Scat Daddybaby among trio prepping for Mile

AUBURN, Wash. – Three horses with designs on the Grade 3 Longacres Mile headline Sunday’s featured race at Emerald Downs, a $22,575 no-conditions allowance for older horses at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Of the three, Scat Daddybaby has the most intriguing back story and may have the best chance to spring an upset in the Northwest’s biggest race Aug. 24. But Scat Daddybaby hasn’t started since April because of persistent injuries and badly needs a race. He’ll start from post 2 in a six-horse field that also features Dontmesswithkitten, the runner-up in the 1 1/16-mile Mt. Rainier Handicap two weeks ago, and Why Not Be Perfect, who captured the 6 1/2-furlong Governor’s Handicap in May.

A speedy front-runner trained by Robbie Baze, Scat Daddybaby ran six furlongs in 1:08.20 in his April allowance victory, but he has dealt with a foot bruise and other issues in the interim. The Longacres Mile has been on Baze’s bucket list since the start of the year. Scat Daddybaby is quick enough to set the pace in the Mile, but his stamina is likely to be a concern, even if he runs a big race Sunday.

Dontmesswithkitten set the pace in the Mt. Rainier and hung on for the place, a length behind likely Longacres Mile favorite Stryker Phd. Trained by Chris Stenslie, Dontmesswithkitten recorded a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 89 but would need to run faster to win the Longacres Mile.

Why Not Be Perfect has been up and down, rolling to a powerful victory in the Governor’s at 28-1 before finishing far back in his past two starts. Why Not Be Perfect finished sixth in the 2013 Longacres Mile and will need a bounce-back effort Sunday to merit another start in the stakes ranks.

KEY CONTENDERS

SCAT DADDYBABY (Last 3 Beyers: 84, 83, 79)

◗ Scat Daddybaby has won his past four starts in gate-to-wire fashion, beginning with a first-level allowance victory last August.

◗ He has had the lead at the first call in 10 of his 11 starts.

◗ Scat Daddybaby’s dam, Bianconi Baby, won the $100,000 Breeders’ Cup Washington Oaks at Emerald Downs in 2004.

DONTMESSWITHKITTEN (Last 3 Beyers: 89, 82, 81)

◗ Dontmesswithkitten, by influential grass sire Kitten’s Joy, has two victories on turf but is winless on dirt. He has finished second five times in eight dirt starts and earned his career-best Beyer on dirt in his last start.

◗ Chris Stenslie is one of four trainers to have worked with Dontmesswithkitten. Cindy Krasner, Blaine Wright, and Barbara Heads have all taken turns with the horse during previous stops in Washington, California and Arizona.