Wine At Nine worth sticking with
Despite shooting for his fourth straight victory, Wine At Nine might not be favored when he runs in a $25,000 conditional claiming race Friday night at Emerald Downs. The 5 1/2-furlong dash drew eight older runners and headlines a seven-race card that begins at 6:30 p.m. Pacific.
Leading jockey Rocco Bowen rode Wine At Nine in all three races in the streak, which included an easy victory in a $3,500 starter race April 22 at Emerald. However, he has opted to ride Big Hat Charlie, who is making his seasonal debut.
With Bowen bailing, Wine At Nine might get overlooked in the wagering, which could be a mistake.
Trained by Vince Gibson, the 6-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding is a 12-time winner, and 11 of his victories came on the local surface.
He could be full of confidence following his dominating front-running victory last month in his first start of the year. He’s also versatile, and if he doesn’t break on top from post 6, he should get a nice trip from a staking position.
Picking up the mount from Bowen is Gary Wales, who is off to a strong start while riding in the West for the first time. His first win came at Colonial Downs in 2008, with the majority of his 267 wins coming at Suffolk Downs.
KEY CONTENDERS
Wine At Nine, by Divine Park
Last 3 Beyers: 75-80-80
◗ His latest win was little more than a workout, and with a sharp four-furlong interim move, he could be sitting on a big effort in his second start back.
Big Hat Charlie, by Indian Charlie
Last 3 Beyers: 77-83-76
◗ Trained by Charlie Essex, he had just one start in 2017 and hasn’t raced in more than a year, so it is interesting to see Bowen head in this direction. Nonetheless, he can fire fresh and has an excellent 3-2-3 record from eight starts at Emerald.
◗ In his only race last year, he finished first in a similar race but had his number taken down for causing interference to the runner-up, Papa Frank.
Blame It On Royce, by Blame
Last 3 Beyers: 58-74-82
◗ This will be his first start since he finished fifth after dueling in a $40,000 optional claimer with first-level allowance conditions Sept. 10 at Emerald.
◗ The Blaine Wright-trained 6-year-old won at this level in 2016 and 2017. He won his initial start in 2016, so he can fire fresh.
Stakes next for Citizen Kitty
Trainer Jeff Metz said that Citizen Kitty, the champion older female in Washington last year, came out of her win in an allowance race Saturday in excellent shape and will be pointed to the $50,000 Hastings Stakes on May 28 at Emerald.
The win Saturday was her eighth, and seven have come at Emerald. The win boosted the Washington-bred daughter of Proud Citizen’s career earnings to $214,551.