Guinevere's Finale capable of stretching out to mile
Guinevere’s Finale looked good in winning a six-furlong sprint May 14 and shouldn’t mind stretching out to a middle distance when she runs in a $25,000 claiming race for fillies and mares that will serve as the featured race at Emerald Downs on Saturday.
The one-mile race drew eight horses and goes as race 8 on a nine-race card that begins at 2 p.m. Pacific.
Guinevere’s Finale hasn’t won going a middle distance on dirt, but she did win a one-mile, $75,000 claiming race on turf at Santa Anita in 2014, and she earned her career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 78 when she was the runner-up going 1 1/16 miles in a no-conditions allowance race at Emerald last year.
Trained by David Martinez, she will be making her third start in 2016, and it is easy to overlook her initial race at the meet, where she finished sixth in a second-level allowance race won by Estellara on April 24. Estellara came back to win the $50,000 Hastings at Emerald last Sunday.
Guinevere’s Finale drew the rail, where Erick Lopez should be able to put her into the race early.
If You Like It finished fifth in the same race that Guinevere’s Finale exits and could be dangerous while stretching out to a distance where she has compiled a 2-0-1 record from four starts.
Trained by Mike Puhich, If You Like It went into her last race off a sharp win going 5 1/2 furlongs in a $15,000 claiming race for non-winners of three lifetime April 30.
Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Guinevere’s Finale, by Tale of the Cat
Last 3 Beyers: 66-58-44
◗ She came from well back to win her last race, but she has decent tactical speed and should be in the mix early if she breaks alertly from her inside post.
If You Like It, by First Samurai
Last 3 Beyers: 63-60-48
◗ She had been off for more than a year before she made her first start for Puhich in a $20,000 claiming race April 22. She moved forward in her last two races and owns the best Beyer at the distance.
FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Puhich has a 24 percent strike rate with horses going from a sprint to a route.
Cup of Soup, by Einstein
Last 3 Beyers: 59-74-73
S U M Racer, by First Defence
Last 3 Beyers: 67-73-70
◗ Both horses have been picking up minor awards while running on turf at Turf Paradise. Considering that they have never won on anything but dirt, they should appreciate the move back to the traditional surface.