For the Reporter

Sunday’s 13th annual Washington Cup – five stakes races exclusively for state breds – showcase several of the track’s brightest lights, including two-time Longacres Mile champion Stryker Phd in the $60,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic.

The Washington Cup races, worth an aggregate $260,000, will be races 6-through 10 on an 11-race card that begins at 2 p.m. Action begins at 10 a.m. with a tailgate party on the Seahawks-Rams game on the big screen.

$60,000 MUCKLESHOOT TRIBAL CLASSIC
Race 10, 6:39 p.m.

Amazing Stryker Phd heads Classic

There was considerable speculation that the race wouldn’t fill. That Stryker Phd simply is too good to mess with: In his last seven starts at Emerald Downs, the 6-year-old Bertrando gelding is 7-7-0-0 with $356,180 in earnings.

Not the case. Noosito Until You, Westley and Jebrica all will take a crack at the champ on Sunday.

Doris Harwood, trainer of Noosito, said owners Last Rose Stable all agreed to take on Stryker Phd on Sunday. For one thing, unlike the Longacres Mile, Noosito has a great chance to shake loose early, perhaps leaving Stryker Phd with too much to do in the stretch.

“We respect Stryker Phd but it’s the challenge of trying to beat the big horse,” Harwood explained. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate not having (speed) horses like Scat Daddybaby and Modern in there setting those fast fractions.”

A 4-year-old colt by Harbor the Gold, Noosito won Washington Cup races each of the last two years, and along with Madame Pele (Comcast SportsNet Stakes) bids to become the first three-time winner.

Harwood, of course, trained Noosa Beach, older brother of Noosito and heretofore the best horse in track history. If Noosito were to pull off the upset, it would deny Stryker Phd a record-tying eighth straight stakes victory at Emerald Downs.

Stryker Phd carries 124 pounds in the Classic, his four rivals each carry 118. Trained by Larry Ross for Jim and Mona Hour, Stryker Phd hasn’t lost here since finishing runner-up to Herbie D in the 2013 Longacres Mile. His winning streak began September 8, 2013, with a 3¼-length victory in the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic.

Mona Hour said the family is relieved that the race is a go.

“My husband is a little worried that there may not be enough speed in the race,” Mona Hour said. “But we are happy that the race has filled.”

$50,000 COMCAST SPORTSNET STAKES
Race 9, 6:09 p.m.

Madame Pele bids for WA Cup hat trick

The original plan was to have both a sprint and a route for older fillies and mares, but the 1 1/16-mile event drew just two entries and was called off. That caused the connections of probable favorite Lady Rosberg to audible into the $50,000 Comcast SportsNet Stakes at 6½ furlongs.

Coming off decisive victories in the 1 1/8-mile Emerald Distaff and one-mile Boeing Handicap, Lady Rosberg scales back to one turn and might be a tad more vulnerable, especially after drawing the rail. Nevertheless, Lady Rosberg is 8-for-15 lifetime and did win the 6½-furlong Mesa Handicap earlier this year in Phoenix.

Although winless in five starts this year, Kama’aina Thoroughbreds’ Madame Pele has a sparkling WA Cup resume. Like Noosito in the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic, she’s bidding to become a three-time winner, while trainer Jim Penney is tied for No. 1 with eight career Washington Cup wins and jockey Juan Gutierrez is No. 1 by a wide margin with 16 WA Cup victories.

Out of the same dam that produced Stryker Phd – Striking Scholar – Madame Pele is 5-4-5 in 28 career starts with earnings of $171,397. Assistant trainer Kay Cooper said the 5-year-old mare will be retired after the race and sold as a broodmare.

Citizen Kitty, Big Mama’s Talkin and Wickedizaswickeduz are 3-year-olds taking on older horses.

$50,000 CHINOOK PASS SPRINT STAKES PRESENTED
BY PEGASUS TRAINING CENTER
Race 6, 4:38 p.m.

Del Rio Harbor heads Chinook Pass

Trainer Marshall Allen has been red-hot in recent weeks at Emerald Downs. The 57-year-old conditioner has won with four of his last five starters, and has a big chance to add another victory with

Del Rio Harbor in the $50,000 Chinook Pass Sprint Stakes presented by Pegasus Training Center.

After finishing a respectable fifth in the Longacres Mile, Del Rio Harbor cruised to a 3¾-length victory in $25,200 allowance race on Aug. 30, running six furlongs in 1:08.81 on a wet-fast track. A 4-year-old Harbor the Gold gelding, Del Rio Harbor is 7-4-3 in 18 lifetime starts with $227,091 in earnings.

“He’s really starting to put it all together,” Allen said of Del Rio Harbor. “I think it’s just taken him a little more time to get used to running against older horses. I like the post-position because he’ll be able to stay in the clear and can sit outside Mike Man’s Gold if he has to.”

Del Rio Harbor drew the No. 4 post with Julien Couton – fresh off a five-win day –maintaining the mount.

Mike Man’s Gold won the 2014 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.13 and earning a 93 Beyer, but trainer David Martinez and co-owner Keith Swagerty said they’d rather try their luck around one turn than face Stryker Phd around two turns.

Absolutely Cool leads the field in earnings with $294,518, and the 8-year-old gelding scales back to a sprint after finishing third, second and sixth vs. Stryker Phd in routes.

$50,000 CAPTAIN CONDO STAKES PRESENTED
BY THE DAILY RACING FORM
Race 8, 5:39 p.m.

Mach One Rules heads Captain Condo

A strong field of eight 2-year-old colts and geldings battles in the $50,000 Captain Condo Stakes presented by Daily Racing Form.

Mach One Rules, two-for-two with a win in the $58,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes, figures to be favored in the wagering. By Harbor the Gold-Felice the Cat, Mach One Rules earned a big 72 Beyer while beating Viewingthegold by a head in the Lads Stakes. His connections – jockey Leslie Mawing, trainer Frank Lucarelli, owner R.E.V. Racing – won this race last year with Trackattacker.

Viewingthegold nearly pulled off a 26-to-1 shocker while debuting in the Lads, and showed it wasn’t a fluke with a subsequent 2¼-length maiden special weight victory. By Harbor the Gold-Kittyzallwet, Viewingthegold is a full brother to Koala Beach, winner of the 2009 Captain Condo Stakes.

Gold Rush Dancer has been one of the top 2-year-oldson the grounds, posting a 1-1-1 record in three starts with earnings of $29,950. His Beyers of 54, 63 and 62 place him squarely in the hunt Sunday.

Doris Harwood – who has won this race five of the last eight years – saddles Timberfaller, a quick Forestry gelding coming off a head defeat to Wando Cat in a $20,000 allowance on a sloppy track.

$50,000 NORTHWEST FARMS STAKES
Race 7, 5:09 p.m.

Northwest Farms lures My Heart Goes On

Trainer David Martinez has had a solid season with 2-year-olds, compiling a 6-for-19 mark with juveniles.

The 36-year-old trainer has a busy schedule Sunday with seven starters in the Washington Cup including three runners – My Heart Goes On, Cape Grace and Chedoodlejo – in the $50,000 Northwest Farms Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs.

My Heart Goes On leads the field in earnings with $43,450; she scored a head victory over Princess Kennedy in the Angie C Stakes and finished third to Princess Kennedy and Freaky Kiki in the Barbara Shinpoch Stakes.

“I think she’s really happy right now and I think a little more fit for this race,” Martinez said of My Heart Goes On, whose 65 Beyer in a July 5 maiden win ties the highest by a 2-year-old filly at the meet.

Cape Grace rolled to a 13-to-1 upset by 4½ lengths in her August 1 debut.

“She’s kind of a nervous horse but I’ve worked really hard with her,” Martinez said. “She had a really nice work the other day. All of my babies are doing really well, I like them all.”

The Northwest Farms has been perhaps the trickiest WA Cup race with four double-digit winners in the last six years, including a $42.40 surprise by Seattles Best Copy last year.

Prime Engine, Princess Kennedy hit the road

Two of Emerald Downs’ most impressive stakes winners run Saturday in major stakes races in Louisiana and Kentucky.

Emerald Downs Derby winner Prime Engine runs in the $400,000 Super Derby (Grade 2) for 3-year-olds at Louisiana Downs, and Barbara Shinpoch Stakes winner Princess Kennedy competes in the $200,000 Pocohontas Stakes (G2) for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs. Joe Steiner has the mount on Prime Engine and Gallyn Mitchell makes his first career appearance under the Twin Spires.

The Super Derby (Race 11 at LaD) and the Pocohontas Stakes (Race 8 at CD) will both be simulcast at Emerald Downs.

Prime Engine drew the rail and is 9-to-2 in the 1 1/8-mile Super Derby. Princess Kennedy drew the No. 4 post and is 12-to-1 in the 1 1/16-mile Pocohontas.

Catch the Seahawks at Emerald Downs

Before the state’s top Thoroughbreds take center stage on Sunday afternoon, the Seattle Seahawks kick off their season opener at 10 a.m. against division rival St. Louis Rams.

With the game in St. Louis, fans can enjoy the Hawks opener at Emerald Downs, where the track show the entire three-hour game on its 1,100-square-foot video screen. As part of the “Tailgate Party,” the track will offer food and beverage specials from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m and the Sea Gals will be on track from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

For more information, call Customer Service at 253-288-7711.

Finish lines

FINISH LINES: Weekly Honors #21 Jockey – Julien Couton; Trainer – Bill Hoburg; Owner – Bar C Racing Stables ; Groom – Ismael Fernandez (Jeff Metz); WTBOA Washington-bred – Maggie’s Special (Allen Gideon); Exercise Rider – Jose Raudales. …  The field for Sunday’s fourth race – older $25,000 claimers at 6½ furlongs – an aggregate 15 wins this season at Emerald Downs, led by Coach Royal with five. … Scat Daddybaby, coming off a career-high 98 Beyer in the Pete Pedersen Memorial, ships to Hastings Racecourse for Sunday’s $50,000 S.W. Randall Plate Handicap at 1 1/8 miles. … Also Sunday at Hastings, Suva Harbor runs in the $100,000 BC Oaks at 1 1/8 miles and Percy Fawcett is entered in the $250,000 BC Derby at 1 1/8 miles.