Ten older horses led by Peter Redekop's Anothertwistafate have been entered in the $100,000 Longacres Mile (G3), to be run Thursday, Sept. 10, at Emerald Downs.
The 85th renewal of the Northwest's premier event goes as Race 8 at 8:30 p.m.
Unraced since a 10th in the 2019 Preakness, Anothertwistafate is the 8 to 5 morning line favorite in the Longacres Mile. A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred by Scat Daddy, Anothertwistafate was among the nation's top 3-year-olds last year, finishing second in both the Sunland Derby (G3) and Lexington Stakes (G3) and winning the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby by seven lengths. Trained by Blaine Wright, Anothertwistafate is 3-2-0 in seven lifetime starts with $303,505 in earnings. The dark bay colt capped a strong series of works with a bullet six furlongs in 1:12 2/5 last Sunday at Golden Gate.
“Everything has gone well, our horse has worked lights out,” Wright said via phone from California. “His six furlong works are like a mile, he gallops out strongly.”
Wright has been the leading stakes trainer the last three seasons at Emerald Downs, amassing 30 stakes wins here since 2017. The Mile, however, has eluded his grasp. There have been some close calls, including runner-up finishes by Alert Bay in 2018 and Anyportinastorm, who missed by a head to Law Abidin Citizen in 2019.
Wright says winning the Longacres Mile is a big deal for anyone in Northwest racing.
“I think everyone involved in this race would say the same thing, that winning the Mile means a lot,” Wright said. “It means a lot to me, Mr. Redekop, and everyone in the race.”
Wright is adept at returning horses from layoffs, winning with 19 of 69 horses that have been sidelined 180 days or more. In 2018, Wright brought millionaire Alert Bay back from a 13-month break to finish second in the Longacres Mile.
Anothertwistafate drew the No. 4 post-position and will be ridden by two-time Longacres Mile-winning jockey Juan Gutierrez.
Five Star General and He's the Reason, both from Canada, are 9 to 2 and 5 to 1 on the morning line. Five Star General captured the 2019 British Columbia Derby and is two for two at a mile, while He's the Reason is a multiple stakes winner in Vancouver. Both are owned and trained by Glen Todd, whose Princess of Cairo stunned previously unbeaten Daffodil Sweet in the Washington Oaks earlier this week.
Five Star General, co starting high-weight with He's the Reason at 122 lbs., is ridden by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Mario Gutierrez, two for two in the Mile with wins on Taylor Said in 2012 and Point Piper in 2016.
Elliott Bay at 8 to 1 appears the top local threat. The lone returnee from the 2019 Longacres Mile, the 5-year-old Harbor the Gold gelding is unbeaten in two starts at the meet and also boasts the track's hottest connections. Eddie Martinez leads all jockeys with four stakes wins in 2020 while trainer Frank Lucarelli and owners Chad Christensen and Josh McKee have combined for four stakes wins at the meet: two by 2-year-old filly sensation Time for Gold and one each by Elliott Bay and Gold Crusher, the latter taking the $40,000 Muckleshoot Derby earlier this week.
Papa's Golden Boy and Take Charge Deputy, second and third to Elliott Bay in the Mt. Rainier, are 10 to 1 and 12 to 1. For sheer speed, Papa's Golden Boy is the fastest horse at Emerald Downs. His quarter and half-mile fractions in three races this year are otherworldly: :21 1/5 & 44 1/5 , :21 1/5 & :43 1/5, :21 3/5 & :43. The question, of course, is distance. Thursday will be his first try around two turns, but it was encouraging that younger brother Gold Crusher easily won the Muckleshoot Derby at a mile and sixteenth. In two starts this year, Take Charge Deputy defeated Barkley in an allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs and finished third in the Mt. Rainier at 6 1/2 furlongs. A 5-year-old gelding, Take Charge Deputy is three for six at the distance including a victory in the final edition of the Portland Meadows Mile.
Makah Lane, La Waun, The Press and Hollywood Heat all figure to go off at big odds.
Makah Lane won the one-mile Washington Cup Sophomore as a 3-year-old and began this year with a sharp allowance win opening day, but failed to fire while finishing fifth in the Mt. Rainier. La Waun is a a hard-hitting 5-year-old with 10 wins from 36 starts, but The Mile represents a big step up in class and his lone route win was vs. $12,500 claimers on a synthetic surface.
The Press is sharp and can get the distance; he beat Mach One Rules at a mile in the 2016 Washington Cup. He also is stepping up in class, but trainer Howard Belvoir has won the Longacres Mile three times at Emerald Downs. Hollywood Heat produced a $105.60 upset in allowance company last month, but was drilled by Elliott Bay on July 2 and has never raced farther than six furlongs.
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