Wright looks to continue recent roll

Trainer Blaine Wright was pleased with how Executive Chef and Slack Tide came out of their fourlength wins in the $50,000 Auburn and $50,000 Seattle last Sunday. Executive Chef came from a stalking position in the Auburn, and Slack Tide was impressive winning the Seattle despite being involved in a threehorse duel.

“They are doing well,” Wright said. “The obvious move is to bring them both back for the next races here.”

Wright was referring to the $50,000 Irish Day for Executive Chef and the $50,000 Kent for Slack Tide, both on July 17.

Wright is looking forward to seeing Secret Saga debut in a maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds on Friday. The 4 1/2-furlong dash drew nine horses and kicks off the jackpot pick six, which has a $21,574 carryover. The sevenrace card gets under way at 7 p.m. Pacific.

Secret Saga has been working steadily since April 12, with his last move a sharp half-mile in 47.60 seconds on June 19. A son of Raised a Secret, Secret Saga is the third foal out of Forty Something, who won a 2-year-old stakes at Portland Meadows in her second start. Both siblings are minor winners.

“He hasn’t done anything wrong,” said Wright of Secret Saga. “He’s a big thing and not that fast away from the gate. He makes it up in a hurry though.”

Secret Saga will break from post 6 with Kassie Guglielmino up.

The Candi Crydermantrained Parker’s Gold figures to be among the favorites. Parker’s Gold will race uncoupled with Mister Midas.

Both are by first-crop sire Gold Rush Dancer, who had speed and used it to win the 2017 Grade 3 Longacres Mile for John Parker, the breeder and owner of Parker’s Gold.

Gold Rush Dancer won five stakes and retired with $552,348 in earnings. He was versatile and as a 3-year-old won three straight California-bred stakes races, beginning with the $100,000 Silky Sullivan going a mile on turf at Golden Gate Fields. He also won the $188,000 Snow Chief, a 1 1/8-mile race on turf at Santa Anita and the $151,000 Real Good Deal going seven furlongs on the main track at Del Mar.

Parker’s Gold is out of the unraced mare Atta Girl Pearl whose first foal, the 4-year-old filly Pearl River Delta, won an $8,000 maiden claimer for fillies and mares on May 29 at Emerald.

Mister Midas is out of Smokin Passion, who won five lower-level claiming races. Three of her four foals to race are winners, but there are no real stars in the family.

“I like them both,” Cryderman said. “Parker’s Gold has Atta Boy Roy on his dam’s side, so it is not surprising he is a bit quicker.

“I like Gold Rush Dancer as a sire. We have five of his foals, and they are all big-boned horses with good minds.”

How the horses leave the starting gate will play a big role in the outcome of the race.

“We are excited to get them started,” Cryderman said. “It is such a short race and hopefully they will break well.”

Parker’s Gold drew post 5 with Kevin Radke up.

Mister Midas will have Javier Matias in the irons when he leaves from post 3.