One will go, other will try stakes

AUBURN, Wash. - Trainer Pat Mullens and owner Ron Crockett have two entrants for Saturday's one-mile allowance feature for older horses, but only one will run.

Mullens and Crockett are represented by Don'twritemeoff and Carry On John, both of whom are nominated for Sunday's $60,000 Budweiser-Emerald Handicap at the same one-mile distance.

"I'm planning to scratch one of them and enter him back in the stakes," said Mullens. "Which one, I don't know. I haven't worked that out yet."

The draw may have nudged Mullens closer to scratching Carry On John, as he got the outside post in a field of 10. Carry On John, a 4-year-old son of Boundary, has won 2 of 4 starts, including an optional $40,000 claimer at six furlongs on May 25. Carry On John got the distance in 1:08.80 to defeat multiple stakes winner Mr Makah by a nose.

Don'twritemeoff , a 6-year-old by Silver Ghost, has not won since October 2006, when he won the Colterkind Handicap at a mile. He raced seven times last year, with his best effort a second in the nine-furlong Mt. Rainier Handicap in July. Don'twritemeoff has run just once at this meeting, finishing ninth in the FSN Handicap on May 26.

Another Budweiser-Emerald nominee may go favored Saturday. Lord Avalon, a 4-year-old son of Yonaguska from the barn of trainer Mike Chambers, has won 2 of 3 starts and is coming off a second-place allowance finish on May 31.