Volume Twelve tries to build on strong maiden score

Considering how impressive Volume Twelve was in winning a $25,000 maiden-claiming race in his first start for trainer Michael Puhich, it’s a bit surprising to see him show up in a $15,000 nonwinners-of-two claiming race that will serve as the featured race Saturday at Emerald Downs.

If he comes close to duplicating the 84 Beyer Speed Figure he earned in his initial start on dirt, he is the winner of the six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up that drew nine horses.

Volume Twelve began his career at Golden Gate with trainer Jerry Hollendorfer; he was the runner-up in back-to-back maiden special-weight races. In his debut Feb. 20, the 4-year-old gelding showed a lot of potential when he finished full of run after getting bogged down on the rail early. He also was forced to steady heading into the turn.

He dueled through quick fractions in his second start on Tapeta and then thrived over what can be a speed-favoring surface when he won his only start at Emerald by eight lengths with Leslie Mawing aboard.

It is interesting to see Mawing bail to ride West Coast Wheelie, but Volume Twelve is in capable hands with Isaias Enriquez picking up the mount.

Volume Twelve set wicked fractions in his blowout win, and he will be hard to catch if he breaks alertly from post 6.

Trained by Frank Lucarelli, West Coast Willie got off to a slow start and then rallied to finish second in a similar race May 22. He was making his first start at Emerald following a dull effort in a failed turf experiment April 17 at Golden Gate. His lone win in nine starts came March 6 in a one-mile maiden special-weight race on Tapeta.

KEY CONTENDERS

Volume Twelve, by Latent Heat

Last 3 Beyers: 84-64-64

◗ Some caution is obviously advised with a horse that is dropping in price after winning so easily in just his third start. Nonetheless, he came back with six well-spaced works and appears to be primed for another big effort.

West Coast Wheelie, by Midnight Lute

Last 3 Beyers: 55-26-70

◗ He should be rallying in the stretch, and any horses that try to run with Volume Twelve early will probably be looking for the finish line late.

Prince of Silver, by Even the Score

Last 3 Beyers: 54-70-57

◗ Trained by Diane Garrison, he ran a big race when he finished third in a key $25,000 conditional claimer in his first start of the year and may have bounced in the same race West Coast Willie exits.