Missed the Boat has pace to track in sprint
Missed the Boat heads a field of 11 $25,000 claimers who will race 5 1/2 furlongs in Saturday’s featured race at Emerald Downs.
A winner at the trip at Emerald Downs on a pair of prior occasions, Missed the Boat was a model of consistency at the Auburn, Wash., track last year, finishing in the top three in all six local starts, despite being disqualified from first to fifth in his second-to-last start.
Missed the Boat, owned by Sauvageau Equestrian LLC’s and trained by Candi Cryderman, drew the rail for Saturday’s race and getting away cleanly is always a particular concern from that berth. Fortunately for Missed the Boat, there is a speedster right next door in Cody’s Choice.
Back on his home track, Cody’s Choice can be expected to dart away from the gate in his usual style. Other pace prospects include Coastal Jazz, who has been working lights-out for trainer Steve Bullock, and Capital Expense, a last-out winner at two furlongs at Turf Paradise.
Trained by Vince Gibson, Cody’s Choice will be making his 8-year-old debut for owners Gary and Maureen Hallett. Third in his career debut in June 2017 after setting a quick pace, Cody’s Choice did win off the shelf here in 2018 and was a close second in his 2019 bow.
“Cody’s Choice has been training good since being back at Emerald,” Gibson said. “We raised him from a baby and he’s been a fun horse to have, but he kind of runs how he wants.”
Saturday’s pace scenario should be augmented by others who are primed to step up and prompt the pace. All of this figures to have Missed the Boat poised and ready to pounce come crunch time.
New to the local scene Saturday is Gold Rush Candy, a 4-year-old son of Danzing Candy who debuted at Del Mar for Bob Baffert in 2021 and who spent most of last winter in Arizona with trainer Justin Evans.
A two-back claim by his present connections, Gold Rush Candy brings considerable early speed and a smart set of local workouts to the table. Alexis Valdes is named to ride the Rigoberto Velasquez trainee.
An off-the-pace chance on Saturday is Fantastic Day, a 6-year-old gelding by Medaglia d’Oro conditioned by 2022 leading Emerald trainer Jorge Rosales. Once a $500,000 yearling purchase who debuted for Baffert, Fantastic Day was soon down sharply in class before making his fourth career start at Emerald for an $8,000 claiming tag. In that race two years ago, Fantastic Day finally ran to his potential and won by 22 lengths.
Since that maiden score, Fantastic Day has won a small stakes at Grants Pass and later finished a narrow second in Grants Pass stakes company on a couple of occasions. Fantastic Day should relish the expected pace on Saturday and was a winner of his last start at Emerald Downs when beating similar stock from just off the pace.
The Preakness Day card at Emerald Downs gets under way at 2 p.m. Pacific. Temperatures are expected to be in the 70s with minimal chance of rain.
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