Gibson, Chuckanut Bay a super tough duo
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Howie Gibson is having the year of his life.
Not only did the 33-year-old trainer get his first Emerald Downs stakes win in 2026, but he followed that up by capturing last Sunday’s Longacres Mile with 32-1 longshot Adios Jojo. Heading into Saturday’s races, Gibson was tops among Emerald trainers with 29 wins and second in earnings with nearly $450,000.
“Howie’s had everything going his way this year,” said Blaine Wright, who is third in earnings and fourth in wins and whose Tax Code will be the primary competition for Gibson’s Chuckanut Bay in Sunday’s fifth race, a $25,000 no-conditions allowance at six furlongs that’s drawn a small but sterling five-horse field.
When asked about Adios Jojo’s Longacres Mile triumph, which came as a result of heavy favorite Touchy being demoted to second due to interference in the stretch, Gibson replied, “It feels good – surprising, really. I was hoping for that horse to run good, but I wasn’t expecting that.”
Adios Jojo earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 88 in the Mile. Chuckanut Bay and Tax Code have each topped that figure in their careers, with Tax Code having done so while winning the six-furlong Budweiser Stakes on June 26. Candy Caballo, another race 5 entrant, finished ahead of Adios Jojo in a July 19 allowance, earning a Beyer of 84.
Tax Code was actually nominated for the Longacres Mile, but Wright ultimately opted not to enter him.
“We just never felt like he was a route horse,” Wright explained. “Seeing these other races, we kind of thought we’ll just opt to put him in those races instead.”
Tax Code drew post 4 for Sunday’s race, just inside of Chuckanut Bay, a fan favorite who is 2 for 3 sprinting at the meet and should go off favored. Both horses have speed but typically sit just off the lead.
“I don’t know if he [Tax Code] can take him [Chuckanut Bay] down,” Wright said. “That horse has had a killer freakin’ year.”
Tom Wenzel, second in wins and first in earnings this meet, starts Candy Caballo, a front-runner, from post 3.
“It’s a tough race,” Wenzel said. “Chuckanut’s been running lights out in these sprints all summer. To me, it kind of looks like the Chuckanut Bay-Tax Code Handicap. I think my horse and Knightline (Gibson’s second entrant, also a front-runner) are up against it.
“Chuckanut’s been pretty tough this year. I don’t know if I can outrun him, to be honest with you.”
Knightline is coming off an $24,000 allowance win on July 25, for which he earned a 74 Beyer.
“It takes a couple outs for him to really get fit and run some of his best races,” said Gibson, who conceded Knightline was “maybe a notch below” his stablemate. “In his third out [of 2026], he got a lot better and beat some nice horses. He drew the rail, but that shouldn’t matter because he’s got a lot of speed and wants to get to the lead.”
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