Assessment overcame the outside post-position and defeated a star-studded field Sunday in the 74th running of the $300,000 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs (www.emeralddowns.com).
With Emerald Downs’ all-time leading rider Gallyn Mitchell authoring a perfect ride, Assessment ran one mile in 1:33 2/5 on a fast track and paid $16.60, $7.20 and $5.20. The winner carried 119 pounds while producing the first victory from the 12-hole since 1935.
Assessment finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Awesome Gem, the California millionaire and 122-pound high weight. Howard Belvoir, saddling his second straight Longacres Mile winner, is the trainer for owners Lou and Diane Tice (Tice Ranch Stables) of Seattle.
Assessment was able to avoid a wide trip—a key to success—and was only two-deep into the first turn. The 5-year-old Kentucky-bred by Jump Start was in sixth place early as Atta Boy Roy and jockey Rick Frazier carved out otherworldly splits of :21 4/5, :44 and 1:07 3/5. Assessment angled out nearing the five-sixteenths marker, entered the stretch about two lengths back of Atta Boy Roy, collared the leader in the final sixteenth and held off Awesome Gem.
Awesome Gem, ridden by Hall of Famer Russell Baze, won a photo for second place and paid $3.80 and $2.80. Teide, a Canadian invader with Chad Hoverson aboard at 117 pounds, was a nose back in third and paid $5.60.
Defending champion Wasserman, also trained by Howard Belvoir, rallied from last under Jennifer Whitaker to finish a strong fourth. Atta Boy Roy—whose 1:07 3/5 was the fastest opening six furlongs in the history of the race—finished fifth, followed by Bank Emblem, Autism Awareness, Gallon, Sierra Sunset, Kruger Park, Trumpet Player Jay and Crafty Power.
An emotional Mitchell was near tears in the winner’s circle, receiving congratulations on his second Longacres Mile win from his wife/agent Denise, Belvoir and the Tice’s.
“I don’t want to sound cocky but I honestly believed I was on the best horse,” he said. “I know we were in against some great horses, but I have all the confidence in Assessment. Anyone who has ridden him seven times like I have would feel the same way.”
Mitchell, who turned 47 Saturday, capped a spectacular weekend in which he also won Saturday’s $75,000 Washington Oaks on No Flies On Doodles.
The victory automatically qualified Assessment for the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita in November.
“We’ll see how he comes back from this race and goes from there,” Belvoir said of the Breeders’ Cup.
Belvoir said all week he could envision a scenario where Assessment could get a good trip from the 12-hole.
“Not often it goes to plan, but today it went to plan,” Belvoir said. “We got a better trip than even I thought we would.”
Assessment earned $165,000 to raise his bankroll to $355,980. His overall mark is 7-4-3 in 25 starts, including a fourth place finish in the 2008 Longacres Mile. In rising to the top at Emerald Downs in 2009, Assessment has four wins and three seconds in seven starts and $257,000 in earnings. He has won three stakes—Budweiser-Emerald Handicap at one mile, Mt. Rainier Handicap at 1 1/8 miles and the Longacres Mile.
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Fans wagered a single-race record $796,268 on the Longacres Mile, breaking the mark of $703,963 set in Sky Jack’s winning race in 2003. The total mutuel handle — $3,053,392 — was the second highest in track history. The 2007 Mile Day handle of $3,191,831 is the track record handle. …
Also Sunday, Northwest Farms’ Elusive Horizon remained undefeated around two turns with a neck victory over Gadget Queen in the $100,000 Emerald Distaff for fillies and mares. Ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 122 pounds, Elusive Horizon ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47 and paid $5 as the betting favorite. The winning time was the fastest ever by a filly or mare at 1 1/8 miles at Emerald Downs. Trained by Doris Harwood, Elusive Horizon—a five-time stakes winner at Emerald Downs—has compiled an 8-2-1 mark in 14 starts with earnings of $241,715. The Distaff win was worth $55,000. A Kentucky-bred 4-year-old by Elusive Quality, Elusive Horizon assumed her usual position on the lead, setting fractions of :23, :46 1/5, 1:09 4/5 and 1:34 1/5. The classy filly was all-out to fend off Gadget Queen, a double stakes winner who rallied resolutely under Ricky Frazier to just miss the victory. Christmas Ship, second to Elusive Horizon in the 2008 Washington Oaks, finished third, followed by Blue Sky Holiday, Screaminleapofaith, 5-2 second choice Holy Nova and Shezaluckypenny. Harwood leads all trainers with eight stakes victories including three by Elusive Horizon, who clinched the division championship with her gutsy win. “I want to thank Jerre Paxton (Northwest Farms),” Harwood said. “He gives me these outstanding, well-bred horses to train. It make my job easy.” … Tritium ($19.60) and Elusive Schemes ($3.80) dead-heated for first in the $30,000 Emirates Airline Mile Consolation Purse. They hit the wire in 1:34 2/5, one second slower than Assessment ran the Longacres Mile. … The trainers’ race is heating up. With yet another three-win day Sunday, Doris Harwood leapfrogged Tim McCanna 46-45 atop the standings … Vann Belvoir, who had two wins including Elusive Schemes, is third with 44 and Howard Belvoir is fourth with 43…Howard Belvoir’s second win Sunday was with Wasserman’s little sister, Perfect Finish ($17), in the race following The Mile. … Racing resumes Thursday with first post at 6 p.m.
