Comebackers enter off blazing workouts
If Makah Lane and Spittin Image run to their recent workouts, they are going to have a lot to say about the outcome of the feature race at Emerald Downs on Sunday.
In one of the fastest works ever recorded at Emerald, Makah Lane sizzled five furlongs out of the gate in 56.60 seconds on May 26. Spittin Image followed up his bullet five-furlong move in 58.80 seconds on May 19 by going six furlongs in 1:09.60 a week later.
They look like the ones to beat in a first-level allowance race that goes as race 7 on an eight-race card that begins at 2:15 p.m. Pacific. The six-furlong dash drew eight horses, with Makah Lane and Spitting Image taking advantage of the $30,000 claiming option.
Makah Lane raced just three times last year, all at Golden Gate Fields for trainer Dan Markle. He will be making his first start since he finished eighth going a mile in a first-level allowance race on March 7, 2021. His best performance was a third-place finish going 5 1/2 furlongs at the same level in his first start on Tapeta, and he should appreciate being back at Emerald where all three of his wins came in 2019 and 2020 for trainer Bonnie Jenne, who will saddle him Sunday.
Makah Lane can fire fresh. He won the $50,000 Washington Cup Sophomore in 2019 and after going unplaced in the $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic in his final start that year came back to win a first-level allowance race with a $15,000 claiming option in his first outing of 2020.
He drew the rail and if his recent workout is any indication, he is going to fire a big shot coming off the bench with Kevin Radke up.
Spittin Image ran well in his last start in the $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic on Sept. 26. He set the pace in the 1 1/16-mile race before settling for third for trainer Chris Stenslie.
The Washington-bred son of Harbor the Gold is now trained by Niccolo Troiani. A longtime assistant to the late Don Munger, Troiani was working with Stenslie before he took over for the veteran trainer after she retired following the end of last year’s meet. The only horse Troiani has started at Emerald this year, Saint Peus, won a first-level allowance race with a $30,000 claiming option that was restricted to 3-year-olds.
Prior to his solid effort in the Muckleshoot Classic, Spittin Image won an open allowance race going a mile Aug. 26. Three of his four lifetime wins have come sprinting, though, and he could be dangerous from a stalking position if he breaks alertly from post 6 with Juan Gutierrez up.
Defense Wins took advantage of a wicked pace when he rallied to finish second at this level going 5 1/2 furlongs in his first start at Emerald for trainer James Gilmour on May 22. The 5-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding came back to work a bullet three furlongs in 34.60 on June 2 and could get up in time if the speed gets carried away up front.