Godsend is the horse to beat in Sunday’s first-level allowance/optional-claiming feature over 6 1/2 furlongs at Emerald Downs. Godsend, owned by Stan Munro and trained by Justin Evans, is the the horse to beat on Sunday after stablemate Neiman returned from their last race to win the Budweiser Stakes on June 23. Godsend last started June 1 in similar conditions at six furlongs, finishing second by 1 1/2 lengths. Neiman, who was the winner of that race, earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 69 in that allowance before winning the Budweiser with a robust 86 Beyer. Another from thae June 1 race, Welton, came back to win June 23 at Emerald Downs, earning a Beyer Figure of 73, which was 14 points higher than he earned when finishing fifth. There is a strong possibility the race was underrated and that Godsend merits more respect Sunday. Trainer Debbie Peery will send out Our Boy Roy and Smiling Goodbye. Our Boy Roy is a 4-year-old with just four career starts, including a prep three weeks ago that was his first race since February 2023. The gelding won a maiden race and an allowance impressively before being sidelined. In his June 8 return, Our Boy Roy was compromised by a sluggish start and then raced behind a lone front-runner in Peter Flies, who won that day and will return in Sunday’s field. “I believe he will just keep improving and will get better with each race,” Peery said of Our Boy Roy. “He has definitely matured.” Smiling Goodbye was third behind Executive Chef in a $25,000 claiming race on June 7, his first start since September. “He had to check and steady, but he game back good and has been training great,” Peery said. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Ten were entered for the Sunday feature, including 2022 Gottstein Futurity winner Lloyds Logic. The Tom Wenzel charge has faltered in a pair of allowance races in 2024 but is another exiting the “live” race on June 1 won by Neiman. Lloyds Logic is expected to improve considerably Sunday. Peter Flies boasts the top last-out Beyer in Sunday’s field. The Charles Essex trainee was a comfortable winner after securing an easy lead June 8. He should see more pace competition Sunday. Former Emerald Downs stakes winner Executive Chef will make his second start of 2024 after winning the June 7 claiming race with a waiver. The 5-year-old gelding is trained by Blaine Wright and boasts six exacta finishes from nine prior starts at Emerald. Others entered include El Alto Hombre, trained by Liz Kowalski; Muncey, trained by Howard Belvoir; Langston Road, trained by Dan Markle; and Golden Ale, trained by Frank Lucarelli. Sunday’s first post is 1:30 p.m. Pacific and comfortable weather is anticipated. ◗ Emerald’s annual fireworks display is slated to follow a special Wednesday card. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.