Emerald Downs Derby, Washington Oaks highlight weekend

AUBURN, Wash. – While there is much racing ahead during a meeting that ends in late September, Emerald Downs will tie a ribbon on its stakes program for 3-year-olds with a pair of races this weekend: the Washington Oaks for fillies Saturday, followed by the Emerald Downs Derby on Sunday. Each race carries a purse of $65,000 and will be contested at 1 1/8 miles.

The Washington Oaks attracted nine entrants but no heavyweights. Ole’s Miss, who captured the July 19 Kent Handicap with a powerful late charge, returned to her home base at Hastings in Vancouver, British Columbia, and was not nominated. Nor was City by the Bay, who came in from California to take the June 1 Seattle Handicap before shipping right out again.

The Oaks could boil down to three leading contenders: Chu and You and Mylast Sweet Pea, who are both trained by Robbie Baze, and the Jim Penney-trained Find Your Spot.

Find Your Spot won the June 29 Irish Day Handicap and would surely be named Emerald’s champion 3-year-old filly with a victory in the Oaks. Chu and You was Emerald’s leading 2-year-old filly in 2013 but is winless in four starts this year. She has been passed over in her own barn by Mylast Sweet Pea, who gave a courageous effort to finish second behind Ole’s Miss in the Kent.

The potential wild card is Lady Fifty Two, who was nominated by Southern California-based trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and is owned by Hollendorfer and Seattle-area horsemen Mark Dedomenico and George Todaro. Lady Fifty Two, who is stabled at Golden Gate Fields, has yet to place in a stakes race, or even race around two turns.

The Emerald Downs Derby will serve as a tiebreaker between stablemates Noosito and Del Rio Harbor, who have taken turns at the top of Emerald’s 3-year-old male division this year and are 3-3 in their six meetings. Noosito was victorious in the Auburn and Seattle Slew handicaps, the latter at 1 1/16 miles, while Del Rio Harbor captured the one-mile Coca-Cola Handicap for trainer Doris Harwood.

Six others were nominated to the Emerald Derby, with Mebossman among those looking to upset the Harwood pair.

Mebossman is a half-brother to Jebrica, who won the Emerald Downs Derby in 2011, and another half-sibling, Peaceful Reign, captured the Seattle Slew Handicap in 2009. Mebossman stormed to a 6 3/4-length victory in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance race in his last start and should relish nine furlongs in the Emerald Downs Derby.