Emerald Downs finished its 82-day season last week, but several of the track’s top horses will be at Hastings Racecourse on Sunday as the Vancouver track caps its 2011 meet with a pair of $100,000 races.
Assessment, Winning Machine and Jebrica are all entered in the $100,000 B.C. Premier’s Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at 1-3/8 miles on the five-furlong bullring.
And Hard Way Ten and Class Included are entered in the $100,000 Ballerina Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1-1/8 miles.
Both races drew full fields of 12 runners and will be simulcast at Emerald Downs.
Jebrica and Class Included*voted Top 3-Year-Old Male and Top 3-Year-Old Filly at Emerald Downs*will be facing older horses Sunday. Jim Penney trains both, and Russell Baze will fly in from California for the mounts.
Both Penney runners have the advantage of recent races at Hastings*Class Included romped by four lengths in the $100,000 B.C. Oaks and Jebrica missed by a neck in the $200,000 B.C. Derby.
“I think our filly will run pretty well,” Penney said. “She has an advantage with her (stalking) style of running. Jebrica is still improving, and I don’t think the 1-3/8 miles distance will bother him one bit.”
Crew Leader, fourth in the Longacres Mile, is the 3-to-1 morning-line favorite in the Premiers, followed by Jebrica at 4-to-1, Commander at 9-to-2 and Winning Machine at 6-to-1.
Winning Machine enjoyed a fine 2011 campaign at Emerald Downs and might have been the second best handicap runner behind Noosa Beach. The 5-year-old Toccet gelding is proven on the bullring, too, having beaten both Noosa Beach and Jersey Town in the 2009 B.C. Derby. Trainer Frank Lucarelli and jockey Leslie Mawing, meanwhile, just wrapped up the 2011 training and riding titles, respectively, at Emerald Downs.
“It’s kind of an experiment because he’s never run a mile and three-eighths,” Lucarelli said of Winning Machine. “It takes a special horse to run that far, we’re just hoping he’s one of them.”
The Howard Belvoir-trained Assessment takes his second crack at the Premiers; the 7-year-old gelding finished fifth as the 2-to-1 betting favorite last year. He’s reunited with Gallyn Mitchell, who rode Assessment to a memorable victory in the 2009 Longacres Mile.
Mitchell also rides Emerald Distaff winner Hard Way Ten for trainer Doris Harwood in the Ballerina Stakes. A four-horse entry of Castinette Dancer, Summer Song, Classic Alley Kat and Dashing Daisy is favored at 8-to-5 in the Ballerina. The Michael and Amy Feuerborn-owned Class Included is second choice at 5-to-2, followed by the Herman Sarkowsky-owned Hard Way Ten at 9-to-2.
The field for the B.C. Premiers Handicap (G3-C), race nine at 5:56 p.m.: Commander, Mario Gutierrez, 113 lbs, 9-2; Three Wood, Amadeo Perez, 111, 20-1; Crew Leader, Chad Hoverson, 3-1; Silly Fella, Isaias Cardenas, 114, 12-1; Winning Machine, Leslie Mawing, 6-1; Senor Rojo, Richard Hamel, 117, 8-1; Trick of the North, David Wilson, 112, 20-1; Almost Time, Frank Fuentes, 118, 6-1; Ganbei, J. Espita, 110, 20-1; Jebrica, Russell Baze, 115, 4-1; Assessment, Gallyn Mitchell, 117, 12-1; Finally Kruisin, Marlo Dunn, 110, 30-1.
The field for the Ballerina Stakes, race eight at 5:25 p.m.: (a) Castinette Dancer, Fernando Perez, 120 lbs, 8-5; Jezebelle, Ismael Mosqueira, 123, 20-1; Dearest Princess, Marlo Dunn, 123, 20-1; (a) Summer Song, Richard Hamel, 123, 8-5; Hard Way Ten, Gallyn Mitchell, 123, 9-2; (a) Classic Alley Kat, Leslie Mawing, 123, 8-5; Orchid’s Silver, Isaias Cardenas, 123, 10-1; Daymaker, Chad Hoverson, 123, 12-1; Class Included, Russell Baze, 120, 5-2; Wando Woman, Frank Fuentes, 123, 6-1; (a) Dashing Daisy, Mario Gutierrez, 123, 8-5; Overvalued, Dave Wilson, 120, 12-1. (a) Glen Todd-owned entry
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