Dixie Pulpit tops feature for hot Lucarelli barn

Nobody is surprised Frank Lucarelli is the leading trainer at Emerald Downs this year. After all, he is the all-time leading trainer at the Auburn, Wash., oval with 965 wins, 30 more than his closest pursuer Tim McCanna. However, it is a bit surprising in the way he is dominating the standings with 21 wins compared to 10 for Blaine Wright, who sits in second.

He is also winning races at a 33 percent clip. Expect more of the same Friday night. Lucarelli has horses entered in four of the seven races carded, and in all four races the horses he trains are the consensus favorite in the Daily Racing Form.

Dixie Pulpit, in race 6, is a good example of why Lucarelli is off to the white-hot start.

Dixie Pulpit will be making his first start at Emerald, and similar to many horses Lucarelli is winning with, he ships in racing fit from Golden Gate Fields where he has been competitive in all of his races.

He is clearly the one to beat in the $15,000 claimer for non-winners of two that will serve as the feature. The six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up drew seven horses.

Dixie Pulpit showed potential when he debuted in a $12,500 maiden-claiming race at Golden Gate for trainer William Morey on Feb. 17. He came back to win his second start for the same price on March 10 and he was claimed out of the race by Lucarelli, who was acting on behalf of Aaron Bresko.

In his two starts for Lucarelli he finished fourth in back-to-back $12,500 claiming races for non-winners of two. He was in the mix early in his race on April 14 and had a rough trip on May 4. He was squeezed back at the start of the six-furlong race, and then was forced to steady sharply when he was trying to get back into the race from along the rail going down the backstretch.

A 4-year-old son of Lucky Pulpit, Dixie Pulpit drew the outside post Friday and should get a nice trip stalking what figures to be an honest and contested pace. Kevin Orozco rides.

Lucarelli also entered Samurai Jack, who is coming off a win in a $15,000 maiden claimer at Emerald on May 18.

Redrock Trail will be among the early leaders. He broke on top and never looked back in his 8 1/2-length romp in a $5,000 maiden claiming race for trainer Michael Puhich on May 10. He was claimed out of the race by trainer Joe Toye, who the past five years at Emerald has a 23 percent strike rate and $2.14 ROI with claimed horses running back the first time.

Celturian could make a big impact from a stalking position with Juan Gutierrez riding for trainer Bill Tollett.