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Anothertwistafate Returns From Layoff In Thursday’s Longacres Mile

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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Washington: Revenue Decreased By COVID-19, Commission Seeking Increase In ADW Percentage

In the state of Washington, racing is hanging on.

A rule change notice, posted by the Washington Horse Racing Commission (WHRC) at the end of July, cites the negative impact of the pandemic on their ability to continue regulating the sport due to diminished funding sources:

“With the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of OTB's and Emerald Downs for live in-State wagering from March to June, WHRC revenue has decreased substantially, while expenses remain consistent. On-line wagering thorough the Advance Deposit Wagering firms has increased greatly but the WHRC does not receive any revenue from out of State residents who wager on Emerald Downs. In order to maintain a fund balance required by [the state], the WHRC must increase in revenue to protect its ability to remain in operation therefore allowing live racing and simulcasting to continue.”

The WHRC is seeking to adjust the source market fee it receives on Washington residents' ADW bets. Previously, it received a net 7.5 percent of the total source market fees withheld but if the new regulation is adopted in September, it will increase to a total of 10 percent, what equates to an overall increase of one-third.

In its previous fiscal year, more than 60 percent of WHRC revenues came from taxes assessed on betting at racetracks and OTBs, while just roughly 25 percent came from its share of the fee on ADW betting. With the on-track business unlikely to return any time soon, the WHRC settled on this plan.

Much to their credit, and through negotiations with both Emerald Downs and the Washington Horse Owners and Breeders' Association, the actual fees are not increasing, just being shifted to the WHRC to keep racing going.

In reality, the WHRC receives 10 percent normally, and deposits 25 percent of that, 2.5 percent overall, to a bonus fund and breeders' award account. Under the proposed rule, Emerald Downs will do that, giving up 2.5 percent to fund the owners' and breeders' awards while enabling the full 10 percent to remain with the WHRC. A vote to adopt the change is expected in September.

Working together, making adjustments, Washington racing will carry on.

Most ADW outlets do not have streams of online wagering other than horse racing.

While ADW operators are likely happy to rake in profits as handle is directed mostly through their channels, the reality of what “racing” needs to continue operating is different. As the impact of the pandemic evolves, more remedies are likely needed to situations like that which emerged from this unusual situation in Washington.

The Washington shortfall also helps exhibit that, to some degree, a renegotiation is possible to keep racing and wagering active.

Racing may have been the only sport still going strong during the pandemic, but it did not translate into a boon for all.

While handle declines for the year are just shy of seven percent, purses distributed nationwide are down 36 percent through July in figures reported by Equibase this week. Yes, race days and total races are down similarly as purses. Profits from online wagering at Churchill Downs Incorporated, operator of TwinSpires, were reported up 39 percent in the second quarter of 2020 over the same period a year ago which included the 2019 Kentucky Derby.

Without question, shifting variables across racing make “like-for-like” financial comparisons endlessly tricky, the pandemic-imposed shift to nearly all handle coming via ADWs makes this particularly difficult. But the difficulty that comes with interpreting the data does not suggest there is value in just ignoring the financial realities facing the present, and seeking an improved future.

Survival is key.

North of Washington, in Vancouver, British Columbia, the measures taken by dedicated horsemen are particularly extreme. Stakes purses at Hastings Racecourse are being funded “nearly 100%” by contributions from incredibly generous owners according to Glen Todd, a perennial leading owner at Hastings. Workouts are being clocked just four times weekly, instead of the standard of six days. While this presents some integrity challenges, it is a symptom of the current state of affairs.

Todd reports that income from sources which feed purses is down substantially. C$7.87 million was paid over 51 live days in 2019 (C$154,313 per day), with just C$2.78 million available in 2020 across 25 days (C$111,200 per day). While it is a per-day decline of 28 percent, the total available to be distributed to horsemen is down 65 percent.

Horsemen have responded at the entry box, with field sizes “the highest in years.”

Hastings recently shifted its race dates to Thursday and Sunday mid-afternoons, beginning August 2, away from jammed schedules on Mondays and Tuesdays while seeking greater televised coverage.

Horsemen finding a way to “make due” is understandable in the present. Fixing the broken business model of racing is a necessity for the future.

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‘Emotional Moment’: Washington Hall Of Fame Jockey Gutierrez Records 2,000th Victory

Washington Hall of Fame Jockey Juan Gutierrez recorded the 2000th win of his riding career Thursday at Emerald Downs, rallying Semi Sweet from last for a $15.60 upset in the opener.

In fact, Gutierrez swept the first three races on the 11-race card and was choked up in a post-race interview with Joe Withee.

“I feel really good, and it's an emotional moment for me,” he said. “Getting 2,000 wins is great, I always try to be consistent. You can't do something like this without the help of the owners, trainers, grooms and everybody else on the backstretch.”

A 50-year-old native of Jalisco, Mexico, Gutierrez has 1,388 wins at Emerald Downs and is only 31 wins away from equaling Gallyn Mitchell's all-time track record 1,419 wins.

A study in consistency, Gutierrez notched his first Emerald Downs' win April 28, 2000, and during one stretch recorded 13 straight top five finishes in the standings. He captured the 2012 riding title with 117 wins and twice won the Grade 3 Longacres Mile, including a record $122 upset on No Giveaway in 2005.

The 2,000th victory came via a picture-perfect rail-skimming ride, as Semi Sweet overhauled 7 to 5 favorite Gazing past midstretch and drew off by 3 ½ lengths. Gutierrez followed up with victories on Mr. Takahashi ($6.20) and Daffodil Sweet ($3.20) in races two and three, piloting the latter to an easy triumph in the $18,500 allowance feature for fillies and mares.

A 3-year-old Ministers Wild Cat filly, Daffodil Sweet has been awesome in her two starts, scoring by 8 ¾ and 7 ¾ lengths for trainer Chris Stenslie and owners One Horse Will Do Corporation and Steve Shimizu. Thursday, she covered six furlongs in 1:10.62 and powered through the stretch for the victory.

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Emerald Downs: Wednesday Card Features $31,361 Carryover In $0.50 Pick 5

Week two of the 2020 season at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Wash. begins Wednesday with a 10-race program at 2:15 p.m., and continues Thursday with a nine-race card at 5 p.m. Wednesday has added intrigue with a $31,361 carryover in the $0.50 Pick 5 on races 6 through 10.

For handicappers, opening week proved challenging with favorites clicking in just four of 20 races for a lowly 20 percent strike rate. Eleven winners reached double digits including bombers Constant Craving ($49.40), Benny the Jet ($45), Cate's Gold ($40) and Ri' Pin Snap ($35.40).

A certain amount of wackiness is to be expected. Most of the horses that ran last week had not seen racing action since 2019, and the ones that had raced had been off for several weeks. Handicapping is tricky without current form to evaluate, but also lucrative!

$0.50 Pick 5 Synopsis:

Race 6 (4:55 PDT), $8,000 claiming, F&M NW3L, 5 ½ furlongs: Trainer Jorge Rosales won at a 27 percent clip here in 2019 (28 for 105) including a 10 for 35 mark with owner Marjorie Avery. Here they team with Coilette, a fast California-bred who beat older fillies and mares last fall in a $16,000 NW2L at Del Mar. Anything close gets the job done here. Emma's a Beast had a productive spring on the Tapeta at Golden Gate but this is her debut vs. older horses, while Sadie Sue returns to dirt for top trainer Blaine Wright.

Race 7, $18,000 MSW, 3-year-olds and up, 5 ½ furlongs: The three Chris Stenslie/Jody Peetz runners are all full brothers to Emerald Downs Horse of the Meetings! Spittin Image (Harbor the Gold-Flying Memo) is the younger brother of O B Harbor, Harbors Rule (Harbor the Gold-Felice the Cat) is younger brother of Mach One Rules and Brothers (Harbor the Gold-Bahati) is kin to Sippin Fire. The Stenslie trainees are 6-1, 6-1 and 7-2 on the morning line. This race is difficult. Morning line favorite Time 'n Time Again has lost 13 times but has earned over $43,000 and came within a head of crossing the wire first in the 2018 Gottstein Futurity.

Race 8, $15,000 claiming, 3-year-olds and up NW3L, 5 ½ furlongs: After smashing the single season record last year with 81 wins, trainer Frank Lucarelli is off and running again in 2020, bagging three wins, three seconds and two thirds from 11 starts last week. Luke has 'em surrounded in this one with morning line favorites Golden Cowboy (6-5) and Irish Terrier (7-2). Although winless in 11 tries last year, Cowboy earned decent figures while banging heads with sharp older sprinters such as Cross Creek, So Lucky and Freiburg, and his tactical speed is an asset in a field without a confirmed front runner. Incidentally, there were 12 races last week at 5 ½ furlongs, and six were won gate to wire, one was taken by a stalker, and five were won by come from behinders.

Race 9, $18,500 ALW, F&M NW2L or WA-BRED NW3L, 5 ½ furlongs: Last year's state and track champion juvenile filly Windy Point makes her 2020 debut in this evenly matched sprint. Windy was 2-2-0 in five starts as a juvenile including a dominant victory in the Washington Cup; the lone misfire was against males from the 12-post in the two-turn Gottstein Futurity. She looks ready to fire after a steady stream of works for underrated trainer Jose Navarro, and her versatile style is helped by an outside post. There are four 4-year-olds in the race including a pair from the Kay Cooper barn. Magical Spell finished a great second to state champion sophomore filly Alittlelesstalk in the Washington Cup at a mile while Suddenly Awesome banged heads with the likes of Killarney Lass, Alittlelesstalk and No Talking Back.

Race 10, $8,000 maiden claiming, F&M, 6 furlongs: A combination of a decent recent race at Golden Gate and jockey Gary Wales makes Stand in Your Love formidable in the nightcap. Whata Flirt makes her Emerald Downs debut for trainer Sharon Ross and the Emerald Racing Club, but the 5-year-old mare has 12 runner-up finishes without a victory on her resume. Perhaps a return to dirt does the trick? I C Fire is another with a fair recent race in the Bay Area, and the barn clicked at a big price with its lone starter last week.

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