For the Reporter
Dominant last year as 2-year-olds, the Tom Wenzel-trained/Northwest Farms-owned trio of Blueberry Smoothie, Goin to the Window and Stopshoppingdebbie top the nominations for the $50,000 Seattle Handicap for 3-year-old fillies on Sunday.
To be run at 6½ furlongs, the Seattle is the first of four open stakes for sophomore fillies, the series culminating Aug. 10 with the $65,000 Washington Oaks at 1 1/8 miles.
Blueberry Smoothie (3-2-1-0-$46,943) and Goin to the Window (2-2-0-0-$37,043) were both stakes winners last year, but Goin to the Window earned honors as the track’s Top 2-Year-Old Filly with a one-length victory over Blueberry Smoothie in their only head-to-head match-up in the Angie C Stakes.
Some handicappers, however, believe Stopshoppingdebbie to be the most talented of the three Northwest Farms fillies. In her only start on August 12, she ran 5½ furlongs in 1:02.97 and earned the highest Beyer (70) of any 2-year-old filly last year at Emerald Downs.
Northwest Farms and Wenzel combined with Exclusive Diva to win the 2012 Seattle Handicap.
The speedy Innocent Love finished second but was awarded first purse money in the $75,000 Fantasy Stakes last fall at Hastings Racecourse, and she also was runner-up to Blueberry Smoothie in the Barbara Shinpoch Stakes at Emerald Downs. Her $75,150 in earnings are tops among the Seattle nominees.
Sunset Time is an interesting new shooter for Ten Broeck Farm and trainer Tim McCanna. The Kentucky-bred filly has two career wins on turf and most recently competed in sprint stakes at Fair Grounds.
Southern California-based trainer John Sadler nominated Illinois-bred Blushing Angel to the Seattle. Her lone career win was in a $56,000 maiden special weight last year at Santa Anita.
Locket and Lasting Rose already have wins at the meet for trainer Terry Gillihan, albeit vs. softer competition, while Song of Seattle came off the bench to score in the claiming ranks and was claimed by H.R. Gibson.
Nominations for the Seattle Handicap, Sunday, May 27
Horse, owner, trainer
Blueberry Smoothie (3-Ky.), Northwest Farms/C&M Racing, Tom Wenzel
Blushing Angel (3-Ill.), Cicero Farms, John W. Sadler
Goin to the Window (3-Ky.), Northwest Farms/Debbie Paxton, Tom Wenzel
Innocent Love (3-Ky.), Pegasus Syndicate #7, Mike Puhich
Lasting Rose (3-B.C.), E.M. Braithwaite or I.M. Gorahst, Terry Gillihan
Locket (3-B.C.), E.M. Braithwaite or I.M. Gorahst, Terry Gillihan
Song of Seattle (3-Ky.), Tige Too Racing & Andy Maib, H.R. Gibson
Stopshoppingdebbie (3-Ky.), Northwest Farms LLC, Tom Wenzel
Sunset Time (3-Ky.), Ten Broeck Farm, Inc., Tim McCanna
Troubadour Lass (3-Ore.), Leo & Frieda Maelfeyt, Bruno Maelfeyt
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