Sorelli attempts title defense in Emerald Championship Challenge

Three Quarter Horse stakes, headed by the $55,000 Emerald Championship Challenge, will be featured Sunday at Emerald Downs. The 440-yard Emerald Championship Challenge drew 11 horses, the largest field in the history of the race, including last year’s winner, Sorelli. The winner qualifies for the Grade 1, $350,000 Challenge Championship on Oct. 14 at Prairie Meadows.

Sunday’s 11-race card begins at 2 p.m. Pacific with the $15,000 Distance Challenge for 3-year-olds and up. The likely favorite in the 870-yard dash that drew seven horses is Rare Ed, who won the Grade 1, $125,000 AQHA Distance Challenge at Los Alamitos last year. He is trained by Roddina Barrett, who also conditions Sorelli.

The second half of the daily double is the $15,000 Juvenile Challenge, which drew 12 2-year-olds. I Deliver, winner of the $28,000 Firecracker Futurity at Grants Pass for trainer Hector Magallanes on July 4, will probably be favored in the 350-yard dash.

Air Force Won, trained by Valentin Zamudio, is the one to beat in the Emerald Championship.

A 4-year-old New Mexico-bred, Air Force Won has compiled a 6-3-2 record from 15 starts for earnings of $97,170. He is coming off a win going 330 yards in an allowance race July 23 at Los Alamitos. It was his first start this year, and he beat a very nice filly in Time for Jess, who came back to win the $28,000 Los Alamitos Distaff Challenge. Time for Jess also was the runner-up in the Grade 2 Southern California Derby last year. The winner’s share of the Distaff Challenge brought her career earnings to $309,079.

Air Force Won will break from the outside post with Eswan Flores riding. Flores was aboard Sorelli when she won the race last year.

Barrett is pleased with how Sorelli is coming up to the race.

“She is sharp and feeling good,” Barrett said.

The 5-year-old Oklahoma-bred is coming off a third-place finish going 250 yards in the $17,000 Jack Rhoden Memorial Challenge on July 15 at Prineville. The winner, Gone Fast, and runner-up, Lebron 6, also are entered.

Sorelli will break from post 8 with Osvaldo Gonzalez riding.

Noosa Beach honored

Noosa Beach, winner of the 2010 Grade 3 Longacres Mile, has been elected to the Washington Racing Hall of Fame. He had excellent speed, but could stalk. He compiled a 14-4-2 record from 22 starts for earnings of $524,472. He is owned by Jeff Harwood.

Trained by Doris Harwood throughout his career, Noosa Beach won a record 11 stakes at Emerald Downs. He was the Washington horse of the year 2010 and 2011.

The induction ceremony will be held on Washington Cup Day, Aug. 27.

Also being inducted are trainer Marion L. Smith and breeders Rich and Debbie Pabst.

Dr. Mark Dedomenico will be honored for Lifetime Achievement in Washington racing.