Gold Rush Junior goes to plan B
Gold Rush Junior will step in against $15,000 claimers in an attempt to rekindle his 2022 form in Monday’s featured race at Emerald Downs.
Owned by John Parker, Gold Rush Junior last year easily won his lone start outside of stakes competition as a 2-year-old. He had made his debut in the Kings County Express at Emerald, finishing fourth, and then completed his three-race campaign with a distant fifth in the Washington Cup Juvenile.
Gold Rush Junior has made a single start this year, fading to last after forcing the early pace of eventual winner Company’s Dream in an allowance/optional claimer on May 14 at Emerald.
“He had an upper respiratory problem after the first race,” trainer Candice Cryderman said. “He’s training really good now.”
Cryderman had been pointing the Gold Rush Dancer colt to a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds, but that race failed to fill for Monday’s card. She then moved to plan B, entering Gold Rush Junior in this $15,000 claimer for 3-year-olds and up, non-winners of two. The race is 6 1/2 furlongs.
Heading the opposition are a pair of runners to be saddled by leading trainer Justin Evans – Napoleonic Code and Peso.
Peso began his career at Del Mar for trainer Bob Baffert, winning his second start in August 2022 before making his third start at Emerald Downs on May 27 under Evans’s care.
Napoleonic Code has done his best work going one mile but may be able to muster enough early speed over 6 1/2 furlongs to give his stablemate an honest pace to chase. Alex Cruz will pilot Napoleonic Code, while Luis Negron will be aboard Peso.
The winner will most likely come from the aforementioned trio, with the other five dividing the minor spoils. Some early speed is expected to come from Agrigento, trained by Jose Raudales, and Mister Mafioso, trained by Faustino Patino.
The rest of the group is comprised of a pair from the barn of Frank Lucarelli, Sargent Kline and Perfect One, and Withee, trained by Steve Bullock.
Withee won a statebred maiden $15,000 claimer on June 16 and has been improving with each of his starts this year. He should sit a nice trip after breaking from post 7.
Perfect One was troubled at the start on June 17 and is returning at the same class level with a bit more ground to cover in his second race this year. Perfect One arguably has done his best work with more distance and might go that direction later in the season.
The only two members of the field with Emerald Downs wins are Withee and Gold Rush Junior.
Monday night is the annual Fireworks Spectacular at Emerald Downs, and the weather is expected to be ideal for the festivities. Racing will commence at 5 p.m. Pacific.
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