Dontkissntell back where she does her best work

Dontkissntell should be happy to be back at Emerald Downs, where last year she won 2 of 4 starts, including the $50,000 Washington Cup Sophomore Filly Stakes. Toss her races at Turf Paradise in October and November, and the 4-year-old British Columbia-bred looks like the one to beat in a first-level allowance race with a $30,000 claiming option Saturday.

The 5 1/2-furlong dash for fillies and mares drew eight horses and goes as race 7 on an eight-race card that begins at 2 p.m. Pacific.

Trained by Tom Wenzel, Dontkissntell can fire fresh, and she will be making her first start since she finished last in a second-level allowance race with a $16,000 claiming option on Nov. 5 at Turf Paradise. It is easy to ignore that effort as she was trying turf for the first time.

In her first start at Emerald last year, she had been off for almost five months when she won a maiden special weight race by 6 1/4 lengths on July 14. She also was coming off a last-place finish at Turf Paradise in the $30,000 Arizona Oaks.

Following her romp in the maiden special weight race, Dontkissntell finished second to Brilliant Bird in an optional claimer. She turned the tables on Brilliant Bird in the Washington Cup Sophomore and then ran a huge race when she finished second to Fly Far Away in the $50,000 Washington Cup Fillies or Mares on Sept. 9.

She will break from post 2 with Ryan Barber aboard for the first time Saturday.

KEY CONTENDERS

Dontkissntell, by Rosberg

Last 3 Beyers: 50-71-73

◗ She is probably better going around two turns, but she can sprint as evidenced by her impressive win in her first start at Emerald.

◗ Adding to her appeal is the 36 percent strike rate and $3.54 return on investment that Wenzel has with horses coming back from layoffs of 61-180 days.

Gazing, by Harbor the Gold

Last 3 Beyers: 53-72-65

◗ The 5-year-old Washington-bred has been training forwardly for trainer Terry Gillihan.

◗ In her first start in 2018 she finished second going 5 1/2 furlongs to Citizen Kitty, a triple stakes winner with $222,301 in earnings.

Glitter and Gold, by Bodemeister

Last 3 Beyers: 32-59-57

◗ She is a bit of a wild card with just three starts, and she finished eighth in her last race Aug. 4. Dontkissntell ran second that day.

◗ Nonetheless, the Blaine Wright trainee showed promise in her first two starts and was impressive winning a maiden special race second time out.

◗ Wright was the leading trainer at Emerald in 2016 and 2017 and was one win shy of completing the hat trick last year.