Spot On may rebound with addition of blinkers

Spot On will try to make amends for her flop as the chalk when she runs in a $15,000 claiming race that will serve as the feature race Saturday at Emerald Downs. The six-furlong dash for fillies and mares who have never won three races drew six horses and goes as race 6 on a seven-race card that begins at 2 p.m. Pacific.

Trained by Kay Cooper, Spot On didn’t have any noticeable excuses when she finished fifth in a $15,000 conditioned claimer May 18. She broke okay, sat just off the pace, but faded. It is possible she bounced after running a big race coming off a lengthy layoff April 28, where she earned a career-best 67 Beyer Speed Figure for her runner-up finish.

Cooper has decided to put the blinkers back on Spot On. The 4-year-old wasn’t wearing them in either of her races this year or in her final start as a 3-year-old when she finished third in the Washington Cup Sophomore Fillies. However, she wore blinkers when she romped in her debut last year and in all of her other races.

She has good tactical speed and should be in the mix early after breaking from post 3 with Heribert Martinez riding.

Trainer Blaine Wright has two solid chances with Beau Rocks and Crazy for Gold.

Beau Rocks rallied to finish second in the same race Spot On exits. Crazy for Gold returns to Emerald, where she won twice and had a runner-up finish in three starts last year.

KEY CONTENDERS

Spot On, by Nationhood

Last 3 Beyers: 47-67-45

◗ If you can forgive her for her disappointing effort last time, you can make a strong case for her winning what appears to be a wide-open event.

◗ Another positive for her is that she chased a rapid pace in her latest, and they shouldn’t be going as fast in this spot.

Beau Rocks, by Rocky Bar

Last 3 Beyers: 61-56-61

◗ Following her disappointing effort as the favorite in the race Spot On was the runner-up in on April 28, she took a big step forward when she just missed in her latest.

◗ She consistently puts up Beyer Speed Figures that would be good enough to win at this level, and she could be sitting on a peak performance in the third start of her form cycle.

Crazy for Gold, by Teide

Last 3 Beyers: 56-53-48

◗ Horse for the course wasn’t a serious threat in any of her races at Turf Paradise, the latest on Feb. 16, but the last time she ran at Emerald she romped in a $25,000 claimer for nonwinners of two.

◗ Nice set of works showing, and Wright has a 25 percent strike rate with horses coming back between 61 and 180 days at Emerald the past five years.