Bub heads Klokstad power trio

AUBURN, Wash. - Bud Klokstad, already the track's leading stakes trainer with 31 added-money victories, appears to hold most of the aces in Saturday's six-furlong, $35,000 Emerald Express Stakes for 2-year-olds at Emerald Downs.

Klokstad will saddle a three-horse entry headed by the undefeated Bub, a convincing winner of the Captain Condo Stakes on June 15. Bub, a Slewdledo gelding who races for owner Art McFadden, collected his maiden victory at 4 1/2 furlongs in May before earning his stakes brackets in the five-furlong Captain Condo, defeating the talented Knightsbridge Road on both occasions.

Although Bub is unquestionably the star of Klokstad's entry, the trainer feels his other entrants should not be overlooked. Personal Plan, a half-brother to the stakes winners Personal Decision and Perfect Plan, finished a troubled fourth in the Captain Condo before just missing in a maiden special weight event last Saturday, while Geardown posted a smart victory over $40,000 maidens on June 29.

"I'm not saying either one of them is as good as Bub, but both of them can run," said the trainer. Personal Plan went six furlongs in 1:11 last weekend, which isn't bad for a young 2-year-old, and Geardown is the kind of horse who just doesn't do anything wrong. He's a tryer, and I like him."

Among the four challengers to the Klokstad entry are Knightsbridge Road, who sandwiched a win over maiden special weight company between his two seconds to Bub, and Grandpa Chan, who is coming off a five-furlong win over $25,000 maidens at Pleasanton.

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