For the Reporter

Stopshoppingdebbie, Goin to the Window and Blueberry Smoothie are retired, but the plot remains the same. Trainer Tom Wenzel continues to dominate the older filly and mare division at Emerald Downs.

Sunday, Kikisoblu and Lady Rosberg – both conditioned by Wenzel – figure to monopolize wagering in the $50,000 Boeing Handicap for older fillies and mares at one mile. The Boeing is the final steppingstone to next month’s $65,000 Emerald Distaff, the track’s championship event for distaffers at 1 1/8 miles.

George Todaro’s Kikisoblu has commandeered the division to date, rolling by 4¼ lengths in the Hastings Handicap at six furlongs and by 6¼ lengths in the Washington State Legislators Stakes at 6½ furlongs. Two explosive wins, ones that left jockey Rocco Bowen looking in vain for challengers through the lane.

The 4-year-old Kodiak Kowboy filly appears to face two obstacles Sunday – the one-mile distance and, perhaps even more formidable, her accomplished stable mate.

Lady Rosberg has proven plenty since last racing here two years ago. Karl Krieg’s 6-year-old mare comes off two straight stakes wins at Turf Paradise, scoring by a length in the one-mile Sun City Handicap on turf, and by 2¼ lengths in the 6 ½-furlong Mesa Handicap on dirt. Her overall mark is 6-2-2 in 13 starts with earnings of $106,722.

Kikisoblu earned Beyers of 82 and 70 in her wins, Lady Rosberg got an 80 and 78 in her Phoenix victories.

“With Jerre Paxton’s horses retiring last year, it was a wide open division to see who could jump up and do it and (Kikisoblu) was the one to do it,” Wenzel said.

“It’s definitely a question mark for her going two turns. We’ll find out this weekend. Just talent alone, I know she’s going to give me what she’s got. I’ve got confidence in her but it’s always guarded when you go two turns.

“This is the first time I’ve had (Lady Rosberg) to run in quite a few years,” Wenzel added. “Val Lund had her in Phoenix and it’s right there in The Form. She’s been able to route, sprint, dirt, turf, and do all of them reasonably well. She’s worked decent coming into this race. Gallyn Mitchell knows her very well. I’m expecting her to run decent off the bench.”

Sarahline or Finding More have the best chances to spring an upset. A $210,000 Northern Afleet filly, Sarahline has been stuck at the first allowance level in Northern California but she has respectable figures for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and tries dirt for the first time. Finding More has recaptured the form that made her state champion 2-year-old filly in 2012, reeling off two sharp sprint wins, but she steps up in class and tired in two previous route tries.

Lady of the Nile is honest if not brilliant, running third in the Hastings and second in the Washington State Legislators, and has routed well in the past. Our Little Hen has come a long ways since competing for a $2,500 tag here two years ago. She’s racked up nine wins and $114,040 in earnings, mostly via a series of gate-to-wire route victories on the synthetic Tapeta surface at Golden Gate.

• The Boeing Handicap is Race 9 at 6:09 p.m.

• Madame Pele and Among the Stars, both nominated to the Boeing, run in Sunday’s $24,000 sub-feature for older fillies and mares at six furlongs. Dawselina, winner of two stakes and third in last year’s BC Oaks, also runs in the allowance race.

• Ropersandwranglers, the only horse to win the Boeing Handicap twice (1997-98), is a 2015 Finalist for the Washington racing Hall of Fame.

• Average field size thru nine stakes is 9.0 horses. Average $2 win payoff is $20.20. ($2 win prices: $19, $81.40, $19, $8.20, $3.60, $3.40, $18.40, $8.40).

• The field for the 20th running of the Boeing Handicap: Alli Leigh, Joe Steiner, 114 pounds; Sarahline, Julien Couton, 115; Lady of the Nile, Leslie Mawing, 117; Kikisoblu, Rocco Bowen, 121; Our Little Hen, Leonel Camacho-Flores, 118; Lady Rosberg, Gallyn Mitchell, 120; English Lace, Jake Barton, 113; Finding More, Eliska Kubinova, 116.

Herbie D returns in loaded Saturday feature

Returning to the scene of his greatest triumph, Herbie D heads a field of seven older runners in Saturday’s $25,000 allowance race at six furlongs.

Gate-to-wire winner of the 2013 Longacres Mile, Herbie D was sidelined nearly two years before returning to action with two off-the-board finishes this spring at Hastings Racecourse.

A 7-year-old British Columbia-bred gelding by Orchid’s Devil, Herbie D is 10-1-1 in 15 career starts with earnings of $339,581. He’s 2-for-2 at Emerald Downs, recording Beyers of 101 and 100 while notching wins in the 2013 Mile and Mt. Rainier Handicap.

Trainer Robert Gilker said Herbie D was sidelined first by an ankle chip and later by a torn suspensory ligament.

“The plan is always the same; get back to The Mile,” Gilker said. “We’ll take one race at a time. He didn’t run very good races up here, but it wasn’t necessarily his fault. We got into some pretty crazy speed duels.

“It looks like this race is pretty good,” Gilker added. “I saw one other pretty fast horse in the race. We might stalk the pace, but I’m not sure yet what we’ll do.”

Regular rider Amadeo Perez will accompany Herbie D to Emerald Downs.

I Keep Saying also returns in Saturday’s feature. The 6-year-old gelding set the 6½-furlong world record of 1:12.94 last year, and is 7-for-22 with earnings of $110,318. His trainer, Jim Penney, is scheduled to be released Saturday from Canterbury House in Auburn, where he’s been recovering from shoulder and pelvis injuries sustained last month. A Yankee Doodle Dandy, Penney celebrates his 81st birthday Saturday.

Rounding out a very tough field are Until You, Del Rio Harbor, Disruption, Mebossman and Solemnly Swear.

Fireworks on Friday; free admission on Saturday

Emerald Downs will be draped in red, white and blue this Friday and Saturday for it’s annual July 3rd Fireworks Spectacular, presented by Carl’s Jr., followed by the track’s first-ever free admission on July 4.

The Fireworks Spectacular has historically been Emerald Downs’ most-attended event, which features a world class fireworks show, a KMPS concert with country singer Seth Alley and a 9-race card of live Thoroughbred racing. With a special first post-time at 4:30 p.m., fans are encouraged to come early as spots will be at a premium once racing begins.

On Saturday, Emerald Downs offers free admission to celebrate the nation’s birthday, and between races four and five a field of 11 jockeys will race one furlong in the 1st Annual Emerald Downs Jockey Dash. The purse is $500 plus an additional $500 donation to the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund.

Emerald Downs morning-line maker Rob Rao says he plans to make Diego Sanchez, reputed to be a speedster, the 2-1 choice followed by Leslie Mawing at 5/2. Other jockeys competing are Javier Matias, Gallyn Mitchell, Jose Zunino, Osvaldo Gonzalez, Jake Barton, Francisco Duran, Joe Steiner, Juan Gutierrez and Julien Couton.

Barbados native Rocco Bowen, originally in the lineup, scratched in favor of being the race’s official starter.

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 9: Wiener Dog Rally @ KOMO Plaza
July 9: Equine Art Show Preview Party
July 10: Equine Art Show & Brewer’s Night
July 12: STAR 101.5 Wiener Dog Races
July 19: Fiesta Premio Esmeralda

Finish lines

Weekly Honors #11-Jockey – Gallyn Mitchell ; Trainer – Howard Belvoir ; Owner – Aithon Stables ; Groom – Oscar Rodriguez (Joe Toye) ; WTBOA Washington-bred – Hugs and Kisses (Dean Essex DVM) ; Exercise Rider – Alfonso Velador (Tim McCanna). … Congratulations to El Dorado Farms of Enumclaw as freshman sire Coast Guard scored his first win and it literally was a lulu – 2-year-old filly Kiss My Lulu scored by six lengths in Saturday’s second race at Emerald Downs, running 4½ furlongs in :51.25 and earning a strong 64 Beyer. … Kiss My Lulu was the second straight maiden special weight win for Belvoir, who won June 20 with 2-year-old colt Barkley. … Another promising prodigy of Coast Guard debuts Sunday in the $50,000 Everett Nevin on closing day at Pleasanton. Marqula (Coast Guard- Marquet Formula ) will be ridden by Russell Baze for trainer Jeff Bonde in the 5½-furlong Nevin. … Based on his victory Wednesday at Hastings Racecourse, 6-year-old Mr. Bowling appears a contender for the 2015 Longacres Mile. With Mario Gutierrez up, Mr. Bowling defeated Modern by 1¼ lengths in 1:42.74 for 1 1/16 miles, just one tick off the 40-year-old track record at the Vancouver bullring.