Another beautiful day at Emerald Downs! The Mike Puhich trainees, Jebrica, Mr. Bowling, and Prohibition took advantage of the sunshine and crowd to school in the Paddock during the 3rd race.
More Mile Horses!
Tag: Dr. Mark Dedomenico
Trainer Interviews
More trainer interviews for the 2014 Mile! Here is trainer Mike Puhich talking about the 2012 Mile and Taylor Said’s win, as well as his 3 entries for 2014!
And here is trainer Larry Ross talking about Stryker PhD’s chances this year, as well as Mile’s past with Hall of Fame inductee Chum Salmon!
JEBRICA PREVAILS IN $20,475 FEATURE RACE, IS CLAIMED FOR TRACK RECORD $50,000
Jebrica exerted his class with a powerful 2 ¾-length victory Saturday, August 2 in the $20,475 feature race for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 120 lbs, the multiple-stakes winning gelding ran one mile in 1:35.25 and paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.20. Jim Penney is the trainer for owners Where We At (Paul Heist and Jack Fabulich).
Upon returning to the winner’s circle, however, a red tag was placed on Jebrica to signify the 6-year-old was claimed for a track-record tying $50,000 by trainer Mike Puhich and owners Dr. Mark Dedomenico and North American Thoroughbred Racing Co.
Voted Emerald Downs’ Top 3-Year-Old of 2011, Jebrica is 8-4-6 in 31 starts lifetime with earnings of $327,567. He’s a double stakes winner at Emerald Downs and also won the B.C. Premiers at Hastings Racecourse.
“He’s just a great horse,” Puhich said. “If anybody ever stubs their toe, he’s always going to be there. We’ll check him out but the plan is to run him back in the Mile. This race sets him up perfectly for three weeks.”
The $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) is Sunday, August 24. Jebrica has run the Mile twice, finishing eighth to Taylor Said in 2012 and fourth to Herbie D last year.
“With a horse like him, there are plenty of options,” Puhich added. “He’s done pretty much everything. Glen Todd (North American Thoroughbred Racing Co.) pointed him out when he saw him in for a price in California a couple years ago.”
Assessment, ridden by Gallyn Mitchell at 117 lbs, closed from last to finish second and paid $6.20 and $2.60. The 10-year-old gelding earned $4,095 to push his Emerald Downs’ earnings to $469,525, second highest on the track’s all-time list.
Rocky’s Quest, ridden by Rocco Bowen at 117 lbs, finished third and paid $2.40 to show. Calculated Chaos, the early leader, finished fourth and Carving was last.
FULL FIELD OF 12 ENTERED IN $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3)
An overflow field of 13 runners was entered Wednesday for Sunday’s $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs. Until You won a shake with Assessment-both geldings were assigned 114 lbs-for the 12th and final spot in the 78th renewal of the Northwest’s most prestigious race
Eastern invader Politcallycorrect drew the No. 3 post-position and was installed as the 7-to-2 morning line favorite by line maker Rob Rao. The evenly matched field includes runners from virtually all points in North America-East, Midwest, California, Canada and Washington.
Herbie D, impressive winner of the July 21 Mt. Rainier Handicap, drew the No. 10 post-position and is the 4-to-1 second choice. Herbie D, a 5-year-old B.C.-bred who bids to become the second straight Canadian horse to win The Mile, is 9-1-1 in 12 lifetime starts for trainer Robert Gilker.
Politcallycorrect and Herbie D also are starting co-high weights at 121 lbs each.
Golden Itiz a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred from the powerful John Sadler barn at Del Mar, drew No. 7 and is 5-to-1, and Mr. Bowling, a recent acquisition trained by Mike Puhich, drew the No. 11 post and is 6-to-1.
Mr. Bowling, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred, was purchased privately by Dr. Mark Dedomenico and Glen Todd (North American Thoroughbred Racing Co, Inc.), and ships to Emerald after a runner-up finish in the $101,000 Golden Bear at Indiana Downs. And, of course, Puhich and Todd teamed up to win the 2012 Mile with Taylor Said from an outside post-position.
“The Mile is the biggest race in the Pacific Northwest,” Todd said “It was the best and most gratifying day I’ve had in horse racing. “We’ve got two in (this year’s race). I don’t know if they’re as good as Taylor Said, but we can’t win if were not in the race.”
Hoist, owned by Todd and trained by Puhich, breaks from the No. 2 post with Mario Gutierrez-last year’s winner on Taylor Said-getting the mount.
Tres Borrachos, the field’s richest earner with $1,030,973, drew No. 8 and is ridden by David G. Lopez, at 10-to-1, and Jebrica, from the barn of five-time Longacres Mile-winning trainer Jim Penney, drew No. 6 and is ridden by Isaias Enriquez at 12-to-1.
Winning Machine, who missed by a head to Taylor Said in last year’s Mile, drew the No. 12 post-position and is ridden by Javier Matias at 15-to-1. A 7-year-old gelding, Winning Machine has won four stakes and three divisional honors at Emerald Downs, but only two horses-Coldwater in the inaugural running in 1935 and Assessment in 2009, have won The Mile for post-position 12.
Longacres Mile Notes:
- Russell Baze, jockey on morning line favorite Politicallycorrect, is riding in his record 20th Longacres Mile, including victories on Simply Majestic, 1989; Sky Jack, 2003, and Adreamisborn, 2004.
- Gerry Olguin, rider of Golden Itiz, makes his first Emerald Downs appearance since 2001 and is 0-for-13 lifetime at Emerald Downs. A 40-year-old native of Chula Vista, CA, Olguin has 1,851 career wins, riding mainly in Canada, and teamed with owner K.K. Sangara to win the 2007 B.C. Derby on Celtic Dreamin for trainer Rafael Beccera.
- Ken & Sarah Ramsey, owners/breeders of Politcallycorrect, lead the nation in 2013 earnings with $6,356,860, and they have earned three Eclipse Awards-2004 Turf Horse Kitten’s Joy (sire of Politcallycorrect), 2004 Owners, and 2010 Steeplechaser Slip Away.
- The remainder of Sunday’s card (excluding Longacres Mile & Emerald Distaff) will be drawn Thursday.
The Post Positions are Available!
$200,000 Longacres Mile-78th Running-Grade 3
Sunday, August 18, Race 8, 5:32 PM
PP Horse Jockey Trainer Weight Morning Line Odds
1 Until You Juan Gutierrez David Martinez 114 30
2 Hoist Mario Gutierrez Mike Puhich 117 20
3 Politicallycorrect Russell Baze Wesley Ward 121 7-2
4 Gladding Dennis Carr Vann Belvoir 116 10
5 Stryker Phd Debbie Hoonan Margo Lloyd 116 8
6 Jebrica Isaias Enriquez Jim Penney 118 12
7 Golden Itiz Gerry Olguin John Sadler 116 5
8 Tres Borrachos David G. Lopez Mike Puhich 118 10
9 Why Not Be Perfect A. Sanguinetti Jeff Metz 118 15
10 Herbie D Amadeo Perez Robert Gilker 121 4
11 Mr. Bowling Aaron Gryder Mike Puhich 117 6
12 Winning Machine Javier Matias Frank Lucarelli 117 15
To buy tickets online : The Mile Tickets
To buy tickets by phone: Call 253-288-7711
Liberty Cap
5-year-old dark bay or brown gelding Street Cry-Binavicar
Bred in: Kentucky
Record: 34-8-4-5
Earnings: $180,138
Owner: Dr. Mark Dedomenico & North American Thoroughbred Racing Co.
Trainer: Michael Puhich
Jockey: TBD
Street Cry gelding began his career in England with trainer John Gosden. Has raced in New York, Florida California and, most recently Canada. Has won two of three starts for owners Dr. Mark Dedomenico and Glen Todd, and comes to Emerald Downs off back to back 1 1/16-mile allowance wins at Hastings Racecourse. Has a fine 3-2-1 record in eights starts on dirt tracks.
Mr. Bowling
4-year-old dark bay or brown colt by Istan-Goldilock’s Bear
Bred in: Kentucky
Record: 12-4-2-2
Earnings: $270,328
Owner: Dr. Mark Dedomenico & North American Thoroughbred Racing Co.
Trainer: Michael Puhich
Jockey: TBD
Acquired in a private sale last month, Grade 3-winning colt could give trainer Mike Puhich and co-owner Glen Todd a second straight Longacres Mile victory, following the 2012 victory by Taylor Said. Co-owner Dr. Mark Dedomenico owns the Pegasus Training & Equine Rehabilitation Center in Redmond, and has owned many top Thoroughbreds including Blind Luck, the 2010 Eclipse Award 3-year-old filly.
The Mile 