2009 Washington Oaks winner No Flies On Doodle returns to action Friday in a $20,000 allowance race for fillies and mares at 5 ½ furlongs. The abbreviated dash is the sixth of eight live races on Day 1 of the 89-day meeting.

Bred and co-owned by Keith Swagerty’s Swag Stables, No Flies On Doodle posted a 4-2-0 mark from seven starts last season and finished fifth in earnings with $95,052. After beginning the season in the maiden $12,500 claiming ranks, the Washington-bred by Storm Blast reeled off back-to-back wins in the Washington’s Lottery Handicap and Washington Oaks, and also wound up second to Ladyledue in the year-end voting for Top 3-Year-old Filly.

Trained by Vann Belvoir and ridden by Gallyn Mitchell, No Flies On Doodle drew the rail in the five-horse field. Incidentally, Belvoir and Mitchell enjoyed spectacular success in 2009 as they combined to win with 44-of-150 starters (29. 3 percent).

Perfect Finish was on a roll herself last year and enters the contest with a three-race win streak of her own. The 4-year-old filly by Katowice-Share the Knight, finished last year with victories in the Mt. Hood and Diane Kem Stakes six days apart at Portland Meadows, and she is 5-for-10 overall for owner-trainer Howard Belvoir.

Perfect Finish versus No Flies On Doodle also renews the friendly but highly competitive father-son rivalry that developed last year when Vann and Howard Belvoir finished third and fourth, respectively, with 54 and 50 wins. Both are expected to compete for the title again in 2010. In fact, between them the Belvoirs have 14 horses entered on opening night.

Every horse in the race has won a stakes including Kaweah Princess, a Northwest newcomer and winner of the $59,000 Sweepedia last summer at Stockton.

Proud Mama! and Share the Knight have six offspring at Emerald Downs this season

Share the Knight, dam of 2008 Longacres Mile winner Wasserman, amazingly has six of her offspring with trainer Howard Belvoir this season at Emerald Downs.

The latest one to arrive was Wazzy, a 2-year-old by Cahill Road-Share the Knight, which makes the bay colt a full brother to Wasserman.

Belvoir owns and bred all six runners, except Fairly Honest, owned by partner Vicki Potter. Jennifer Whitaker is the regular rider on the Share the Knight progeny.

Share the Knight roster: Wasserman, 8YO gelding, by Cahill Road-Share the Knight: 47-10-10-7-$518,549; Nature Trail, 6YO mare, by He’s Tops-Share the Knight: 24-4-4-2-$23,117; Fairly Honest, 9YO gelding, by Basket Weave-Share the Knight: 56-9-10-7-$82,196; Move On Over, 3YO colt, by You and I-Share the Knight: unraced; Perfect Finish, 4YO filly, by Katowice-Share the Knight: 10-5-2-1-$49,599; and Wazzy, 2YO colt, by Cahill Road-Share the Knight: unraced.

Track will give away 40 flat-screen TVs tonight at opener

Fans attending Friday night’s season opener—post time 6 p.m.—will have an excellent chance to drive home with a beautiful brand new 32-inch TV.

For the second straight year Emerald Downs will give away 40 flat-screen TV sets—five after each race—as the track celebrates the opening of its 15th season. The only catch is you must be 18-or-older and present to win.

Trainer Larry Ross and former Seattle Post-Intelligencer turf writer Dick Rockne were among last year’s winners. Entry blanks will be distributed at all admission gates.

NOTES: Among new jockeys, Inoel Beato figures to make a strong impression. The 23-year-old Dominican Republic native finished eighth at the 2008 Bay Meadows winter/spring meet and most recently was riding in Southern California. His agent is Boone McCanna, who also books mounts for Seth Martinez and defending Emerald Downs champion Ricky Frazier… Tim McCanna will attempt to win his 10th training title in 15 years and said he has about 80 horses currently in his care. “We’ve had all winter (in Yakima). We’re hungry and we’re ready,” McCanna Said. “Plus I’ve got one kind in college and one headed that way.”… Recent John & Janene Maryanski acquisition Hallelujah Trail, a close fourth in Sunday’s Grade 3 Las Flores Handicap at Santa Anita, could be headed to Emerald Downs for upcoming stakes events, according to trainer Blaine Wright. The Maryanskis could be loaded in the older filly and mare division with Gadget Queen and Hallelujah Trail. Gadget Queen had her first 2010 workout Monday and could be ready for the $50,000 Hastings Handicap on May 2… Wasserman worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:12 Monday. The 8-year-old gelding begins the meet $4,473 shy of Captain Condo’s record of $503,285 earned at Washington racetracks… 2009 Longacres Mile winner Assessment, recovering nicely from ankle surgery, breezed three furlongs in 35 2/5 Sunday… Belvoir said Wasserman could run in the $18,000 allowance feature Saturday, April 17; Assessment has worked twice and might be ready by the $50,000 Seattle Handicap on Sunday, May 16… 2009 stakes winners Have’n a Wild Time, Peaceful Reign and Hollywood Harbor also had workouts over the weekend. Hollywood Harbor, voted Top Juevnile after winning three stakes, breezed five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 for trainer Chris Stenslie…Koala Beach, Noosa Beach, Winning Machine and Knight Raider all worked five furlongs on a wet/fast track Wednesday for Trainer Doris Harwood. The four runners combined to win nine stakes at EmD last year, and Knight Raider (2-year-old filly) and Winning Machine (3-year-old) both earned division honors… 9-year-old geldings Starbird Road and Skyrider are both gearing up for seasons at Emerald Downs. Starbird Road is a two-time Seattle Handicap winner (2006-07) while Skyrider is tied for 11th place with 12 wins all-time @ EmD… Another 9-year-old—Polo Bender—drilled a bullet half-mile in 46 1/5 Wednesday. The Cahill Road gelding has 17 career wins…3-year-old Denny’s Hoofprints, the gelding named in honor of the late Daily Racing Form writer Dennis Dodge, worked four furlongs from the starting gate in 51 1/5 Saturday… Jockey Nikeela Black rode seven winners as Sun Downs opened its 2010 meeting last weekend in Kennewick. Trainer Jim Penney took a busman’s holiday to attend the races at Sun Downs… Unlike recent seasons, Portland Meadows will continue running after Emerald Downs opens. The Rose City oval maintains a twice-weekly schedule—Mondays & Wednesdays—through April. The $50,000 Portland Mile for older horses is Wednesday, April 28.