Mike Man's Gold ready to end victory drought

Mike Man’s Gold, with 22 wins, has had his picture taken in the winner’s enclosure more than any other horse at Emerald Downs. The four-time stakes winner ranks 10th in terms of money won at Emerald with $325,841.

Heading the list is Wasserman, who earned $575,024 from 72 starts at Emerald for trainer Howard Belvoir. The Belvoir homebred won four stakes including the Grade 3 Longacres Mile in 2008.

Mike Man’s Gold, whose last stakes win came in the 2014 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic, will be making his 56th start at Emerald on Wednesday in a $3,500 starter race that carries a $7,500 claiming option. A win in the 6 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up would boost Mike Man’s Gold’s earnings to $331,066, and move him past Jumron on the earnings list. He would be just shy of the 1997 Longacres Mile winner Kid Katabatic, who banked $332,100 from 16 starts at Emerald. It would also give him a larger cushion over West Seattle Boy (21 wins) on the all-time winners list.

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Post time for the first of nine races is 2:15 Pacific. Mike Man’s Gold’s race has a scheduled post time of 5:54 p.m.

A 10-year-old Washington-bred son of Liberty Gold, Mike Man’s Gold began his career with trainer David Martinez. He’s changed hands more than once and is currently trained by Joe Toye, who in 2016 claimed him for $15,000 on behalf of Greg and Chuck Conley and Terra Firma Farm. They lost him a few times, but always claimed him right back, most recently last year on July 20 for $25,000.

Mike Man’s Gold is coming off a fourth-place finish going 5 1/2 furlongs in a $12,500 claimer on Sept. 3. It was his first start at the meet, and he figures to move forward with a race under his belt.

In most of his wins he has been in the mix early. He could be dangerous if he breaks alertly from post 4 with Gary Wales riding.

Rocket Power is the horse he will have to beat. Trained by Frank Lucarelli, the 4-year-old son of War Power is coming off a victory in an $8,000 claimer for nonwinners of three on Sept. 10. The worst he has finished in four starts at Emerald was a third in a $15,000 nonwinners of three in his previous race on July 29. However, the 70 Beyer Speed Figure he was given is his best at the meet and the winner, Owner’s Prestige, came back to easily win an open $10,000 claiming race on August 20. It was a super key race, too, as Coastal Tulips and D O’s Reignoffire also won their next races.

A stalker, Rocket Power will break from post 2 with Eddie Martinez retaining the mount.

Iron Rob and Guardingthemoney also rate serious consideration in what appears to be a highly competitive event.