Trick or Retreat appeals on the drop

Take your pick between a very sharp Luz Atticus, or the dropping Trick or Retreat in a $10,000 claiming race that will serve as Saturday’s feature at Emerald Downs. Say Neigh also has an outside chance of winning the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, which attracted eight older runners. It will go as race 8 on a nine-race card which begins with a maiden race for Quarter Horses at 2 p.m. Pacific.

Luz Atticus is coming off a 6 1/2-length romp in a similar race for trainer Kay Cooper, and will be making his first start for Joe Toye, who claimed him on behalf of Bill Jensen, Gary Olson, and Rusty Warwick.

Trick or Retreat is dropping to a new low after finishing third

in a $25,000 claiming race for trainer Doris Harwood on June 30.

Luz Atticus set moderate fractions under Rocco Bowen in his last-race win. He is versatile, though, and if Say Neigh gets the jump on him at the start, he is capable of stalking, as he did in his win at this level on June 25. Sandwiched between his two wins was a runner-up finish on July 15, again at the same level.

He will break from post 7 with Bowen retaining the mount.

Trick or Retreat, a five timewinner with $117,138 in earnings, will appreciate the class relief and could pick up the pieces from a stalking position if Luz Atticus and Say Neigh get carried away up front.

KEY CONTENDERS

Luz Atticus, by Atticus Last 3 Beyers: 76-73-74

◗ The 7-year-old Californiabred hasn’t run a bad race in four starts at the meet, and the 76 Beyer he received for his blowout win in his latest is easily the best last-race figure in the field.

Trick or Retreat, by Harbor the Gold Last 3 Beyers: 71-80-71

◗ He has fired fresh in the past and Harwood has a 20 percent strike rate over the past five years with horses coming back from a layoff of 31 to 60 days.

◗ If he runs as well as he did when he lost to Mike Man’s Gold by a nose in a $25,000 claiming race on June 9, he’s the winner. Mike Man’s Gold hasn’t lost at the meet and he earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure when he won a $40,000 optional-claiming race in his last start Aug. 5.

Say Neigh, by Council Member Last 3 Beyers: 70-51-60

◗ The Larry Ross-trained 4-year-old set quick fractions on his way to a 5 3/4-length romp in an $8,000 conditional claimer on July 28.

◗ He earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure for the easy win, and his bullet-half-mile move in 45.60 seconds Aug. 11 could be a sign we haven’t seen the best from him yet.

◗ He could be tough to reel in if he breaks on top with Kevin Orozco retaining the mount.