Stakes winners clash

AUBURN, Wash. - Stakes winners Northwest Attitude and Millenium Nugget head a field of seven in Friday's top offering at Emerald Downs, a six-furlong test for 3-year-olds who have started for a $25,000 claiming price or have never won two races.

Northwest Attitude, a son of Free at Last trained by Rick Terry, graduated here at the $12,500 level here in April. Only two races later, he won the 6 1/2-furlong Pepsi Cola Handicap in 1:13.80, just .20 off the track record. Northwest Attitude returned to run an even fifth in the mile Tacoma Handicap on June 27 and should appreciate both the cutback in distance and the drop in class on Friday.

Millenium Nugget collected his stakes win last year at 2 when he scored in the six-furlong Captain Condo Stakes. He was unplaced in his first two starts this season, but woke up when dropped to the $20,000 claiming level last time out on July 25, coming from far back to score by 1 1/2 lengths after six furlongs in 1:10. Millenium Nugget, a son of He's Tops, was claimed by trainer Tom Wenzel for Remmah Racing Inc. that day and will be making his first start for the new connections.

Also dangerous is Spin the Wind, a speedy son of Slewdledo. Spin the Wind, who is trained by Doug Driever, is coming off a strong second to Count Orange in a six-furlong allowance test here on July 3.

The sleeper in Friday's field might be No Giveaway, a lightly raced full brother to multiple stakes winner Youcan'ttakeme who defeated $50,000 maidens on July 18 with 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.80.