Dutton tries two turns in Gottstein Futurity, one of three stakes on card

Dutton, brilliant in two starts, will try to carry his substantial speed around two turns when he runs in the $75,000 Gottstein Futurity at Emerald Downs on Thursday. The mile and a sixteenth race for 2-year-olds drew 10 horses and headlines an 11-race card that begins at 5 p.m. Pacific.

Supporting the Gottstein are the $40,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic for 3-year-olds and up and the $40,000 Washington Cup Filly or Mare.

The Howard Belvoir-trained Dutton will break from the rail with Jennifer Whitaker aboard, and there is not much doubt he will be the one they have to run down. In his debut, Dutton broke on top and set wicked fractions on his way to a nine-length romp going 6 1/2 furlongs in the $36,000 WTBOA Lads on Aug. 26. He did the same thing when he won a nonwinners-of-two allowance sprint for Washington-breds by 14 lengths in his second start on Sept. 18. Whitaker was along for the ride in both races.

Belvoir likes the way the son of Noosito is coming up to the Gottstein Futurity.

“His sire had good speed and could carry it a distance,” said Belvoir. “He’s mellowed quite a bit since I first got him. He’s fast, but he just keeps going, so I think he’ll be okay with the distance.”

Coastal Kid rallied to win his debut on Sept. 9 and could pick up the pieces if Dutton comes up empty late.

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With leading jockey Alex Cruz riding for trainer Jeff Metz, Coastal Kid got squeezed back at the start, and after stalking a fast and contested pace made a strong move to win the six-furlong maiden special weight race going away. He raced a bit erratically in the stretch, so it would not be surprising to see him take a big step forward with the experience behind him.

By Coastal out of the Chilean mare Creme, Coastal Kid is a half-brother to a couple of route winners and could thrive going around two turns.

Cruz will be aboard when he breaks from post 3.

Elliott Bay could feast on what figures to be a fast pace in the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic.

Trained by Frank Lucarelli, Elliott Bay is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile won by Anothertwistafate. He probably would have finished third with a clean trip, but had to steady sharply going into the first turn.

Speed will be provided by the Vince Gibson-trained Papa’s Golden Boy, who set the pace in the Mile. Papa’s Golden Boy will not get away easy, though. The Lucarelli-trained Gold Crusher, who is coming off a front-running victory in the $40,000 Muckleshoot Derby, will be asked to use his speed from the rail with Javier Matias riding. Interestingly, Gold Crusher and the one-year-older Papa’s Golden Boy are full brothers.

“With two horses in the race I am not going to let Papa’s Golden Boy get away on his own,” said Lucarelli. “Gold Crusher isn’t as fast, but he will keep his brother honest.”

Eddie Martinez rides Elliott Bay, who should be rolling late. Elliott Bay and Gold Crusher race for Chad Christensen and Josh McKee.

Papa’s Golden Boy is eligible to improve after taking them a long way in his first route attempt in the Mile.

Unmachable could not catch Gold Crusher in the mile and a sixteenth Muckleshoot Derby, but he came back to win an open allowance race going a mile and a sixteenth on Sept. 24 and should appreciate the shape of the race.

Alittlelesstalk will try to win her second Washington Cup race. Last year she paid $2.60 for her victory in the $50,000 Sophomore Filly. Considering her impressive win in the $40,000 Emerald Distaff Handicap on Sept. 10, she will again be a short price in the mile and sixteenth Filly and Mare.

Trainer Roddina Barrett is the exercise rider, groom, and hot walker for the daughter of Demon Warlock. She loves the way Alittlesstalk is coming into the race.

“She’s my princess and I do spoil her,” said Barrett. “The track was wet, so I just cruised on her when she worked last Friday. I let her stretch her legs out when I galloped her back, though. I’m excited to run her.”

Alittlesstalk is versatile, and with Juan Gutierrez riding she will either be the one they have to run down or will stalk Fortune’s Freude, who is coming off a front-running win in a $10,000 starter race with a $15,000 claiming option on Sept. 3 for trainer Kay Cooper.