Perfect Governor

   The first stakes offered in the 2014 Longacres Mile (G3) series was the May 18 Governor's Handicap, a 6 ½-furlong race which drew a field of nine older runners vying for a portion of the $50,000 purse.

Why Not Be Perfect Kristy Batie Photo

    2013 Auburn Handicap winner

 Finallygotabentley led the field for the firsthalf-mile, but as the runners neared the final furlong longshot Why Not Be Perfect, coming out of the ten hole and carrying 117 pounds, including rider Anne Sanguinetti, opened up to defeat R and R Warren LLC's Jebrica (Liberty Gold-Peaceful Wings) by 1 1/4 lengths. Karl C. Krieg III's 2014 Phoenix Gold Cup winner and 122-pound race highweight Absolutely Cool (Absolute Harmony-Coup de Foudre) finished a head behind him in third place with race favorite Mr.   Bowling in fourth.

   A winner in each of his five seasons of racing, J. C. Racing Stable's Why Not Be Perfect was making his 2014 debut in the Governor's Handicap - a race in which he had finished third in 2013. The six-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Whywhywhy-Perfect Time, by Matchlite, had been a winner in each of his previous five seasons of racing. His first four wins had been on the Louisiana circuit, including a maiden special weight victory at Fair Grounds at two. J. C. Racing Stable is the nom de course for Los Gatos, California-based John Sanguinetti, father of the winning rider. Why Not Be Perfect made his West Coast debut at Del Mar in August 2012 and was claimed in his next outing by trainer Jeffrey Metz for $32,000 for his current owner. His first win in the Sanguinetti racing silks came at Hollywood Park on November 10, 2012, when he defeated David Heerensperger's future Grade 2 winner Fire With Fire by over two lengths in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance/$62,500 optional claiming race. Why Not Be Perfect, who has now earned $301,145 with a 9-5-9 record in 50 starts, has also won a trio of stakes at Turf Paradise, finished second to Crew Leader in the 2013 Portland Meadows Mile and ran sixth in the 2013 Longacres Mile.

   "He's been training amazing, that's why we went straight into the stakes, instead of waiting for an easier race," commented Anne Sanguinetti after the upset win. "This race played out how I hoped it would."

   Why Not Be Perfect not only set a stakes record time for the win (1:13.72), but also recorded the biggest $2 win price - $59.80 - (a

nd second highest in 75 runnings) since Tout Ou Rien ($63.60) won the race in 1983.

Big Brothers' Hoofprints

Noosito Reed Palmer Photo

   Last Rose Stable's Noosito has

some big hoofprints to fill, not only as the full brother to multiple Washington champions Noosa Beach and Music of My Soul, but as the last foal out of 2013 Washington broodmare of the year Julia Rose.

   A stakes winner last year at two, Noosito ("Little Noosa") made a

 convincing start to his sophomore campaign with his five-length tally - the largest in the stakes' history - in the May 25 Auburn Handicap in which he defeated 2014 winners Mebossman and Del Rio Harbor, 2013's top Washington two-year-old and his paternal half-brother. The 2009 Auburn Handicap was one of a dozen stakes scores taken by two-time Washington horse of the year Noosa Beach.

   "He looked an awful lot like his big brother today," commented winning trainer Doris Harwood.

   Prior to his "handy, eye-catching" 2014 victory, Noosito had a record of 2-0-2 from four starts. With his $27,500 share of the $50,000 purse, the dark bay colt upped his earnings to $80,378.

   Noosito and his brothers, plus Del Rio Harbor, all have benefited from the skills of Harwood, who was taking her record-breaking 62nd Emerald stakes win.

   Commenting before the race about Noosito's upcoming first race since he finished third to Del Rio Harbor in the 2013 Gottstein Futurity last September, Harwood said "Noosito has been a bit of a challenge. He got a bruise before the last allowance race, so we didn't get the first out before the stakes. To me, Noosito is still growing. Is he his very best right now? I think he can get better. However, I do have him as ready and fit for this race as he can be."

   And fit he was, as Leslie Mawing guided $2.20-to-one Noosito to a near stakes record time of 1:14.53 in the 6 1/2-furlong stakes.

   "This horse has a crazy good turn of foot down the lane," commented Mawing after the colt's impressive performance. "He's a magnificent specimen of a horse," he added of the 2012 WTBOA Summer Yearling Sale topper who was bred and consigned by Pam and Neal Christopherson's Bar C Racing Stable LLC.

   The Christophersons also bred and race Auburn third place finisher Del Rio Harbor with their longtime friends Melodie Bultena and Doak Walker's Desert Rose Racing LLC. The son of Harbor the Gold-Bahati is currently the biggest earner of his Washington crop with $128,209.

   REV Racing's consistent Mebossman (Petionville-Peaceful Wings) earned his fourth stakes placement with his second place finish.

Gemstones

   The honor of first two-year-old winner of the meet went to Lisa A. Russell's Preachinattheforum, who is a member of the first Washington crop of Pulse Ranches' $836,339 Grade 2 stakes winner Preachinatthebar. Trained by Neil Knapp, ridden by Leslie Mawing and bred by Phyllis Pulse, Preachinattheforum won the 4 1/2-furlong maiden $25,000 race by 2 3/4 lengths over Delbert J. Kelly, Roy Lumm and Mort Robbins's Private Boss, a son of Private Gold. The new winner is the second winner from three foals out of the Open Forum matron Mighty Forum, a half-sister to four stakes horses, including $180,970 stakes winner Bee Cee Cee.

   Through the first 18 days of the meet, trainer Jeff Metz's continues his dominance with 25 wins versus second place Frank Lucarelli's 18. Tim McCanna sits in third place in the trainer standings with nine wins. Among the Emerald riders, Bowen leads Mawing by four, 28-24, while Enriquez sits in third with 18 victories.

  (See "WTBOA Sales Graduates in the News" below for more Emerald results.)

   Seven-year-old Clemens Brook, who was bred by Ramer Holton, was named top Washington-bred runner of week six. The daughter of Petersburg races for Inittowinit, is trained by Rigoberto Velasquez and was ridden to her 3 1/2-length tally by Jennifer Whitaker. It marked Clemens Brook's 12th win, and ninth at Emerald Downs, including four wins last year. Clemens Brook is one of two runners to reach the winner's circle out of three-race winner My Brook, a daughter of Harmony Creek, who is a half-sister to a trio of stakes winners. With a record of 12-8-1 in 20 starts, Clemens Brook has earned $72,058.

   Other week six honors were given to owner Preston Boyd, trainer Don Munger, jockey Jose Zunino and groom Hugo Chavez, who works for Tim McCanna.

   Pamela Gibson and Maureen Hallett's He's a Cruiser became the third three-race winner of the meet when the five-year-old won a $10,000 claimer on May 24. For his efforts the gelded son of Raise the Bluff was named top Washington-bred of week seven. Bred by Pamela and Vince Gibson, the now six-race winner and $59,054 earner is one of four foals and winners produced out of stakes-placed Designer's Gold, a daughter of Stolen Gold. He's a Cruiser was one of four winners from eight mounts on the Saturday card for rider Leslie Mawing.

   Howard Hammer's Remmah Racing Inc. gained seventh week owner honors. Jockey of the week was Eliska Kubinova, while trainer honors went to Alan Bozell. Cesar Sanchez, who works for trainer Vince Gibson, was named top groom.

   Ron Crockett Inc.'s Belt, a Washington-bred  four-year-old son of Cahill Road-La Mariah, by Country Light, added another notch in his "belt" when won the feature race at Emerald Downs on May 24 and increased his earnings to $40,135. Bred by Tom and Becky Birklid, he has now finished first or second in six of his nine lifetime starts.

   Stakes-placed Silver Lake Max, the first foal out of $127,121 stakes winner and WTBOA sales graduate Silver Screen Girl (by Silver Ghost), took his 12th victory in a three-furlong mixed allowance race at Lethbridge on May 18 in his first start in 2014. The eight-year-old gelded Washington-bred son of Salt Lake has earned $58,152.

  North American Thoroughbred Horse Company's 2011 Washington champion three-year-old filly Castinette Dancer made her 2014 debut on Victoria Day (May 19) at Hastings Racecourse. In a repeat of her 2013 appearance in the 6 1/2 furlong stakes, she finished third to a runner co-owned by her owner and Mark Dedomenico LLC. In 2013 it was Evelyn's Dancer and this year I Think So won the race. While I Think So took the stakes by 3 1/4 lengths, the rest of the seven distaffers went under the wire in a blanket finish with margins of a neck, neck, neck, neck and yet another neck. Bred by John Roche, it was Castinette Dancer's ninth stakes placement and upped her earnings to $201,254.

  Preston Boyd-owned and -trained My Chief is now unbeaten in two starts after the three-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Harbor the Gold-Ms Melange, by Slewdledo, went gate-to-wire to win a 5 1/2 furlong allowance/$25,000 optional claiming (N) race by 2 1/4 lengths on May 18 at Emerald Downs. Bred and consigned by Bar C Racing Stables Inc., he has earned $15,881.

  Jill Heerensperger's homebred Pebble Beach Baby, a 2010 Kentucky-bred daughter of Rock Hard Ten, won for the fourth time when she took a $25,000 mile claiming race at Golden Gate by 2 1/2 lengths on May 23. The $89,983 earner is one of seven winners - including stakes winner Stealth Attack and Grade 2 stakes-placed Yacht Spotter - out of 1997 summer sale graduate Sarna, a winning daughter of Son of Briartic bred by Debbie and Rick Pabst.

  Multiple stakes winner Right to Vote, a five-year-old gelding by Political Force, increased his earnings to $412,124 after he won the $75,000 Jim Rasmussen Memorial Sakes by nearly two lengths on May 26 at Prairie Meadows.  He is one of two stakes winners out of 1991 Washington sale weanling and stakes winner What a Knight, a daughter of Tough Knight who was one of six Washington-bred stakes horses out of the Run for Nurse mare Run Tara Run.

  2013 Northwest Stallion Cahill Road Stakes winner Dallon's Gold, who races for Debra Larson, finished fourth in the $40,000 Inaugural Stakes on May 25 at Arapahoe Park in his most recent effort. The three-year-old son of Private Gold-Winning Weave, by Basket Weave, who was bred by Nina and Ron Hagen, has earned $49,320 in seven starts. 

   On May 24 David Heerensperger's multiple graded stakes winner Fire With Fire, a six-year-old gelding by Distorted Humor out of Cosmic Fire, by Capote, scored his biggest win to date when he took the $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita by a neck over Gary Steven-ridden Sagway. Partnered by Tyler Baze, Fire With Fire has deep Washington roots on his female side, as his third dam was Washington-bred stakes winner Pro Tab, a half-sister to Washington horse of the year Rock Bath. The Neil Drysdale trainee upped his lifetime total to $655,354, of which $307,710 has been earned this year.

   For his latest win, Fire With Fire "came out three deep into the stretch" and then rallied "under urging" to take the 12-furlong route in 2:00.92 over a firm turf course.

   "My God, this horse is getting better with age. Tyler rode him perfectly," commented proud owner Heerensperger after Fire With Fire's fifth stakes win overall and third in 2014.

   Russell Baze-ridden Summer Hit, a five-year-old gelded son of Bertrando out of the multiple stakes-producing Tough Knight mare Mia F Eighteen, returned to the winner's circle after he scored a gate-to-wire victory over his stablemate Longview Drive in the $100,000 All American Handicap (G3) on May 26 at Golden Gate Fields. Hudson Landing, who had run second behind Summer Hit in the 2013 edition of the mile stakes, finished third. Summer Hit has earned $532,219 and improved his record to 11-3-3 from 20 starts. The now three-time Grade 3 winner was bred in California by Washingtonians Ken and Jan Heidt. 2012 Mt. Rainier Handicap winner Hudson Landing, a seven-year-old gelding by Maria's Mon ,  is trained by Blaine Wright.

    Summer Hit's dam, Mia F Eighteen, who is also the dam of 2006 Emerald Downs champion sprinter Starbird Road, foaled a Coil filly in California for Terry and Mary Lou Griffin this past February.

   Maryland racing legend Ben's Cat earned his 21st stakes victory in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes run at Pimlico on May 16. Taken off the grass due to heavy rains, it marked the third time in four tries that the eight-year-old gelding had proven victorious in the five-furlong stakes. With regular partner Julien Pimentel aboard, Ben's Cat raced just off the pace set by early leader Great Attack before drawing of to a 1 3/4-length score over that same rival in a quick :57.75 over a "good" track.

   Ben's Cat, a son of Gibson Thoroughbred Farm's three-time Washington sire leader Parker's Storm Cat out of the stakes-placed Thirty Eight Paces mare Twofox, was bred by trainer King Leatherbury and races for his The Jim Stable. The three-time Maryland horse of the year is just shy of the $2-million mark with a record of 26-4-3 from 39 starts and $1,967,990 in earnings.

   "I was hoping for the slop. He really loves he slop," said Leatherbury. "I think his best surface is equal - turf and slop. We say it every year, 'he's better than ever.' How long can we say that? He's eight. Nine? Ten? 11? He's a remarkable, amazing horse.

   "The rider said all he does is hold on," added Leatherbury , who is currently ranked fourth on the all-time leading trainers list with 6,428 wins. "These aren't real tough spots. He's been the same over the past five years. I criticize myself taking so much for granted. I expect to win. He's spoiling me."

   Also on the Friday Pimlico card, Grade 2 stakes winner Revolutionary won the $300,000 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) by a neck and increased his earnings to $1,347,600 and record to 5-2-3 in a dozen starts. The son of War Pass is out of Grade 1 winning A. P. Indy mare Runup the Colors, who is a half-sister to European champion older mare Bluebird, Grade 1 stakes winner and broodmare of the year Prospectors Delite (dam of Horse of the Year Mineshaft and four other stakes winners), Grade 2 winner Top Account - who stood at Buzz and Kathie King's Little King Ranch in Quincy - and two other stakes winners.

   The front page story in the May 17, 2014, issue of the Seattle Times provided a balm to the state Thoroughbred community, as instead of focusing on negative aspects (such as the recent PETA scandal) of racing, the newly formed Emerald Racing Club was given a positive send off. Written by Scott Hanson, the article "Getting into the Game" touted owning a racehorse for $500.

   The brainchild of Emerald Downs Director of Marketing Sophia McKee, who had borrowed the idea of a similar and successful program at Minnesota's Canterbury Park, investors buy into racehorse ownership for a $500 fee, which includes all expenses for running a horse during the Emerald Downs season, and get all the perks of horse ownership, including visiting their horse on the backstretch. A total of 128 people bought into the concept and Dancing Yodeler and - due to the popularity - Anelina were claimed by trainers Sharon and Larry Ross to represent the new racing club.

   To view the entire story,click here. 

   As a result of the article over 75 people have already signed up to be on the waiting list for the 2015 Emerald Racing Club.

    Through May 27, 2014, Lucky Acres' four-time leading sire (2007-10) Matty G holds the number one spot on the 2014 list of leading Washington sires. The 21-year-old son of Capote has a dozen winners from his 50 starters who have earned  $221,543. His leading earner this year is three-year-old California-raced Pete's Slew with $40,500.

   Sitting is second place is 2011-13 leader Parker's Storm Cat, a  14-year-old son of Storm Cat who stands at Gibson Thoroughbred Farm. Parker's Storm Cat also has 12 winners with $105,350 of his $215,280 total coming from two-time 2014 stakes winner Ben's Cat.

   The late Cahill Road ranks third with eight winners and $143,765 in earnings. His main contributor this year is Sunrise Legacy, who has won $19,755.

   Current El Dorado Farms LLC stallions Raise the Bluff and Private Gold fill the next two spots.  Raise the Bluff, an 11-year-old son of Pine Bluff, also has eight winners and a total of $124,054 in monies won. Private Gold, a 12-year-old son of Seeking the Gold, is represented by four winners and $103,185 in earnings.

   Summer racing in Oregon begins with the three-day Eastern Oregon Livestock Show in Union, which has scheduled three days of racing for June 6-8.

   It will be followed by Grants Pass Downs nine-day meet, June 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 and July 4-6, at the Josephine County Fairgrounds.

  The Crooked River Roundup, held at the Crook County Fairgrounds in Prineville, will run consecutively for four days from July 9-12.

  In August, the Tillamook County Fair will also hold four days of racing, August 6-9, at the fairgrounds situated just off the state's northern coast line.

  The Harney County Fair, located in Burns, will host three days of racing from September 5-7.

   Dr. George Todaro and partners' 2012 Eclipse Award-winning two-year-old colt, Shared Belief, remained unbeaten when he won his sophomore debut, a six-furlong allowance race at Golden Gate on May 26.  The gelded son of Candy Ride (Arg)-Common Hope, by Storm Cat, who was ridden by Russell Baze, went gate-to-wire to win by 4 1/4 lengths, upping his earnings to $474,200.

   On May 23, Todaro and Hollendorfer's homebred three-year-old Global Rule won a mile maiden special weight race over Golden Gate's turf course. The California-bred filly, again with Baze in the saddle, is a daughter of Globalize-Lighten Up Rule, by Tribal Rule.

   Two-year-old Runninsmygame became the eighth winner from eight foals out Run Kaitlyn Run, a 2001 daughter of Rio's Lark-Run Nicholas Run, by Trooper Seven, bred in Washington by Justin Lynn, when she won a maiden special weight race in her first start at Golden Gate on May 15. A California-bred daughter of Game Plan, her four-year-old half-sister Sheza Trip, by Good Journey, won her second race on the same card.  Run Kaitlyn Run, who is also the dam of stakes-placed Game to Run, by Game Plan, is a half-sister to $84,498 Washington-bred stakes winner Run Nicholas Run, Washington's most improved claimer of 2007.

   Shapely, a three-year-old daughter of Empire Maker out of 2005 Emerald Downs champion older filly Karis Makaw, became the second maiden special weight winner from her dam's first three foals when the Kentucky-bred won a mile event at Santa Anita on May 26. Karis Makaw, who was raced by the late Evelyn Filler and was a multiple stakes winner of $159,182, is a half-sister to stakes winner and 2013 Washington leading freshman sire Nationhood, a $181,820-earning son of Cherokee Run who stands at Blue Ribbon Farm.

  Horseplayers Racing Club LLC runners finished one-two in an allowance/$12,500 optional claiming (N) race at Louisiana Downs on May 24. Stormin Encore, a four-year-old gelded son of Storm and a Half won the six-panel race by 2 1/4 lengths while Jslookoverurshoulda, a four-year-old gelding by Grand Appointment which is raced in partnership with Above the Crowd Stable LLC, ran second.

 George "Joe" E. Layman Jr.

   Longtime horseman Joe Layman Jr. passed away in Yakima on May 25, 2014. The Goldendale native was 67.

   His family founded the Naches-based Layman Lumber Company, which closed in 2006 after 50 years of business.

   Layman, who became involved in racing in the early 1970s and at one point had more than 100 Thoroughbreds in Washington and California, was the leading owner at Longacres for five straight years, including during the Renton track's final season in 1992. In 1989 he set a single season owner's mark of $438,713 at the track, a mark that has only been eclipsed once in state racing records and that was in 2007 by Ron Crockett Inc. when his runners earned $584,136. Between 1988 and 1992, Layman's runners earned $1,675,557 at Longacres. He was also only one of two owners to earn titles at both Yakima Meadows spring and fall meets. He led the 1992 spring standings with a then record $93,973 and led fall meets in both 1976 and 1989.

   Among the many top runners he raced were 1989 Washington champion three-year-old filly and Washington Oaks winner Chalk Box, four-time stakes winner and former Washington sire Ballindaggin, who finished third in the 1988 Longacres Derby and earned the bulk of his money after taking the $1-million Molson Export Challenge Stakes at Woodbine. Layman raced either under his own name or under the Forest Acres Inc. banner. Other prominent horses he raced in his gold silks with black hoops were three-time Longacres stakes winner and $350,015 earner Marvelous Wonder and 1991 Longacres Exterior Marathon Wood claiming champion Big Bad Wolf. Many of his winners were trained by Ben Harris.

   In 1978, Layman, Leslie Combs, then master of Spendthrift Farm, and Franklin Groves, who would establish North Ridge Farm, purchased 20 of the 40 shares in the recently retired Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew for $6-million.

  Layman later obtained French two-year-old champion Theia (Fr) to breed to Seattle Slew. One of those foals, winner Tabun Bogdo, would stand at stud in Washington. Another more prominent son of Seattle Slew bred by Layman to stand in Washington was the unraced La Saboteur, sire of Washington horse of the year Happy La. Layman also bred La Saboteur's stakes-winning full brother Exit Poll, who also stood in Washington, and their two-time Longacres stakes-winning brother Welcome Dan Sur.

   When hearing of his passing, Karen Taylor wrote: "Joe was a good friend with Mickey and me for decades. We met Joe in 1973 when Jim Penney was training for us, and was also at that time training for Joe. When we syndicated Slew in his four-year-old year, Joe purchased a quarter of the syndicate shares. He was generous in ways that he never made public. He had a great sense of humor, was loyal, and loved his years with Seattle Slew. Mickey and I will miss him dearly."

  He is survived by his sister, Kathy Layman.

Clever Allemont

   Grade 3 Rebel Stakes winner Clever Allemont, a son of Clever Trick-Allemont, by *Carlemont, was euthanized on May 26 due to colic. The $316,329 earner entered stud at Rainier Stables in 1989, but was later moved to Double D Farm in Illinois. The 32-year-old stallion had been pensioned at Old Friends in Kentucky since January 2009 after being saved  from the killer's pen.

   At stud he sired 72 winners from 125 starters and 167 foals which earned just over $1-million.

   "Clever Allemont was such a great asset to Old Friends," said the retirement home's President Michael Blowen in a release. "He was the kindest, friendliest stallion on the farm. He inspired deaf people because he was deaf, visually impaired people because he enjoyed life though he'd lost an eye, anybody who knew what it's like to overcome hardship. People call Clever Allemont a 'rescue,' but it's really the horses who rescue us."

   To learn more of Clever Allemont and his rescue, click here. 

 The link provided in the May 15 e-newsletter to the story of Joe Withee in the Seattle Times does not work. Click here for the correct link.