Honest runner Take Charge Deputy can win right back

It is hard not to like a horse like Take Charge Deputy, who looks formidable in the feature race Friday at Emerald Downs.

He is a 13-time winner and coming right back at the same level following a three-length romp in a $10,000 starter race on June 3. The only difference is he will be traveling a furlong farther in the 6 1/2-furlong dash for horses who have started for a claiming price of $10,000 or less in 2021-22. It drew six horses and goes as race 5 on a seven-race program that begins at 7 p.m. Pacific.

Considering Take Charge Deputy has four wins at the distance, the added yardage should not be a concern for trainer Jorge Rosales. Rosales Racing F1 claimed the 7-year-old California-bred gelding by Take Charge Indy for $10,000 on Feb. 17 at Turf Paradise.

Take Charge Deputy, who has the distinction of winning the last running of the Portland Meadows Mile in 2019, has won three races since the claim. In addition to his latest victory, he took down back-to-back stakes victories at Rillito in the $20,000 John K. Goodman on March 26 and the $20,000 Pima County Classic on April 3, when he rallied from last in the 1 1/16-mile race.

Prior to his front-running win June 3, he came from a stalking position to finish third in a $20,000 claimer on May 22 at Emerald.

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Take Charge Deputy is obviously versatile, which will give jockey Alex Cruz options depending how he breaks from post 4.

The main threat could come from Mixo, who looked good winning a $10,000 claimer in his first start for trainer Shelley Crow on May 21.

Considering Mixo came back to work a bullet four furlongs in 45.20 seconds over a track labeled wet fast on June 3, there is an excellent chance the 8-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Abraaj will take a step forward in his second start back. He will break from post 2 with Kevin Radke retaining the mount.

There is a $15,570 carryover in the pick six. Anyone not comfortable singling Take Charge Deputy in the jackpot wager might consider the Rosales-trained Master Recovery, who figures to be a short price to win the sixth race.

After all, Master Recovery easily won a $3,500 starter race June 3, and he is coming right back at the same level and distance.

A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Bodemeister, Master Recovery has a 4-2-0 record from eight starts at Emerald, so we know he likes the local surface, and in his runner-up finish behind Buckley Bay in a $3,500 conditioned claiming race in his first start this year, he was compromised when he hopped at the start.

He will break from post 2 with Javier Matias riding.

Buckley Bay will try to repeat for trainer Joe Toye. However, he will have to deal with other speed, most notably the Shannon Simpson-trained Warfront Fighter, who took them all the way in an $8,000 claimer for nonwinners of three in his first start at Emerald on June 4.