Invaders are few for Mile

AUBURN, Wash. - One California invader has arrived at Emerald Downs to prepare for Sunday's 66th running of the Grade 3 $250,000 Longacres Mile, and it is uncertain whether there will be other shippers for the race.

Prodigious, who is coming off a second-place finish in the $100,000 Joseph T. Grace Handicap at Santa Rosa on Aug. 4, arrived by van from San Francisco at the barn of local trainer Rick Terry on Monday.

"I galloped him for the first time this morning, and he went great," Terry said on Wednesday. "He is a big, classy horse with a fantastic mind about him."

Prodigious, a 4-year-old, is trained by John Terry Marshall for owner Kim Hart. He will be ridden Sunday by Sam Krasner at 111 pounds.

A flight carrying Mile contestants is scheduled to depart from Los Angeles on Friday, but the list of probable passengers is down to two: Irisheyesareflying, who was assigned 117 pounds, and Red Eye (115). Out of Mind and L'Effaceur, who were being considered for the Mile, won't run, according Richard Mandella and Jeff Mullins, the trainers of the two horses.

The small cast of California invaders is expected to induce eight Northwest horses to run in the Mile. With weights and riders, they are: Makors Mark,

117 pounds, Gary Baze; Mike K, 117, Frank Fuentes; Handy N Bold, 115, Hector Ventura Jr.; Crowning Meeting, 114, Ben Russell; Kid Katabatic, 114, Kevin Radke; Kittys Link, 113, Gallyn Mitchell; Advantage, 111, Javier Matias; and Snohomish Loot, 111, Jay Conklin.