Miner Heat can do it again in allowance feature

Miner Heat is stepping up in class and will have to deal with more pace pressure than he did in his front-running victory over Tumac Mountain when he made his first start at Emerald Downs in a $25,000 conditioned claimer on May 10. Nonetheless, he looks like the one to beat in a first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds and up that will serve as Saturday’s feature at the Auburn, Wash., track. The 6 1/2-furlong dash drew nine horses and goes as race 7 on an eight-race program that begins at 5 p.m. Pacific. For the rest of the meet, post time for the first race on Saturdays will be 5 p.m.

Trained by Blaine Wright, Miner Heat has yet to lose sprinting on dirt. His only loss on dirt came going 1 1/16 miles in the $58,000 Alberta Derby at Evergreen Park on Aug. 5 last year. For those not familiar with Evergreen Park, it is a minor track in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, and is the northernmost track in North America, located roughly 285 miles northwest of Edmonton.

Prior to his loss in the Alberta Derby, which was his final start as a 3-year-old, Miner Heat was under pressure early before winning a conditioned allowance race with a $25,000 claiming option at Hastings. The runner-up in that 6 1/2-furlong event for 3-year-olds, Pan Handle, has since won three races including the $50,000 Swift Inaugural at Hastings on May 5.

Miner Heat began his career with an 11 1/4-length romp for trainer Francisco Bravo in a maiden special weight race for Oklahoma-breds at Will Rogers Downs on March 20 last year. He was subsequently bought privately by Peter Redekop and shipped to Golden Gate where he didn’t fire in two starts on Tapeta for Wright.

He thrives on dirt, though.

He will break from post 7 with Juan Gutierrez retaining the mount.

KEY CONTENDERS

Miner Heat, by Latent Heat
Last 3 Beyers: 81-NA-81

◗ Other speed could make his task difficult, but he showed he could run hooked and win in his victory over Pan Handle, and he’s had three sharp interim works.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: The past five years at Emerald, Wright has a 32 percent strike rate and a $2.05 ROI with horses making their second start following a layoff.

Mixo, by Abraaj
Last 3 Beyers: 60-86-82

◗ Trained by Sharon Ross, the 5-year-old Washington-bred got hung out five wide on the turn when he was favored at this level in his first start of the year, finishing fifth. With two bullet interim works, he appears primed for a big effort and he can stalk what will likely be a fast and contested pace.

The Press, by Harbor the Gold
Last 3 Beyers: 70-51-57

◗ The Howard Belvoir-owned and -trained 6-year-old had to steady and wait for room before he slipped though along the rail on his way to winning the same race Mixo exits. Easy to imagine him moving forward in his second start back and he has the right running style for the likely shape of the race.