Nationhood, Wasserman rematched

AUBURN, Wash. - Nationhood will concede from two to nine pounds to five rivals, including stablemate Chhaya Dance, when he shoulders 121 pounds in Sunday's $50,000 Governor's Handicap at Emerald Downs.

The 6-year-old Nationhood, from the barn of trainer Mike Chambers, is coming off an authoritative 2 1/2-length victory in the one-mile Budweiser Emerald Handicap on

June 15. He also won the six-furlong Seattle Handicap here on May 4 before running a troubled fourth to Wasserman in the 6 1/2-furlong FSN Handicap on May 26. For his career, Nationhood has won 8 of 20 starts and $180,570.

Wasserman may prove the main obstacle to Nationhood's continued success. Wasserman, a 6-year-old gelding trained by Howard Belvoir, won the 6 1/2-furlong Governor's last year and scored in the FSN at the same distance this season. For his career, Wasserman has won 3 of 6 outings at 6 1/2 furlongs, which appears to be his optimal distance.

Belvoir will also saddle Assessment, who won an optional $40,000 claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs before finishing fourth to Nationhood in the recent Budweiser Emerald. Assessment won both his starts at Emerald last year and is now 3 for 4 locally.

Chambers's second entrant, the 4-year-old Chhaya Dance, will be attempting to score his first stakes win after missing by a neck to Nationhood in the Seattle and a head to Wasserman in the FSN.

Call on Carson won a pair of sprint stakes here last season as a 3-year-old. He is coming off a three-race campaign against extremely tough competition in Northern California, where his best finish was a fourth in the Oakland Stakes at Golden Gate on June 14.

Only One Way was claimed out of a win for a $16,000 tag on April 3 at Bay Meadows. Only One Way, a 6-year-old, won three races last year, including a $62,500 optional claimer at Hollywood Park.

The Governor's, usually a key prep for the Grade 3 Longacres Mile, lost three intended starters late this week. Westsideclyde bruised a hoof in a workout on Wednesday and B R Remark came up with a cough on Friday morning, while Flamethrowintexan was withheld to await a softer spot.