Wenzel has strength in numbers on four-stakes card
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In order to become the all-time leading stakes winner among trainers at a given racetrack, it helps to have a ton of stakes-caliber runners in one’s barn. Tom Wenzel has them and then some as he preps no fewer than nine entrants – eight belonging to leading owner George Todaro – for four $50,000 stakes Sunday at Emerald Downs.
“I think it’s been close to that in the past, but usually there are six stakes, too, so it’s probably more than I’ve run in four,” Wenzel said of his epic volume of stakes entrants on the meet’s second-to-last day.
Wenzel’s likeliest winner is Aloha Breeze, who will look to go a perfect 5 for 5 at Emerald this year in the 1 1/16-mile Muckleshoot Tribal Distaff. Despite being slightly better suited to sprints, the 6-year-old mare nonetheless boasts the best 1 1/16-mile time at the current meet, having completed the distance in 1:42.09 while winning the Emerald Distaff by 6 1/2 lengths on Aug. 16. Should she win her fourth stakes of 2026 on Sunday, she’ll be a shoo-in to repeat as horse of the meet.
But with this being the last weekend of racing at Emerald, Aloha Breeze – the only Wenzel trainee not owned by Todaro – will have to outrun six rivals, including Blaine Wright’s 3-year-old Tipitap, who overcame a super tough trip to win the Aug. 16 Washington Oaks by three lengths under jockey Blake Nunnally.
“Hopefully we’re building off her last race,” said Wright. “We’re asking a whole lot of her, but then again, it’s the end of the year and we’re gonna put her away for the winter. If we can hit the board in there, I think I’ll be satisfied.”
Muckleshoot Tribal Classic
Kentucky shipper Touchy’s disqualification resulted in 35-1 pacesetter Adios Jojo being elevated from second to first in the $125,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 16. While the 1 1/16-mile Muckleshoot Tribal Classic features only local rivals, Adios Jojo may be in even tougher due to a pair of Wenzel entrants.
Wenzel’s classy 8-year-old Slew’s Tiz Whiz finished a fast-closing third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths, in the tepidly paced Longacres Mile. But Wenzel thinks he might have won had Executive Chef not veered into his path in the stretch.
“He had to stop when he was making his move,” said Wenzel. “I think if that didn’t happen, I’m right on top of those horses at the wire.”
Howie Gibson, trainer of Adios Jojo, doesn’t disagree, conceding that Slew’s Tiz Whiz “didn’t have the best of trips.”
In the Classic, Wenzel is taking a big swing with Robin Racer, who is 3 for 4 this year against his fellow 3-year-olds, with two of those wins coming in stakes routes. A stalker, he’s yet to post a speed figure that would put him on even footing with his older rivals here, but at 3, he’s obviously got room to grow.
“Anything close to a win would be great for a horse like him, but it’s a big stretch because he’s running against older for the first time,” said Wenzel.
Wenzel’s third entrant is Candy Caballo, a 4-year-old front-runner who ran the race of his life on Aug. 23, beating the track’s top allowance horse, Chuckanut Bay, in a six-furlong sprint while earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 89, the best last-out number in this field. He, Adios Jojo, and the Wright trainee Elder Mack all like to race on the lead. If a torrid speed duel takes place, things could set up well for Slew’s Tiz Whiz.
“I think there’s a ton of speed in here,” said Gibson. “We’re just gonna have to see what Jojo’s about.”
Muckleshoot Juvenile Fillies
Gibson’s Mattie Goincoastal has dominated Emerald’s 2-year-old filly division this year, going 3 for 3 with two stakes wins by open lengths. She will be heavily favored to stay perfect in the 6 1/2-furlong Muckleshoot Juvenile Fillies.
Gibson said he’s excited for the daughter of Coast Guard to route in the near future.
“She has some sisters who could route a little bit, so I’m hoping she carries that speed,” he said.
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Gottstein Futurity
The same sentiment holds for 2-year-old Candy Charmer, Gibson’s entrant in the mile and 70-yard Gottstein Futurity. The son of Danzing Candy was a jump away from winning the six-furlong WTBOA Lads on Aug. 16 after mounting an impressive homestretch rally.
The Lads winner, Coal Front Kid, will not return for the Gottstein, but Wenzel’s Diamond Dasher, who finished second, will, along with two other Wenzel/Todaro contenders in the eight-horse field.
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