Noosito outruns stablemate in Seattle Slew Handicap

AUBURN, Wash. -- Noosito evened the score with Del Rio Harbor on Sunday at Emerald Downs, leading all the way to defeat his stablemate by 1 3/4 lengths in the $48,750 Seattle Slew Handicap for 3-year-olds.

Only four horses started in the 1 1/16-mile Seattle Slew, with three of the four trained by Doris Harwood. In addition to Noosito and Del Rio Harbor, both multiple stakes winners, Harwood started Kenai King, who helped fill the race for his stablemates. Kenai King finished a distant last, 17 3/4 lengths behind Noosito.

Noosito ($5.80) went directly to the front under Leslie Mawing, maintained a narrow advantage to the top of the stretch and then gradually inched clear. Charlie Thomas, the only non-Harwood trainee, finished third, more than 17 lengths behind the winner.

Noosito and Del Rio Harbor have now met six times and are 3-3 in their rivalry. Noosito took the Auburn Handicap on May 25, beating 4-5 favorite Del Rio Harbor. Del Rio Harbor turned the tables in the June 22 Coca-Cola Handicap, when Noosito was the 1-2 choice. They are likely to meet next in the $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby on Aug. 10.

Noosito, a full brother to 11-time stakes winner Noosa Beach, won for the fourth time in seven starts and earned $27,500, pushing his career earnings to $117,878 for Last Rose Stable. He is by Harbor the Gold, a son of Seeking the Gold, out of the Basket Weave mare Julia Rose.