Longacres Mile field coming together slowly

AUBURN, Wash. – The list of candidates for the Grade 3 Longacres Mile has been slow to take shape, with only a handful of Emerald Downs-based horses confirmed for the Northwest’s marquee race Aug. 24. Stryker Phd, the winner of the Mt. Rainier Handicap on Sunday in his final Longacres Mile tune-up, headlines a small local contingent that likely will include Dontmesswithkitten and Disruption but very few others.

Newcomers from both Canada and California are expected to join the Mile lineup in the coming weeks, but Herbie D, who captured the 2013 Longacres Mile, will not be among them. Herbie D recorded his last official workout in mid-April at Hastings and has been laid up ever since.

Glen Todd, whose North American Thoroughbred Horse Co. won the 2012 Longacres Mile with Taylor Said, could have a strong hand with as many as three potential Mile starters. Mr. Bowling, owned by Todd in partnership with Mark Dedomenico, won the Lt. Governor’s Handicap at Hastings on July 1 but fizzled as the second favorite in the Mt. Rainier two weeks later.

“We’ve got two or three,” Todd said Thursday. “We bought a horse out of New York called Prohibition. We got him about 10 days ago, and he’s in Seattle right now. And we may bring Commander over from Northlands. We’ll see. So, we have three likely. Mr. Bowling will run for sure.”

Prohibition is an improving 4-year-old by Lawyer Ron who has been competing in allowance races. He finished fourth May 31 in the restricted Commentator Handicap at Belmont Park in his first stakes appearance. Commander finished second last Saturday while lugging 128 pounds in the Fred Jones Handicap at Northlands.

“I think we ran a short horse,” Todd said of Commander, who has won 15 of 37 starts, with earnings of $573,657. “We were off six weeks and had two slow works. The track was tiring and deep, and he got caught. He never gets caught.”

The Longacres Mile usually includes a couple of horses from California. Trainer Craig Lewis had listed the Mile as a possibility for his multiple stakes winner Clubhouse Ride, but Clubhouse Ride is staying in Southern California for the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 24. Rumors of Fury Kapcori coming up for the race were put to rest Thursday by Jerry Hollendorfer, who said he was not considering the Longacres Mile for any of his horses.