Dutton ready to fire in Irish Day Stakes
Dutton is the one to catch and beat in the $50,000 Irish Day on Sunday at Emerald Downs. The 6 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-olds drew nine horses and goes as the eighth race on a nine-race card that begins at 2:30 p.m. Pacific. The Irish Day shares the spotlight with the $50,000 Kent for 3-year-old fillies going the same distance in the seventh race.
Dutton, trained by Howard Belvoir, is coming off a loss for the first time in his career, but he was facing older horses in a conditioned allowance race and the final time posted by winner Windribbon of 1:07.53 was extremely fast. He will appreciate being back with his own age group, and he could be more settled with a race under his belt.
Last year, the Washington-bred son of Noosito won his first two starts, both sprints, by a combined 23 lengths. He also took them all the way going 1 1/16 miles in the $75,000 Gottstein Futurity.
Dutton was supposed to make his 3-year-old debut in the $50,000 Auburn on June 20, but he was scratched after he flipped in the starting gate. He showed his usual speed in his race on June 30, but came up empty in the stretch and ended up fourth.
“He was up against it last time,” Belvoir said. “He had to go back to the starting gate a few times, so I did not get to train him the way I would have liked. He’s doing well now and he’s a lot fitter going into this race.”
Dutton is a bit high strung, and Belvoir was worried that the large crowd that figures to show up Sunday for the Corgi races could wind him up a bit.
Dutton will break from post 7 with Jennifer Whitaker aboard.
With plenty of other speed in the field, the race could set up nicely for Bobby Brinkley, who will be making his first start at Emerald.
Trained by Frank Lucarelli, Bobby Brinkley will appreciate the easier company after finishing sixth in the $75,000 Wayne Hanks Memorial for Texas-bred 3-year-olds and up on June 13 at Lone Star.
The runner-up in the 6 1/2-furlong dash, Mr Money Bags, is a nine-time winner with $476,976 in earnings. He won the $245,000 Zia Park Derby in 2019 and earned Beyer Speed Figure of 90 last out for his win in an open allowance race at Lone Star.
Bobby Brinkley can stalk and could pick up the pieces if the speed falters.
The Blaine Wright-trained Top Executive came from just off the pace to win the Auburn and could be dangerous with a similar trip.
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The Kent appears to be a wide-open event, with eight horses entered.
Hastings-based Broad Approval has the best Beyers in the field. She could be dangerous cutting back to a sprint after finishing second going around three turns for the first time in an open allowance race July 12.
The Kentucky-bred daughter of Carpe Diem races for owner-trainer Glen Todd at Hastings. She is trained at Emerald by Sandi Gann.
La Una lost for the first time when she rallied to finish third behind Ms Lynn and Camden High in the $50,000 Seattle on June 20 at Emerald. Trained by Wright, she could get up in time while making just her fourth start.
Ms Lynn, trained by Roy Lumm, is going for the hat trick after paying $37.80 for her 1 1/2-length victory in the Seattle. The Washington-bred daughter of Point Da Harbor was 17 lengths behind at the half-mile call in the six-furlong dash. Julien Couton picks up the mount from Alex Cruz, who opts to ride Blazingbellablu for trainer Charles Essex.
Blazinbellablu also is going for her third-straight win. In her latest victory, she came from a stalking position in a nonwinners-of-two or Washington-bred nonwinners-of-three allowance race on July 1.
Cloutier looks tough at Hastings
At Hastings, trainer Mark Cloutier has a good chance of winning the feature races on Monday and Tuesday. Post time for both days is 5 p.m. Pacific.
Monday, Coulterberry is clearly the one to beat in a nonwinners-of-three allowance race that carries a $35,000 claiming option. The classy 8-year-old does his best running late and should have plenty of speed to run at in the 6 1/2-furlong dash, which drew six horses.
Tuesday, the 6-year-old mare Under Par will try to carry her substantial speed the whole way while facing boys in a nonwinners-of-three allowance race that carries a $16,000 claiming option.
A 10-time winner from 19 starts, Under Par could be sitting on a big effort in her third start at the meet. In her last race, she got nipped at the wire by Floral in a nonwinners-of-three allowance race that carried a top claiming option of $43,500 on June 7.
Going into Monday’s card there is a $149,388 carryover in the pick five at Hastings.
◗ The carryover for the pick five at Assiniboia Downs on Monday is $269,614. If the jackpot wager continues to grow, there will be a guaranteed $1 million pool on Manitoba Derby Day, Aug. 2. Following Aug. 2, there will be a $250,000-guaranteed pool for the pick five every race day at Assiniboia until it is hit or the meet ends on Sept. 15.