Rate for Me needs to be put into race early
With 11 wins on turf, two on dirt, and one on Tapeta, Rate for Me is clearly a better horse running on grass. Nonetheless, he has handled the main track at Emerald Downs well enough and looks like the one to beat in a $3,500 starter race that headlines the seven-race Thursday card at the Auburn, Wash., oval.
The one-mile race for 3-year-olds and up carries a $7,500 claiming option and goes as the sixth race. Post time for the first race is 6 p.m. Pacific.
Trained by Jeff Metz, Rate for Me has yet to win in five starts at Emerald. However, he is coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes going a mile at the same level as Thursday’s feature and owns the best recent Beyer Speed Figures among the seven horses entered.
In his race on July 31, he came from well back to edge Cody’s Choice for second while finishing 4 3/4 lengths behind Missed the Boat. Cody’s Choice came back to romp over Rate for Me on Aug. 14, but Rate for Me finished seven lengths clear of Shifty Dancer, who finished third.
An 8-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Exchange Rate, Rate for Me is versatile. The last time he won, he forced the issue going a mile on the main track at Turf Paradise in a $6,250 starter with a $20,000 claiming option on Jan. 13.
He breaks from post 2 with Julien Couton riding. If Couton can get him into the mix early, he could be tough to beat.
Following his win at Turf Paradise, Rate for Me finished second to Lolly Express going 7 1/2 furlongs on turf there in a $3,500 starter race with a $7,500 claiming option Feb. 5.
Lolly Express is a six-time winner on dirt, with his latest win coming at this level going six furlongs on Aug. 15 at Emerald for trainer Billy Christian.
The 6-year-old son of Richard’s Kid should be fine stretching out in distance, and he is capable of stringing solid races together as evidenced by his four-race win streak that began Nov. 9 at Grants Pass and ended with his victory over Rate for Me. He will break from post 5 with apprentice rider McKenna Anderson retaining the mount.
Ardenlee Star is stepping up in class and stretching out in distance after winning a 6 1/2-furlong, $2,500 conditioned claimer for trainer Frank Lucarelli in his first start at Emerald on Aug. 15. Ardenlee Star is a two-time winner at the one-mile distance, and he looks like the one they will have to run down.
Adding to his appeal is that he will be making his first start for trainer Jorge Rosales, who claimed the 4-year-old son of Elusive Quality out of his winning race on behalf of Lynn Hebdon. According to DRF Formulator, Rosales has a 30 percent strike rate and $1.75 return on investment since 2018 with claimed horses running back the first time.