more, she had posted only two very slow workouts in the interim.

"She doesn't put very much into her workouts," said the trainer. "I was worried she might not be tight enough."

That being the case, Klokstad asked Swingn' Notes to do a little something extra on Saturday morning. He had rider Adalberto Lopez blow the filly out three furlongs in 36 seconds flat.

"In the old days, everybody blew them out the day before they ran, but not too many do that anymore," he said. "I thought it would just sharpen her up."

It apparently did the trick, because Swingn' Notes broke alertly from the inside post to stalk the pace of Time for Magic through six furlongs in 1:11.60, slipped through along the inside to take command turning for home, and held on to win by a length in 1:37.60. Time for Magic held second by a neck over Strong Faith, who had another neck on the fast-finishing Sariano.

"She hung in there pretty good," said Klokstad. "I'm proud of her."

Two things Klokstad wasn't worried about on Sunday were Swingn' Notes's ability to get a mile and the drying-out surface. She had won Golden Gate's one-mile Corte Madera Stakes over a muddy track in December, shortly after she had scored her maiden win going 1 1/16 miles on the Golden Gate turf course. Sunday's win improved her record to 3 for 3 in routes, and the trainer is looking forward to running her back in the 1 1/16-mile Kent Handicap on July 18 and the 1 1/8-mile Washington Breeders' Cup Oaks on Aug. 21.

Klokstad said he occasionally considers taking advantage of the grass racing in Northern California with Swingn' Notes, "but she fits here. We'll just keep her going through this series of races."

Klokstad purchased Swingn' Notes for owners Johnny and Ruth Lewis - who also race multiple stakes winner Flying Notes - as a yearling from the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association sale for $45,000. With Sunday's $26,950 winner's prize, she has now earned $101,944.

"She was by the same sire as Flying Notes, and I liked her looks," recalled Klokstad. "She's a real nice-looking filly. We had to pay a little too much money for her, but it looks like she's going to be worth it now."

Flying Notes back in training

Klokstad said Flying Notes, who ran the fastest nine furlongs in the country in 2002 when he won the Emerald Derby in 1:45.40, is back in training after injuring a tendon last year.

"He hasn't breezed yet," said the trainer. "I'm taking it real slow with him. He looks great, though, and I hope to have him ready to race in the fall."

Thunzarr wins fourth of meet

Thunzarr became the first horse to win four races at the meeting when he won Sunday's nightcap, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for $16,000 claimers, by a neck in 1:16.

It was Thunzarr's fifth win in his last six starts. A 7-year-old son of Altazarr who races for Maggie Dunton, Thunzarr helped boost trainer Rick Terry's record at the meeting to 12 wins from 36 starts for a 33 percent success rate. Terry is tied with Tim McCanna for third in the trainer standings behind Frank Lucarelli (19 wins) and Sharon Ross (14).

McCanna: This Bud's for two

Trainer Tim McCanna has confirmed that he will send out both Willie the Cat and Poker Brad in Sunday's $75,000 Budweiser Emerald Handicap at a mile.

Willie the Cat, who has won all three of his outings at the meeting, including a pair of sprint stakes, has been assigned a highweight package of 121 pounds and will spot 10 potential rivals from two to eight pounds. The Budweiser Emerald will mark Willie the Cat's first attempt around two turns.

Poker Brad, who will not race coupled with his stablemate, will carry 119 pounds. Poker Brad, the runner-up to Sky Jack in last year's Grade 3 Longacres Mile, is coming off a one-mile victory over allowance rivals in 1:33.80.

Ricky Frazier is the regular rider for both of the McCanna trainees.