Eddington's Star may provide the ontrack fireworks in Monday's feature

The best card of the year at Emerald Downs will be on Aug. 13, when the Grade 3, $200,000 Longacres Mile anchors a four-stakes program. If tradition holds true, however, the largest crowd of the year will show up Monday to watch the fireworks that will take place shortly after the last race.

The first of 10 races goes at 5 p.m. Pacific, with the fireworks starting at approximately 10 p.m.

Patrons arriving late to mainly watch the fireworks will have a good race to wager on in race 9. The $10,000 claiming race drew 10 horses, with Eddington’s Star one of the of possibilities in the one-mile race for 3-year-olds and up.

Eddington’s Star will try to make amends for back-to-back losses as the odds-on favorite in $15,000 conditional-claiming races on May 29 and June 11.

Prior to his recent second- and third-place finishes for trainer Candi Tollett, he romped by 7 3/4 lengths in a one-mile, $10,000 claimer for trainer Mike Puhich on May 14. It was his first start at Emerald, and he went into the race off a win in a $7,500 conditional claimer at Oaklawn, where he raced for Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg. It was a super-key race, with seven horses, including Eddington’s Star, coming back to win their next start.

The 5-year-old Eddington’s Star drew post 3 and likely will be among the early leaders with leading rider Rocco Bowen riding him for the first time.

KEY CONTENDERS

Eddington’s Star, by Eddington

Last 3 Beyers: 61-70-77

◗ The last time he ran at this level and distance, he was the easiest of winners, and if Bowen can get him to sit just off the other speed, he could win what appears to be a wide-open race.

Hot Bobby, by Raise the Bluff

Last 3 Beyers: 64-67-61

◗ The Terry Gillihan-trained 5-year-old made up 15 lengths to win an $8,000 conditional claimer on June 17. With plenty of potential speed in the field, he shouldn’t mind the shape of the race.

◗ He also could be sitting on a peak performance in the third start of his form cycle for a trainer who is winning races at a 29 percent clip at the meet.

Teddy the Bear, by America’s Storm

Last 3 Beyers: 63-71-73

◗ Trained by Manuel Ortiz, he finished full of run when he was the runner-up going 6 1/2 furlongs at this level May 29. With the move to a route, he could get a nice trip from a stalking position.

◗ A winner of 12 races, seven of which came on turf, he hasn’t been worse than third in his last six starts.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Beginning in 2015, Ortiz has a 44 percent strike rate and a $4.80 ROI with horses going from a sprint to a route at Emerald.