Missed the Boat returns to action

Missed the Boat will make his 2023 debut while attempting to regain his strong 2022 form against five others in Saturday’s allowance co-feature at Emerald Downs.

The 7-year-old, owned by Sauvageau Equestrian LLC and trained by Candi Cryderman, was among the sharper runners on the grounds last year after having been claimed early in the season for a $10,000 tag.

The son of Midshipman officially compiled a record of two wins, two seconds, and one third from six Emerald Downs starts in 2022; he was disqualified from first and placed fifth in the other race.

Missed the Boat has been “happy in training,” said Cryderman, who added that she “would expect a good result” on Saturday.

Among others entered in Saturday’s allowance is Arma d’Oro, who will be making his initial start at Emerald Downs after having spent the first three seasons of his career in Northern California. The Dan Markle trainee has raced on dirt just three times but was a winner in his first such race at Pleasanton a year ago.

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Arma d’Oro hasn’t raced since February, when he finished seventh, beaten two lengths, in a one-mile allowance race at Golden Gate Fields. The son of Violence has three sprint wins to his credit but may need to work a bit more to stay within earshot of the expected pace Saturday. Leading rider Luis Negron has the call aboard Arma d’Oro.

The early pace figures to come from Tig, Cobra Jet, and El Alto Hombre, with Tax Code not far behind. None of the runners entered seems to need the early lead for success.

El Alto Hombre was about the best thing going in Oregon in 2021, when he won 7 of 9 starts and just missed in his yearly finale in the Grants Pass Mile, where he was second, beaten three-quarters of a length.

The son of Archarcharch found the challenges much greater when relocating to Emerald Downs for his 2022 campaign, but he was in the hunt every time out and definitely wasn’t disgraced. El Alto Hombre managed to win once at Emerald Downs last year in an allowance race with conditions very similar to those under which he will race Saturday.

Tax Code won his last race as the public betting choice when able to sit a favorable trip right behind a pair of speed horses and he is well drawn and hoping to make the first run at the pacesetter. Tax Code is trained by Shelly Crowe, who had won with her last four starters entering Friday’s racing.

Temperatures are expected to be at or near to 60 degrees on Saturday afternoon under cloudy skies with first post scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Pacific.

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