Speed aplenty in Angie C.; Deshambeau tops King County

Juveniles share the spotlight at Emerald Downs on Sunday in the $50,000 Angie C. for fillies and the $50,000 King County Express for colts and geldings. Both races are at 5 1/2 furlongs.

The 10-race card gets underway at 2:15 p.m. Pacific.

First up in race 6 is the Angie C., which drew six horses and is arguably the more interesting of the two races as it features a matchup between a couple of rockets in Miss Dynamic and Aloha Breeze.

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Miss Dynamic seemed to be in a race by herself when she won a $15,000 maiden claimer for trainer Rigoberto Velasquez here on July 2. With Juan Gutierrez aboard, the Washington-bred daughter of Dynamic Impact appeared to be fired from a cannon leaving the starting gate and was under cruise control while winning the 4 1/2-furlong race by 10 lengths. Her ears were perked and Gutierrez never turned her loose as she drew off in the stretch.

The final time of 50.93 seconds was the second fastest time at the distance by a filly at Emerald and she probably would have broken the track record of 49.98 seconds if Gutierrez had turned her loose at any point in the race.

She will need to break just as quickly Sunday from the inside post with Gutierrez up.

The Tom Wenzel-trained Aloha Breeze may not have been as visually impressive in her 4 3/4-length win in a maiden special weight race June 25, but the 56 Beyer Speed Figure she received edges out the 55 given to Miss Dynamic.

A Kentucky-bred daughter of The Factor, Aloha Breeze comes from a stronger family. She is the first foal out of Flashy Doll, who was undefeated in three starts as a juvenile. Flashy Doll’s dam, Worstcasescenario, won the Grade 2 Adirondack at Saratoga in her second start as a 2-year-old.

Aloha Breeze will break from post 3 with Heribert Martinez retaining the mount.

If an all-out duel develops, it could set up nicely for the Frank Lucarelli-trained Stickinittotheman, who was the runner-up as the favorite to Aloha Breeze.

“She can close, which might be good if those two hook up early,” said Lucarelli.

Lucarelli will saddle three in the King County, including Deshambeau, who figures to be a short price off his convincing win going 4 1/2 furlongs in a maiden special weight race June 24.

A Kentucky-bred gelding by Lea, Deshambeau came from a stalking positon to win going away. He came back to breeze three furlongs in a slow 38.20 seconds July 3.

“We thought he was a good horse going into the race and he came out of the race in excellent shape,” said Lucarelli. “The slow work was by design. We just wanted to give him something to do.”

Deshambeau will break from post 7 in the eight-horse field with Kevin Orozco up.

The main threat could come Lloyds Logic, who did not have a great trip when he finished third in the same race for trainer Tom Wenzel. The Kentucky-bred colt by The Factor broke inward and had to steady in order to avoid a couple of fallen horses approaching the quarter pole.