Juveniles make up half of card

AUBURN, Wash. - Bay Wide Total figures as the one to beat in Saturday's Emerald Downs feature, a 5 1/2-furlong race for $12,500, claiming 2-year-olds that has drawn a field of six.

The feature is one of four races for 2-year-olds on Saturday's eight-race program, as the juvenile set strives to make up for a slow start in the closing weeks of the meeting. Though only 25 2-year-old races had been run through the meeting's midway point on July 4, Saturday's feature will bring the number of races for juveniles up to 84.

Bay Wide Total, a son of Is It True from the barn of trainer Tom Wenzel, has demonstrated an important ability to rate and finish in his last two outings. He came from third position to score his maiden win on the $8,000 level at 4 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 1, then closed from sixth to second in his first start against $16,000 winners on Aug. 24, when he was beaten 3 3/4 lengths after a fast six furlongs in 1:10.60.

Bay Wide Total's finishing ability should come in handy on Saturday, as all five of his opponents scored their maiden wins from on or just off the pace.

Of the front-runners, Wapato Gold might prove most formidable. Wapato Gold, a Claude Gibson-trained son of Stolen Gold, collected his maiden win over $8,000 company with an impressive showing on July 19, leading throughout to score by 6 1/2 lengths in 58.60 seconds for five furlongs. He again showed keen speed before settling for third against $25,000 winners Aug. 9, but he was uncharacteristically sluggish against Bay Wide Total last time out on Aug. 24, failing to make the lead and fading to fifth.

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