'Dixie' vs. California invader in Distaff

AUBURN, Wash. - Emerald Downs president Ron Crockett promised "the finest Longacres Mile card we have ever presented" on Friday morning. And when Sunday's overnight was published a few hours later his promise had been kept.

The Longacres Mile Day card drew 107 horses for 11 races, with first post set for 1 p.m.

Sunday's supporting feature is the $100,000 Emerald Breeders' Cup Distaff, which has drawn a field of 10 fillies and mares going a mile. The Distaff will go as the 10th race, while the Mile will go as race 8 because of television and simulcasting considerations.

Bracketing the Mile are two $25,000 overnight handicaps, the Chinook Pass Owners' Handicap at five furlongs, and the Longacres Mile Consolation at a mile.

California invader De Goddaughter and Always a Dixie are the 120-pound co-highweights for the Distaff.

De Goddaughter, a 4-year-old De Niro filly from the barn of Jeff Bonde, is coming off stakes wins at Pleasanton and Santa Rosa under Jason Lumpkins, who again has the mount Sunday. De Goddaughter arrived at local trainer Len Kazmerski's barn two weeks ago, along with Washington Oaks winner Erica's Smile and Longacres Mile entrant San Nicolas, and she has registered two sharp works over the local surface.

Always a Dixie, who is based at Hastings, will be making her fourth local start. She won the 6 1/2-furlong Washington Legislators Handicap and the mile King County Handicap, and ran third to Top Bracket in the 1 1/16-mile Boeing Handicap. She recently finished second to Grey Tobe Free in the nine-furlong B. C. Cup Distaff at Hastings.

Heading the Chinook Pass are 2000 Longacres Mile winner Edneator and last season's horse of the meeting at Emerald, Makors Mark. Others in the seven-horse field include defending champion April Surprise and Sullivanitis, a double allowance winner at the meet.

Prodigious, who lost a shake for the last spot in the Mile, heads a field of eight in the Mile Consolation. Prodigious remains on the also-eligible list for the Mile, however, and will move into the big race in the event of a scratch.

Others in the Mile Consolation field are one-time Mile candidates Jade Green, Hoodoo Peak, and Winitall.

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