Mile loses one, gains another

AUBURN, Wash. - Beau Soleil dropped out of the running for Sunday's Grade 3, $250,000 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs, but Turban jumped in to fill his slot and the prospective field remained at 12.

Owner Jeffrey Sengara said Tuesday that Beau Soleil, who was claimed for $62,500 with the Mile in mind, will instead run in Sunday's seven-furlong Pat O'Brien Handicap at Del Mar.

Wednesday, assistant trainer Kay Cooper confirmed that Turban, an impressive allowance winner here on July 29, will join stablemates Flamethrowintexan and Sabertooth in the Mile. Cooper, the daughter of trainer Jim Penney, said Turban earned his berth with a sharp three-furlong workout in 36 seconds on Tuesday.

"It wasn't so much the time as the way he did it," said Cooper. "He's just very good right now, and we thought he deserved a shot."

Turban won a pair of stakes here in 2003 before being sidelined for 22 months with an injury. He covered six furlongs in 1:08.80 in his second start back.

The lone Mile candidate to work at Emerald on Wednesday was Mr. Makah, who blew out three furlongs in 36.80 under exercise rider Pam Terry.

The prospective field, with weights: Adreamisborn, 121; Desert Boom, 121; Flamethrowin-texan, 119; Harvard Avenue, 119; Quiet Cash, 117; R. Associate, 116; Sabertooth, 116; Mr. Makah, 115; No Giveaway, 113; Snorter, 112; Turban, 112; and Grafton Square, 111.