Whatwasithinking in his comfort zone

Whatwasithinking will try to keep his perfect record in sprints intact when he runs in the $50,000 Coca-Cola Stakes at Emerald Downs on Sunday. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-yearolds drew seven horses and appears to be wide open.

In the $50,000 Auburn Stakes on May 27, his first start at Emerald, Whatwasithinking was bottled up early but found room at the top of the stretch in the six-furlong dash and got up in the last jump to edge Vicente’s Shadow by a nose. Trained by Frank Lucarelli, Whatwasithinking was coming off a win in a first-level allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option at Turf Paradise on April 13.

Whatwasithinking’s only loss in five starts came when he tried a middle distance for the first time in the $50,000 Turf Paradise Derby on Feb. 17.

He will break from the inside post Sunday, with Kevin Orozco retaining the mount.

“I am not thrilled he drew the rail, but he should settle early, so hopefully he’ll be okay,” said Lucarelli. “He just beat [Vicente’s Shadow] last time, and he could be up against it with the weight difference.”

Whatwasithinking will tote the high weight of 124 pounds, five more than he carried in the Auburn.

Trained by Blaine Wright, Vicente’s Shadow was making his first start of the year and just his third overall in the Auburn.

Despite going very wide on the turn, Boundary Bay emerged with the lead in midstretch of the Auburn, but lost by a neck. A Sandi Gann-trained son of Harbor the Gold, Boundary Bay could be dangerous with a better trip.

90 and still going strong

Also on the 10-race card, which begins at 2 p.m. Pacific, is a unique race restricted to horses whose trainers are at least 90 years old. The four trainers with horses in race 6, the Not in Any Rocking Chair starter allowance, are Arturo Arboleda, 94; H.R. Pat Mullens, 91; Ira Rhodes, 90; and Bob Meeking, who turned 90 on June 6.

“We thought this would be a great way to honor these guys on Father’s Day,” said Phil Ziegler, president of Emerald Downs. “What other sport could a 90-year-old still be out knocking heads with younger guys and gals?”

“It just shows you can be bad and last a long time,” said Meeking. “I think I’ll go for 10 more years before I start looking for a real job.”

Meeking, who is having a strong meet with five wins from 18 starters, underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2016.

“I’m doing great and feeling a lot better this year,” he said. “It doesn’t hurt that the horses are all running good.”

The Meeking-trained Trelawny should be favored in six-furlong sprint, which drew five horses.

Mullens, a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam, has three wins at the meet. He overcame a life-threatening aortic aneurysm last winter. He trains Ryan Walt, who will break from the outside post under leading rider Rocco Bowen.