Stay in Grace tough if she runs her race – and she almost always does

The mutuel handle has been strong at Emerald Downs this year, and expect more of the same with 22 mostly competitive races spread equally over the last two days of the meet, Wednesday and Thursday.

Stay in Grace will be a short price to win a $10,000 starter race with a $15,000 claiming option that kicks off the festivities Wednesday. Post time is 2:25 p.m. Pacific.

Trained by Rigoberto Velasquez, Stay in Grace is going for the hat trick. In her latest win, on Oct. 14 at the same level, she dueled through a quick first quarter-mile before winning the six-furlong race by 1 1/4 lengths over B C Z Middleton, who will be breaking from the rail in the same race Wednesday.

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Running over a track rated muddy, Stay in Grace also took them all the way going 6 1/2 furlongs in a race with a top claiming price of $25,000 in her previous start Sept. 20.

A 5-year-old daughter of Understatement, Stay in Grace is as honest as they come. She has won 10 of her 22 starts and earned $78,347, and at the current meet has compiled a solid 3-2-0 record from six starts.

She will break from post 2. If she can clear early, she will be tough to reel in with Juan Gutierrez retaining the mount.

Spot On is the last horse to finish in front of Stay in Grace, and she was the runner-up to her in her last start Sept. 20.

Spot On went into the race off three straight wins, the first coming at Hastings for trainer Kay Cooper in a $16,000 claimer for nonwinners of three on Oct. 6 last year. Coming off a lengthy layoff, the 5-year-old daughter of Nationhood won a $10,000 starter with a $15,000 claiming option in her first start of the Emerald meet on July 2. Acting on behalf of Chad Christensen and Josh McKee, leading trainer Frank Lucarelli claimed her out of that race.

In her first start for her new connections, Spot On was an easy 3 1/4-length winner over Stay in Grace at the same level Sept. 3.

It is possible she did not care for the muddy conditions last time. With nothing but sun in the weather forecast, she should be back on firm ground Wednesday.

Eddie Martinez will be aboard when she breaks from post 3.

With the speedy E Z Star Maker making her first start of the year, there should be a fast and contested pace.

B C Z Middleton is looking for her first win at the meet and could get it if they get carried away upfront. The Lucarelli-trained Close the Show Lo also figures to be heard from late.