Hot jockey gives edge to Thereis Thatharbor

It is hard to separate the seven 3-year-olds running in a $25,000 claiming race that will serve as the feature race at Emerald Downs Friday. After all, excluding Smoothee Lee, each is coming off a win in a maiden-claiming race and will be facing other winners for the first time.

One way of looking at what appears to be a highly competitive race is to go with a hot jockey. Kevin Orozco rides Thereis Thatharbor from post 6, and he fits the bill. He won both stakes races at Emerald last weekend, and overall is having a strong meet, with 17 wins from 77 starts, which is good for second place in the standings behind Rocco Bowen. With 30 wins, Bowen is well on his way to his third straight title. He rides Aliante, who will break from the inside post.

Trained by Chris Stenslie, Thereis Thatharbor started twice last year, and he closed out his 2-year-old season with a sharp win in a $25,000 maiden-claiming race on Sept 9. Breaking from the rail with Orozco aboard, he dueled with heavily favored Alliante for a half-mile before drawing off to win the six-furlong sprint by 5 3/4 lengths.

Thereis Thatharbor is a half-brother to Vying Ty Grr, who won the $106,815 Sadie Diamond Futurity at Hastings. Both of his other siblings are also multiple winners. With a solid pedigree, a good post, and a hot jock, he looks as good as any in a race that is hard to decipher.

KEY CONTENDERS

Thereis Thatharbor, by Harbor the Gold

Beyers: 55-31

◗ He improved dramatically in his second start and has been training forwardly for Stenslie, who the past five years has a 14 percent strike rate and $2.15 return on investment with horses coming back from a layoff of 180 days.

◗ With the waiver claiming rules at Emerald, he gets to run protected.

Das Bear, by Atta Boy Roy

Beyers: 70-47

◗ The 70 Beyer he earned for his easy win in a $15,000 maiden claimer May 5 is easily the best in the field, and he is in good hands with trainer Frank Lucarelli. With a win, Lucarelli would become the first trainer to go over the $10 million mark in earnings at Emerald. As of Wednesday morning, horses trained by Lucarelli have earned $9,998,312 at Emerald and $20,911,444 overall.

Aliante, by Dixie Chatter

Last 3 Beyers: 64-60-34

◗ As evidenced by his rising Beyers, he is trending in the right direction and could be dangerous making his first start off the claim for trainer Charles Essex.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: The past five years Essex has a 31 percent strike rate with claimed horses running back the first time.