Del Rio Harbor leads field for $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap | Emerald Downs

Del Rio Harbor, a four-time stakes winner at Emerald Downs, tops a field of eight 3-year-old colts & geldings nominated to the $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Sunday, July 13.

July 6, 2014 6:06 pm

Del Rio Harbor, a four-time stakes winner at Emerald Downs, tops a field of eight 3-year-old colts & geldings nominated to the $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Sunday, July 13.

The Seattle Slew Handicap has been a graveyard for favorites, with no less than nine straight betting favorites going down the tubes in the meet’s second two-turn test for sophomores,

Trainer Doris Harwood appears to have a stranglehold on this year’s Slew. The track’s all-time leader with 63 stakes wins, Harwood has nominated four runners topped by multiple stakes winners Del Rio Harbor and Noosito.

A Washington-bred gelding by Harbor the Gold-Bahati-Del Rio Harbor exploded for a 2 ½-length victory in the June 22 Coca-Cola Handicap, running one mile in 1:34.73 and earning a career-high 85 Beyer. Emerald Downs’ Top 2-Year-Old Male of 2013, Del Rio Harbor is 6-1-1 in nine starts, including 2-for-2 in routes, with lifetime earnings of $155,709.

Noosito, runner-up in the Coca-Cola, continues his in-barn rivalry with Del Rio Harbor. By Harbor the Gold-Julia Rose, Noosito is 3-1-2 in six starts with earnings of $90,378, and looks to even the score at 3-to-3 in head-to-head races with Del Rio Harbor.

Harwood’s other two runners, Kenai King and Trick Or Retreat, also are Washington-breds by Harbor the God.

Charlie Thomas, a fast-closing third in the Coca-Cola, is the most experienced runner nominated, logging 15 career starts and has finished in the money in five of seven starts vs. winners.

Off the Top, a British Columbia-bred gelding, finished second in the 1

1/16-mile Chris Loseth Handicap at Hastings Racecourse on July 1.

$50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap, Sunday, July 13

3-Year-Old Colts & Geldings, 1 & 1-16 Mile

Horse . . . . Owner. . . . .Trainer

Charlie Thomas (3-KY) Sue & Tim Spooner Dan Markle

Del Rio Harbor (3-WA) Desert Rose Racing & Bar C Racing Stables Doris Harwood

Kenai King (3-WA) Bar C Racing Stables Doris Harwood

Noosito (3-WA) Last Rose Stable Doris Harwood

Off the Top (3-BC) Linwood Stables Robert J. Anderson

Slice of Red (3-BC) Fred Gumprich Robert J. Anderson

Stikine Slough (3-WA) One Horse Will Do Corp. & Saxwold Chris Stenslie