For the Reporter

Invested Prospect carries superb credentials into Sunday’s $50,000 Irish Day Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at one mile. Unbeaten in three starts, she came off the bench for a gate-to-wire victory in the 6½-furlong Seattle Stakes on May 8.

The Irish Day, however, marks new territory for Invested Prospect. It’s the first route assignment for the Blaine Wright trainee.

It’s a formidable assignment, perhaps made even more daunting by drawing the outside post in the eight-horse field, meaning jockey Juan Gutierrez will have to gun Invested Prospect to the lead or risk getting hung wide around the first turn. And with several horses in the same boat—Lady Diva, Princess Katie and B C Z Middleton also are routing for the first time — it’s reasonable to assume the early pace will be hot and heavy.

Also, Invested Prospect’s 123-pound impost would be the most weight ever carried by a winner of the Irish Day.

On the other hand, Invested Prospect (3-3-0-0-$63,775) is super talented and most likely the fastest of the speed horses. Her connections are practically peerless: Wright tops the trainer standings with a 12-for-30 mark at the meet while Gutierrez is one of the track’s all-time big-money riders, ranking No. 3 with 59 career stakes wins. So it’s also reasonable to assume Invested Prospect is ready to run a big race, and that she’ll get a fine ride.

But can she do it? In 20 previous runnings, six horses led gate-to-wire to win the Irish Day—Stopshoppingdebbie (2013), Elusive Noise (2011), Ladyledue (2009), Enumclaw Girl (2008), Mishill (1998) and Spite and Malice (1997). Last year, the Wright-trained Seeking the Light – also ridden by Gutierrez – finished second at 10-1 odds, and the winner Belle Hill was the real deal, reeling off subsequent victories in the Kent Stakes and Washington Oaks.

Invested Prospect’s breeding – By Kaabraaj-No Constraints – could pose a problem. Although crowned state champion 2-year-old filly of 2007, No Constraints finished last in her only two routes including, coincidentally, the 2008 Irish Day.

California shipper Brookys Star and Canadian shipper Princess Katie are the only new faces in the race. The former, trained by Tim McCanna, is winless in four starts this year at Golden Gate including an eighth in the California Oaks. The latter, trained by Robert Gilker, finished runner-up to Snuggles in the May 8 Ross McLeod at 6½ furlongs at Hastings Racecourse.

Sophie’s Trophy in 2006 is the last shipper to win the Irish Day at Emerald Downs. In fact, Sophie’s Trophy and Langara Lass came down from Canada to finish first and third in the 2006 Irish Day.

Betting favorites are 0-for-4 in stakes this season: Princess Kennedy, 5th at 3-1, Seattle Stakes; Mach One Rules, 2nd at 6-5, Auburn Stakes; Kikisoblu, 6th at 1-1, Hastings Stakes; Kaabraaj, 3rd at 9-5, Governor’s Stakes.

The Irish Day Stakes goes as Race 8 on a nine-race card. Post time is 5:39 p.m.

The field for the 21st running of the Irish Day Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at one mile: My Heart Goes On, Francisco Duran, 119 pounds; Lady Diva, Javier Matias, 117; Brookys Star, Eswan Flores, 117; Find Joy, Isaias Enriquez, 117; Princess Katie, Leslie Mawing, 119; Princess Kennedy, Rocco Bowen, 119; B C Z Middleton, Jose Zunino, 117; Invested Prospect, Juan Gutierrez, 123.

Carryovers galore

The $0.20 Pick 7 and the $0.50 Pick 5 will have the attention of handicappers Friday as both exotic wagers have sizable carryovers heading into the day’s seven-race card.

The Pick 7, introduced this season at Emerald Downs, takes a five-day carryover of $15,156 into Friday and covers every race on the card. Meanwhile, the Pick 5, which starts in race three, will tempt handicappers with its $9,307 carryover.

The average field size for Friday’s card is nearly 8.5 horses per race and concludes both the Pick 7 and Pick 5 with an 11-horse field. First post is at approx. 6:35 p.m.

Four-race-day weekend

For the first time this season, Emerald Downs will host four straight days of live Thoroughbred racing this holiday weekend.

Memorial Day racing returns Monday with several activities on tap for friends and family. In the north park, kids can enjoy pony rides, face painting, a bounce house and more.

For handicappers, the track expects a nine-race card on Memorial Day with post time at approximately 2 p.m.

Finish lines

As of Thursday, stable superintendent Vern Baze reports there are 1,071 horses stabled at Emerald Downs. … Friday’s feature race is a $16,600 purse for $25,000 claiming 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs: Pebble Beach, Cat Camille, Kiss My Lulu, Aunt Maryann, Copy Begone,Croix Du Soleil, Allaboutthatbass, Our Clementine and Freaky Kiki. … Saturday’s feature is a $16,600 purse for $25,000 claiming fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up at one mile: Guinevere’s Finale, Perhaps a Pie, If You Like It, Cup of Soup, Bella Colomba, Love Cautiously, Alli Leighand S U M Racer. … Bh Lisas Boy, undefeated in four starts at Emerald Downs, makes his second appearance of the meet in Saturday’s opener for owner/trainer Bill Hoburg. A $5,000 allowance at 350 yards, the nine-horse field also features Flyin Lion, third to Bh Lisas Boy in last year’s Bank of America Emerald Downs Championship Challenge, and Snowbound Superchick, third in the 2013 Bank of America EmD Championship Challenge. … With Polish Dollar officially retired, Chaching Pete is all alone for most wins by an active Emerald Downs horse with 15. The 9-year-old gelding, already 2-for-2 at the meet, could make it 16 with a victory Saturday in race seven for older $5,000 claimers at six furlongs. … Robbie Baze, tied for fifth with eight wins, leads all trainers in the top 20 with an average $2 win payoff of $18.40. … 17 horses are tied for most wins at the meet with two apiece, including stakes winners Barkley, Estellara and O B Harbor. … Roz Barclay leads the owners’ standings with a 7-0-3 record in 16 starts with earnings of $76,845, including a $27,500 check for Estellara’s head win over Ethan’s Baby in the Hastings Stakes. … Trainer of the Week Chris Stenslie, is still wearing a sling from a broken collarbone and rib sustained in a training mishap last month. Stenslie said the sling comes off June 6. … O B Harbor’s 98 Beyer is largest of the meet at Emerald Downs, and the 4-year-old has meet-fast times at 5½ furlongs (1:00.87) and 6½ furlongs (1:13.59). … John Parker’s Gold Rush Dancer aims for another stakes win Saturday in the $200,000 Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-old California-breds at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita. … Rocco Bowen, atop the jockeys’ standings with 26 wins, celebrated his 27th birthday Monday. Congratulations, Rocco. … For the second straight year, Emerald Downs has been selected for TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence. The reward reflects consistently great reviews earned on TripAdvisor.