Emerald: Sea Speaker and Davos tough entry

AUBURN, Wash. - Sea Speaker and Davos form a powerful Ron Crockett-owned entry in Friday's feature at Emerald Downs, a 6 1/2-furlong allowance for 3-year-olds with a field of eight.

Sea Speaker, trained by Pat Mullens, will be attempting to fulfill the promise shown in his spectacular debut here last August, when he ran the fastest 4 1/2 furlongs ever recorded at this track - a 3 1/2-length maiden special weight win in 50 seconds flat. He then ran seventh in the $100,000 Gottstein Futurity in his only other start as a juvenile.

"He had a terrible trip that day, but I never should have run him in the futurity in the first place," said Mullens. "It was asking too much of him."

Mullens had trouble finding a suitable race for Sea Speaker this season and finally ran him against older rivals in a $40,000 optional claiming test at six furlongs on May 25. He finished sixth, beaten 5 3/4 lengths.

"It wasn't an ideal spot, but at least we got a race into him and I thought he ran pretty well," said Mullens. "I thought he was an exceptionally talented 2-year-old. I haven't seen enough of him to know what kind of 3-year-old he is, but this race should tell us a lot."

Davos, a son of Langfuhr trained by Junior Coffey, may be the main threat to his entrymate. Davos won his only start, which came against maiden special weight foes at Golden Gate in January, running the six furlongs in 1:09.80.