People in the Seattle area have long complained about the hordes of Californians who have moved north in pursuit of cheaper housing and milder weather.

The opposite reaction is now occurring a half-hour south of the city at Emerald Downs, where, thanks to an unprecedented influx of barns formerly based in Northern California, the jewel-box track with the spectacular view of Mount Rainier stands to have more horses on its backstretch than at any point in the last decade for a 51-date meet that opens Sunday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A maturing Mansetti returns from a layoff in Sunday’s $125,000 Woodstock Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds at Woodbine.

Named after a pizza and pasta chain in Minnesota, Mansetti won twice here at 2 while getting a 74 Beyer Speed Figure both times. He wired the field in the restricted Clarendon Stakes here going six furlongs Nov. 24, after which he ran a distant fifth in the Jan. 4 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct.

Trainer Kevin Attard said Mansetti didn’t handle dirt in the one-mile Jerome.

They leave the gate like a Quarter Horse each spring at Churchill Downs. Opening night, two dark days filled with Derby and Oaks training and opining. Suddenly it’s Tuesday, Derby week.

You know what? The top-echelon 3-year-olds that have descended upon Churchill Downs are pretty good! Would it shock you next Saturday evening if, listed in qualifying-points order, Burnham Square, Sandman, Rodriguez, Tiztastic, Tappan Street, East Avenue, Grande, Luxor Cafe, or Baeza emerged from the 20-horse Kentucky Derby scrum draped in roses? And that doesn’t even get to the goliaths, Journalism and Sovereignty.

More immediately comes the last Saturday in April, breadsticks before the salad course before the appetizer before May 3’s entree. Dig in.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Hoosier Philly could go over $1 million in career earnings Saturday at Oaklawn Park, where she will defend her title in the $200,000 Dig a Diamond Stakes.

The one-mile race drew eight fillies and mares and will end at the sixteenth pole. Others set to start include Bru Na Boinne and Rose Palace, who have each won overnight stakes at the meet; Flashy Lass, who captured last fall’s She’s All In at Remington Park; and Our Pretty Woman, who is an up-and-coming member of the division for Oaklawn-leading trainer Steve Asmussen.

The leading sprinter is such a standout that his trainer says 1-5 is worth a bet.

The top mile race is a showdown between a red-hot Australian and a local star, while the richest race on the program, at 1 1/4 miles, could be won by several runners who last started in four countries.

The three Group 1 races at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Sunday offer an array of talent, though none have been as dominant as Ka Ying Rising, who is widely expected to win his 12th consecutive start in the $2.83 million Chairman’s Sprint Prize at six furlongs.

Two proven stakes runners out of Christophe Clement’s barn will stick around Florida a little longer to run in the $75,000 Monroe Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Ozara, a 4-year-old filly, and Breath Away, a 5-year-old mare, both had consistent stints in Florida this winter and should be strong contenders at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Miguel Clement, his father’s assistant trainer currently based in Florida, is encouraged by their progress heading into the Monroe.

CHURCHILL DOWNS
Thursday, April 24
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 60
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A horse whose connections originally planned on bypassing the Kentucky Derby and a second whose status remains up in the air took center stage during training hours Thursday at Churchill Downs.

End of Romance has a lot of things going for him when he seeks his first U.S. victory in a seemingly wide-open renewal of Saturday’s $125,000 Woodhaven Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Aqueduct.

From a pedigree perspective, End of Romance is a half-brother to Romantic Warrior, a winner of 18 of 25 starts, including 10 Group 1 stakes, and an earner of more than $27 million.