Chalk struggles early at Emerald; $31K pick five carryover awaits Wednesday

Management at Emerald Downs was pleased with the strong mutuel handle from the first two days of the meet, last Wednesday and Thursday. The total was a solid $3,539,173.

“Everything went smoothly,” track president Phil Ziegler said. “We have the fifth floor open now for simulcast wagering, so our in-state handle should grow this week.”

It was a tough couple of days for chalk players, though. Just three favorites won from 20 races, with an average win price of $16.39. Longshot Ri Pin’ Snap paid $35.40 for his nose win over I Work for Carrots in the last race Thursday. If the photo had gone the other way, the pick five would have been paid out. Instead, there is a $31,361 carryover for the pick five on Wednesday.

Expect more of the same on the 10-race card, which begins at 2:15 p.m. Pacific.

What makes it tough sledding for handicappers is that most of the horses are making their first start of the year. Plus, some of the horses that have been running are coming off races on Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields and will be running on dirt for the first time.

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All seven horses entered in the featured ninth race are making their initial start this year. Trainer Kay Cooper has a good chance of winning the 5 1/2-furlong dash for fillies and mares with Suddenly Awesome and Magical Speed. The race is restricted to nonwinners of two or Washington-breds that are nonwinners of three.

Suddenly Awesome just missed coming off a lengthy layoff in her initial start last year and has been training forwardly for Cooper.

The 4-year-old daughter of Daaher did struggle going middle distances in her last two starts, in the $50,000 Washington Cup Filly and Mare and the $29,000 Autumn Leaves at Hastings. Nonetheless, she is better sprinter and figures to get a nice trip from a forward position.

Suddenly Awesome will break from post 4 with Cerapio Figueroa aboard.

She may have to catch her stablemate Magical Spell. The lightly raced 4-year-old has good speed and could be tough to reel in if she breaks alertly leaving from the inside post.

Gary Wales rides the Washington-bred daughter of Include.

Adding to the appeal of Suddenly Awesome and Magical Spell are the strong stats Cooper has with horses coming back from lengthy layoffs. According to Daily Racing Form’s Formulator, Cooper has a 19 percent strike rate and $5.42 return on investment with horses coming back from a break of 180 days or more over the past five years.

The Tom Wenzel-trained Lady Campbell looks like the main threat to the Cooper pair.

Two starts back, she romped by 7 1/4 lengths going 6 1/2 furlongs in a maiden special weight race on June 22, 2019. She will appreciate the move back to a sprint and the easier company after setting the pace before fading going 1 1/16 miles in the $50,000 Irish Day on July 14.