Portland Meadows opens with stakes double
The 70th season of racing at Portland Meadows begins Sunday with a Thoroughbred stakes doubleheader.
The $10,000 Inaugural for 3-year-olds and up attracted 10 runners, while the $10,000 Multnomah Falls has seven fillies and mares signed up. Both races are at 5 1/2 furlongs.
The 37-day meet, which continues through Jan. 3, features racing most Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays, with free parking and free general admission.
The track’s biggest day is Dec. 18, with seven races for Oregon-breds highlighted by the $15,000 Lethal Grande Oregon Sprint Championship and stakes for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds.
The meet’s signature race, the $25,000 Portland Mile, is scheduled for Dec. 4 along with the Portland Distaff for fillies and mares and the Columbia River Stakes for 2-year-olds.
The $25,000 Oregon Derby is scheduled for closing day, Jan. 3.
In addition to the 24 Thoroughbred stakes, there are nine Quarter Horse stakes, including the $20,000-added Portland Meadows Championship Bonus Challenge at 440 yards.
On Sunday, Dance With Effie is the 8-5 morning-line favorite as she makes her Portland Meadows debut in the Multnomah Falls after a solid season at Emerald Downs. Mary Lois is the 3-1 second pick. Society Girl is making her first start since Nov. 17 and has three bullet works for her return. Her record here is 10-3-1 from 15 starts.
The Inaugural seems wide open, with Grinder Sparksaglo listed as the 5-2 favorite to pick up his first win of the year. My Chief is the 7-2 second choice.
Rocco Bowen edged Leonel Camacho-Flores by one winner, 52-51, in last year’s jockey race, and he will duel with Camacho-Flores for the title again. Rigoberto Velasquez, who nearly doubled the win total of his nearest rival, will try to repeat as the leading trainer.