Director of Racing Bret Anderson has released a star-studded list of 26 nominations for the 77th running of the $200,000 Longacres Mile (Grade III) on Sunday, Aug. 19.

Eight graded winners are nominated to the Northwest’s premier event topped by West Point Thoroughbreds’ Awesome Gem, the hard-hitting veteran who defeated Noosa Beach in the 2011 Longacres Mile, and at age 9 attempts to become the oldest horse to win the race. Awesome Gem, with over $2.8 million in earnings, is the richest horse in training in North America and would be the richest horse ever to run in the state.

As usual, many of the West Coast’s sharpest middle-distance runners are nominated including this year’s best handicap horses in Western Canada, Northern California and Emerald Downs.

Southern California also is well represented as Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert nominated Hoorayforhollywood, John W. Sadler nominated the speedy Gladding and Carla Gaines nominated both John Scott and Shrug.

Eldaafer, 2010 Breeders’ Cup Marathon winner, was nominated along with a slew of runners from Emerald Downs and Hastings Racecourse including multiple 2012 stakes winners Winning Machine and Taylor Said.

Hudson Landing, a Grade 3 winner on turf at Golden Gate Fields, and Bailouttheminister, a stakes-winning sprinter at Pleasanton, compose a strong one-two punch from Northern California. Hudson Landing already has proven his mettle locally, defeating St Liams Halo and Winning Machine in a hotly contested Mt. Rainier Handicap on July 22.

Jim Penney, trainer of a record five Mile winners, nominated 2011 Emerald Downs’ Top 3-Year-Old Jebrica and trainer Chris Stenslie nominated the exceptionally fast Hollywood Harbor, owner of fastest times this season at 5½ and six furlongs, including a world-record 1:00.87 at the former distance.

Awesome Gem owns the best record at one-mile on dirt – 3-1-0 in four starts – including a 1:34.80 clocking in his victory over Noosa Beach last year. According to trainer Craig Dollase, the defending champion is scheduled to ship from Del Mar five days before The Mile.

If more than 12 horses are entered, the 12 highest weighted horses will be preferred. Weights are announced Aug. 11.

NOMINATIONS

Longacres Mile, Aug. 19

Horse, owner, trainer

Assessment (8-year-old gelding, Ky.), Tice Ranch Stables LLC, Howard Belvoir

Awesome Gem (9g-KY), West Point Thoroughbreds, Craig Dollase

Bailouttheminister (4g-CA), Theresa & Edward DeNike, Keith Nations

Commander (4g-KY), North American Tbred Racing Co., Michael Puhich

Eldaafer (7g, KY), Jim Atwell & Kevin Jacobsen, Diane Alvarado

First Strike (4g-KY), Charles Garvey & TG Racing LLC Robertino Diodoro

Gallant Son (6h-KY), Randall & Rossi LLC, Frank Lucarelli

Gladding (5g-FLA) CRK Stable, John W. Sadler

Hayjax (4g-CA), Luigi DiPietro & Diana DiPietro, Tim McCanna

Herbie D (4g-BC), George Robbins, Robert Gilker

Hollywood Harbor (5g-WA), One Horse Will Do & Chris Stenslie, Chris Stenslie

Hoorayforhollywood (4c-KY), George Krikorian, Bob Baffert

Hudson Landing (5g-KY), Chappell Alpine Farms LLC, Blaine Wright

Jebrica (4g-WA), R & R Warren LLC, Jim Penney

Jersey Town (6h-KY), Charles E. Fipke, Tim McCanna

John Scott (5g-CA), Harris Farms Inc., Carla Gaines

Jump Up and Kissme (4g-BC), Buzzell, Ravenswood, Cowboys & Ind, Kerri Raven

Posse Power (5g-KY), William Boone & David P. Taylor Jr., Frank Lucarelli

Rocky’s Quest (4g-KY), John & Janene Maryanski, Blaine Wright

Saratoga Boot (5g-ARK), Gary Hughes, Tim McCanna

Shrug (4c-KY), Swift Thoroughbreds Inc., Carla Gaines

Slim Pickins (4c-KY), Ken Miles, Chris Stenslie

St Liams Halo (5g-FLA), North American Tbred Racing Co., Michael Puhich

Taylor Said (4g-BC), North American Tbred Racing Co., Michael Puhich

Tribaltique (4g-CA), R.E.V. Racing LLC, Frank Lucarelli

Winning Machine (6g-KY), Fleur De Lis Stables, Frank Lucarelli