Harwood sending four in Coca-Cola

AUBURN, Wash. – Trainer Doris Harwood nominated four horses to Sunday’s Coca-Cola Handicap for 3-year-olds, with the one-two punch of Del Rio Harbor and Noosito likely to dominate the prerace conversation. Del Rio Harbor was Emerald Downs’s champion 2-year-old in 2013, but Noosito is the “now” horse, fresh from a five-length stakes victory in his first start of the year.

Harwood also has Kenai King and Trick or Retreat, and her plan as of Wednesday was to start all four in the one-mile race.

“I’m going to enter all four,” Harwood said. “I’ve got four very competent riders. I’ve trained all four horses as individuals. They’re all a little bit different, but they all are going to handle the distance with no problem. Depending on the draw and how the break goes, I’ve got two who can be on or near the lead, and then Kenai King and Trick or Retreat will probably be further back in the field. However it sets up, I’ve got a great shot. I think my little team is going to be kind of tough.”

Noosito, a full brother to 11-time Emerald stakes winner Noosa Beach, rallied from just off the pace to capture the 6 1/2-furlong Auburn Handicap on May 25. After a tepid half-mile in 45.52 seconds, Noosito roared through the final five-sixteenths in 29.17 seconds to bury his five rivals. Del Rio Harbor, forced to steady in traffic down the backstretch, finished a game but distant third. He’ll have a new rider Sunday as Gallyn Mitchell steps in for Isaias Enriquez.

“Noosito reminded me so much of his brother,” Harwood said. “He had that tremendous acceleration down the lane, and it looked like without a lot of effort. He certainly wasn’t pounding on him.”

Stryker Phd gets a 97

Stryker Phd was assigned a Beyer Speed Figure of 97 for his emphatic victory in the one-mile Budweiser Handicap last Sunday. The 5-year-old Bertrando gelding rallied from well back to complete the distance in 1:34.15 on a sloppy track, taking advantage of both a hot early pace – 22.63, 44.39, and 1:09.38 – and a heady ride by Leslie Mawing, who steered Stryker Phd into a commanding position at the top of the stretch.

In his past four starts at Emerald, Stryker Phd has recorded Beyers of 96, 97, 96, and 97 while finishing first or second in each. He is likely to start next in the July 20 Mt. Rainier Handicap at 1 1/16 miles, the final major stepping-stone to the Grade 3, $200,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 24.