Noosito coming to hand for Coca-Cola

AUBURN, Wash. – Noosito headlines Sunday’s $50,000 Coca-Cola Handicap, and the much-ballyhooed 3-year-old colt could be a heavy favorite going one mile against eight rivals. He’s fast, he’s versatile, and he’ll have the riding services of Leslie Mawing, the hottest jockey at Emerald Downs.

Noosito, a full brother to graded stakes winner Noosa Beach, has been rubber-stamped for greatness since the very beginning. He made strides during an abbreviated 2-year-old campaign in 2013, winning the restricted Dennis Dodge Stakes in September. But his real breakthrough came just four weeks ago, when he romped to a five-length victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Auburn Handicap, with Mawing along for an exhilarating ride.

Doris Harwood, who trains Noosito for Last Rose Stable, entered four horses in the Coca-Cola, and the race could boil down to the Harwood-trained Del Rio Harbor, who won three stakes races last year, and Noosito, who left Del Rio Harbor in his wake in the Auburn. The two horses worked in company last Sunday – Mawing on Noosito, and Gallyn Mitchell on Del Rio Harbor – and both riders were pleased.

FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Noosito. Full brother to 14-for-22, $500,000-plus earner Noosa Beach, who did his best work on the Emerald oval. Click here for more details.

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“Doris put Noosito on the inside,” Mawing said. “Maybe she had a premonition we would draw an inside post. They both worked really well, they were both on the bit. Any one of her four horses could win this race, but between myself and Del Rio, we both have a good shot.”

Noosito, who made a circling run in the Auburn, will start from post 3. Del Rio Harbor, who is likely to be forwardly placed from the outset, drew post 8. Mawing said his starting point, and the prospect of a traffic jam, should not be major concerns.

“He’s a big horse,” Mawing said. “You don’t want to get him stopped, that’s for sure. But he’s a very game horse. It doesn’t matter if he comes on the inside or the outside, he’s pretty competitive.”

Noosa Beach had some notable successes during his 3-year-old year, winning a pair of sprint stakes at Emerald, before fully hitting his stride at 4. Noosito could be on a similar trajectory. He earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 80 for his Auburn victory – the same figure posted by Noosa Beach in his 3-year-old debut five years ago.

Harwood’s other entrants are Trick Or Retreat, an impressive maiden winner in his last start, and the fast-improving Kenai King, who won a first-level allowance sprint in his last start and is bred to go long.