Mach One Rules in peak form heading into Longacres Mile

Herald news services

AUBURN — A full field of 12, led by Mach One Rules and defending champion Point Piper, will contest the $200,000 Longacres Mile for 3-year-olds and up Sunday at Emerald Downs.

The 82nd renewal of the Grade 3 event goes as Race 8 on an 11-race card with a 5:51 p.m. post time.

R.E.V. Racing’s Mach One Rules drew the No. 9 post and carries high weight of 123 pounds. Trained by Frank Lucarelli and ridden by Isaias Enriquez, the 4-year-old Harbor the Gold gelding is the 7-to-2 morning line favorite.

Mach One Rules enters the race in peak form, having swept the 6 ½-furlong Budweiser Stakes in a meet-best 1:13.94 and Mt. Rainier Stakes in a meet-best 1:42.55.

“I think we’ve got a good of a shot as anybody,” owner Roy Schaefer said. “I’m not sure about the post, but that’s the same post Atta Boy Roy had (in 2009), and the (turquoise) silks will match the saddle towel.”

Point Piper returns to the scene of his greatest triumph for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. The now 7-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway broke the track and state record last year, running the mile in 1:32.9. Although winless in seven subsequent starts, Point Piper has consistently knocked heads with the likes of California Chrome and Midnight Storm.

Hollendorfer, who swept the exacta last year with Point Piper and Cyrus Alexander, also saddles Seattle Serenade, a $1-million son of Tapit that could enjoy a pace advantage in a Mile that came up unusually light on speed.

Barkley and Gold Rush Dancer, from the same class of 2-year-olds as Mach One Rules, also are top contenders Sunday.

Rising Star Stable’s Barkley already has five stakes wins at Emerald Downs, and has a nose for the finish line. He edged Mach One Rules in the six-furlong Governor’s Stakes in 1:07.92, and also won his lone career start at one mile over Mach One Rules in the 2016 Coca-Cola Stakes.

John Parker’s Gold Rush Dancer began his career at Emerald Downs but has found tremendous success down south, winning three California-bred stakes and over $300,000 last year with trainer Vann Belvoir. A homebred by Private Gold, Gold Rush Dancer gets the services of 19-year-old Evin Roman, currently the leading rider at Del Mar.

No Longacres Mile would be complete without Jim and Mona Hour’s Stryker Phd, who is set to appear in his fifth straight Mile and bids to become the first three-time winner. At age 8, Stryker also would join Awesome Gem (2011) and Gigantic (1959) as oldest horses to win the race.

“He’s happy and he’s fresh,” trainer Larry Ross said of Stryker Phd. “We’re really looking forward to it. I think we have a chance to win the Mile three times.”

The field for the 82nd running of the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) in post-position order with jockeys, weights and morning line odds:

1: Bistraya (Amadeo Perez-120 lbs) 12

2: Point Piper (Julien Couton-121) 9/2

3: Gold Rush Dancer (Evin Roman-120) 4

4: Black Sona (David Martin-112) 30

5: Papa Frank (Jose Zunino-113) 30

6: Seattle Serenade (William Antongeorgi-119) 8

7: Dedicated to You (Leonel Camcho-Flores-115) 30

8: Stryker Phd (Kevin Orozco-120) 12

9: Mach One Rules (Isaias Enriquez-123) 7/2

10: Chief of Staff (Rocco Bowen-117) 6

11: Barkley (Javier Matias-121) 5