Jeff Metz may be a new face at Emerald Downs, but the 46-year-old Thoroughbred trainer is no stranger to horse racing.

This season, after more than 20 years plying the Southern California and Phoenix horse racing circuit, the California native made the move north, bringing his string to Emerald Downs for his first season at the Auburn track.

“The last three or four years I’ve been going to (Turf Paradise in) Phoenix. I had a second string there, and every year has gotten better,” Metz said. “This year has been my best season there, and I decided to come to Emerald. I thought the horses would fit here and I could make an impact with the kind of horses we had. So I was hopeful that would work out.”

So far, Metz’s plan has worked out beautifully. With 31 first-place finishes in 169 starts, he ranks second in the latest trainer standings for the meet, behind Frank Lucarelli. And this Sunday, Metz looks to cap his first season in the Northwest with a win in the 78th running of the $200,000 Longacres Mile (Grade 3) with his entry, Why Not Be Perfect.

Metz got his start in racing at a young age.

“I grew up around it,” Metz said. “My parents had horses in Northern California, where I grew up. And then one summer when I was about 14, we went down to Del Mar and I said, ‘That looks like fun. I want to do that.'”

Metz was soon working out horses at Del Mar. At age 22 he began working as an assistant trainer for Bruce Headley and Dan Hendricks at Santa Anita.

Metz took a break from training to get his degree in kinesthesiology and work as a teacher and coach at a middle school in San Dimas, Calif.

“I did that for three years, then the horses lured me back,” he said.

Metz continued:

“What I like is the competitive nature,” he said. “I love the animals and trying to figure out what makes them happy, what makes them tick and trying to bring out the best in every individual. I like the challenge of that.”

This season, after wrapping up his best season at Phoenix, Metz made the move to Emerald Downs, shipping in 25 horses to start the 2013 meet.

“I came for a visit in March and April and met everybody and kind of had a look around,” Metz said. “I really liked what I saw. I was surprised. The people, the facilities, it’s all been really nice. The people have been welcoming, they were happy to see a new face and group of horses. A lot of times if you come in and things go really well for you, people really frown on it. But they’ve been different here, they’ve been really welcoming. Usually the target is on you when you’re doing well. But I’ve had a good meet so far, no complaints.”

After the Emerald Downs session ends on Sept. 28, Metz plans to ship his string back to Phoenix for the track’s Oct. 5 opening. He hopes to continue to race Phoenix and Emerald Downs in the future.

“I think it’s a great mix,” Metz said. “There is about a two-week overlap at the end of Phoenix, but by that time, you’re ready. That’s my plan for next year.”

First, however, there is the little matter of the Mile.

“I’ve been aware of the Mile,” Metz said. “A friend of mine from Southern California, Craig Dollase, has run in it with Awesome Gem (who won the mile in 2011). I’ve never really focused on it that much because, with the caliber of horses I had, I never really had one that was ready to go in a $200,000 race.”

Until Why Not Be Perfect, that is.

“He won three stakes in Turf Paradise, one of them being in dirt at a mile,” Metz said. “He’s worked well on the track. He’s run third and fourth in some preliminary stakes. And he’s versatile. He can show speed or he can stalk, so I’m hoping that will play in his favor.

“It’s one of those races where you bring the sprinters and the routers all together for a fast in-between race, a pretty quick mile,” he added.

Why Not Be Perfect will go into the Mile in the No. 9 spot, with a 118-pound weight allowance, right in the middle of the pack. The 6-year-old from Whywhywhy and Perfect Time, and owned by J.C. Racing Stables, will be ridden by Anne Sanguinetti.

“I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that he goes into the race nice and healthy, and if he does, I think we’re sitting right where we want to be,” Metz said. “The biggest race I’ve won is a $45,000 stakes race. That was my first stakes race. Then Why Not has won three stakes for $35,000. I’ve run in some races that were bigger, but if we were to win the Mile, it would be the biggest by far. It would really be a cap to the season.

“I hope we can finish out the meet on a positive note, and obviously the Longacres Mile would be the pinnacle,” he said. “But as long as we just keep going the way we’re going, it’ll be a success. I think it was well worth coming and it worked out.”