Stakes winners prep for Hastings Stakes in Emerald allowance

A couple of allowance races share the spotlight Sunday at Emerald Downs. Stakes winners Ima Happy Cat, Dontkissandtell, and Ms Lynn are the main players in the third race, which has second-level allowance conditions as well as a $50,000 claiming option. The 5 1/2-furlong dash for fillies and mares drew five horses and will serve as a prep for the $50,000 Hastings on June 26.

The Dan Markle-trained Ima Happy Cat looks like the one to catch and beat.

If Ima Happy Cat does run well, she will likely try to win the Hastings for the third time. The 7-year-old California-bred daughter of Smiling Tiger set brisk fractions on her way to a 2 1/4-length victory over Squan’s Kingdom last year, and she took them all the way in the six-furlong sprint in 2019. She did not run at Emerald in 2020.

In her last start, Ima Happy Cat dueled through honest fractions before tiring to finish last in a second-level allowance race that carried a $62,500 claiming option on April 10 at Golden Gate Fields.

She drew the outside post and could be tough to catch if she breaks on top with Kevin Radke up.

There is other speed in the field, most notably Frisco Fills. If Ima Happy Cat cannot clear, the race could set up nicely for either Dontkissntell or Ms Lynn.

Dontkissntell, trained by Tom Wenzel, will be making her first start since she finished fifth going 1 1/16 miles in the $50,000 Washington Cup Fillies and Mares on Sept. 26.

Her lone stakes win came in the one-mile $50,000 Washington Cup Sophomore in 2018, but her three other victories came sprinting and she is capable of firing a big shot coming off a lengthy layoff.

A British-Columbia-bred daughter of Rosberg, Dontkissntell will break from post 4 with Jose Zunino aboard.

Ms Lynn is looking for her first victory since she paid $37.80 for her 1 1/2-length victory over Camden High in the $50,000 Seattle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on June 20.

In her last start, the Roy Lumm-trained daughter of Linchpin finished third in the $50,000 Washington Cup Fillies or Mares on Sept. 26.

La Waun figures to be a short price in the sixth race, a first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds and up that drew six horses. There also is a $30,000 claiming option available in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint.

The 7-year-old son of The Pamplemousse has an excellent 6-4-0 record from 13 starts at Emerald and shows up racing fit following a third-place finish in a $12,000 starter race with a $16,000 claiming option April 6 at Parx Racing.

This will be La Waun’s first start at Emerald since he won a $10,000 starter race with a $15,000 claiming option for trainer Candi Cryderman on Sept. 24, 2020. He has raced exclusively at Parx since then. With a solid half-mile work May 12, Cryderman appears to have La Waun primed for a big homecoming.