Sky Confidential seeking breakout victory

If you can judge a horse by the company he’s kept, then Sky Confidential is the one to beat at Emerald Downs in Saturday’s fourth race, a maiden special weight sprint for 2-year-olds and the only non-claiming race on the card.

Sky Confidential is part of a full field of 12 for the 5 1/2-furlong race, which includes several fast-working first-time starters.

A son of Sky Mesa, Sky Confidential has made three starts – two in stakes. In his debut, he ran third in an Emerald maiden race won by My Grandpa over Fuzzy Dolphin. My Grandpa has yet to run back from that July 1 race, but Fuzzy Dolphin has gone on to win a maiden race and the Washington Cup Juvenile Colts & Geldings.

Trainer Howard Belvoir threw Sky Confidential right into stakes company for his second start, and although no match for 10 1/2-length winner Baja Sur, he ran third in a field of six in the 5 1/2-furlong King County Express. The fourth-place finisher in that race, This Great Nation, returned to pull a 48-1 stunner in the WTBOA Lads Stakes on Aug. 12. Sky Confidential also ran in the six-furlong WTBOA Lads, but he lost his chance at the start when he was bumped by the horse to his inside, and then was smacked solidly on the hip by the horse to his outside. By the time jockey Javier Matias got him to settle behind horses, the leaders were long gone. Sky Confidential ended up 10th of 11, beaten 15 1/2 lengths.

There doesn’t appear to be any Fuzzy Dolphins or Baja Surs or This Great Nations in Saturday’s race – at least among those who have started – and Sky Confidential just might put it all together under jockey Jennifer Whitaker.

Perhaps the biggest threat to Sky Confidential among those who have started is Mr. Frank, who showed speed in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race Aug. 19 at Emerald in his only start. He tired to finish fourth, beaten four lengths by winner Emily’s Gold. Matias has a return call on Mr. Frank, who is trained by Frank Lucarelli.

One first-timer to watch out for is the Twirling Candy colt Frolic and Detour, who scorched a half-mile in a bullet 45.20 in his final work for the race. Trained by Tom Wenzel, he is a half-brother to Shimmering Aspen, a three-time stakes winner.

Michael Puhich, who has excellent numbers with 2-year-olds, sends out the first-timers Forty Six Carats and Motion Emotion, while trainer Blaine Wright counters with the debuting pair of Mister G.Q. and Rally Cat, whose dam, Champagneandcaviar, won the Kent Handicap and the Washington Oaks at Emerald Downs.

Post time for the first of eight races on Saturday is 5 p.m. Pacific.