Noosa Beach powers to Budweiser score

AUBURN, Wash. - Favored Noosa Beach rolled to an easy victory Sunday in the one-mile, $50,000 Budweiser Handicap at Emerald Downs, running his 2009 record to 3 for 3 and stamping himself as the leading local contender for the Grade 3, $250,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 22.

Ridden by Ricky Frazier for trainer Doris Harwood, Noosa Beach ($6.60) led from start to finish on a sloppy track, drawing away late to win by 9 1/4 lengths in 1:35. Gallon rallied from last to finish second, and Rooster City was another length behind in third.

Wasserman, winner of the 2008 Longacres Mile, was fourth, followed by Elusive Schemes, 2009 horse of the meeting Assessment, Yankee Bravo, and Winning Machine.

Owned by Harwood's husband, Jeff, of Kent, Wash., Noosa Beach earned $27,500, increasing his career total to $206,840. A 4-year-old by Harbor the Gold, Noosa Beach has won 7 of 12 starts and five stakes races. His victory in the Budweiser was his first around two turns.

The winning margin was a stakes record and the ninth-largest margin ever in a stakes race at Emerald Downs.

"This horse leaves the gate running, and he is really fast," Frazier said. "When I got the lead, I was trying to keep him in a comfortable spot. I didn't want to move him into any other paths on the track. He was really impressive and just excelled over the mud."

Doris Harwood said Noosa Beach would likely run next in the 6 1/2-furlong Governor's Handicap on July 11, his last major prep before the Longacres Mile.