Mach One Rules seeks elusive win over Barkley

Barkley, who makes his 4-year-old debut at Emerald Downs on Saturday, is a head away from being undefeated. His lone loss in seven career starts came in the $75,000 Emerald Downs Derby, where Opportunistic edged him in a thriller.

Another way to look at Barkley’s impressive record is that he is two heads and a neck from losing three times to Mach One Rules. They look like the main players in a 5 1/2-furlong, $50,000 optional-claiming race that drew six horses and goes as the sixth race.

Barkley is trained by Howard Belvoir, who thinks Mach One Rules might have a slight edge Saturday.

“Mach One Rules has been training at Golden Gate, so he’s been able to avoid the muddy tracks we’ve had at Emerald,” he said. “I watched [Mach One Rules] work here last Sunday, and he looked good.”

Rain is forecast for Saturday, and Belvoir is concerned about how Barkley would handle a wet track.

“We’ve been lucky so far in that he’s only raced on fast tracks,” Belvoir said. “He’s training great, but I don’t think he really likes it wet. I guess we’ll see Saturday.”

Barkley drew post 5, with Javier Matias riding. Matias has been aboard for all of Barkley’s races.

Mach One Rules, trained by Frank Barroby, was undefeated in four starts as a 2-year-old, but he’s looking for his first win since he romped in the $45,000 Cahill Road in his final start in 2015.

The only time he finished worse than second in nine starts at Emerald was when he found 1 1/8 miles beyond his reach while finishing fourth in the Emerald Derby.

KEY CONTENDERS

Barkley, by Munnings
Last 3 Beyers: 86-78-81

◗ He fires every time and should get a nice trip stalking what could be a fast and contested pace.

Mach One Rules, by Harbor the Gold
Last 3 Beyers: 87-71-81

◗ His bullet five-furlong move in 59.40 seconds at Golden Gate on April 2 is a good sign that he’s ready for a big effort off the bench.

◗ In his last start at Golden Gate in an open allowance race Dec. 10, he earned a career-best 87 Beyer Speed Figure with Rocco Bowen riding him for the first time. Bowen will be aboard Saturday and figures to have Mach One Rules in the race soon after he breaks from post 4.

Prime Engine, by Northern Afleet
Last 3 Beyers: 49-89-88

◗ The 2015 Emerald Downs Derby winner trained by Mike Puhich has been working like he’s ready for a big effort in his first start since he went unplaced in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile on July 31.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Puhich has a respectable 15 percent strike rate with horses coming off a layoff of 180 days or longer.