GC Harrys game edged clear to win the Far West Futurity last month.

© HorseWinPix

PORTLAND, OR—DECEMBER 15, 2018—The biggest day of Oregon horse racing will take place on Sunday as nine of the ten races on the program will be stakes or special events for state-breds on Oregon Championship Day.

The $30,000 Baxter Andruss Futurity will be the richest race of the day worth just over $30,000 and older Quarter Horses will participate in the $17,000-est. Portland Meadows Championship Bonus Challenge (see related story).

The Baxter Andruss for two year old Quarter Horses that have qualified and are eligible for the 400 yard dash will be headed by stakes winner Gc Harrys Game.

The Carters Cartel gelding has proven to be unstoppable this season at Portland Meadows by winning all three of his local starts including the Far West Futurity worth $15,000 last month.

Flying the colors of owner Connie Chumbley and trained by Scott Raley, Robert Burney will once again guide the young gelding.

Stablemate Ivory Bac, a daughter of multiple stakes sire Ivory James, will be facing Gc Harrys Game for the first time since chasing him in a Pot O'Gold Futurity consolation event at Sun Downs last May when GC Harrys Game finished 4th and Ivory Bac was 6th. Jockey Jose Figueroa has the call.

Both 2-year-olds are bred by the Gary Chumbley Estate.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line:

1. Gc Harrys Game (OR) - R Burney (6/5)
2. Kountry Fun (OR) - D A Martin (15/1)
3. Loosin My Lover (OR) - E G Garcia (15/1)
4. Hawkin Sun (OR) - L C Lopez(20/1)
5. Willy B Gone (OR) - E Gutierrez-Sosa (5/1)
6. L Bar D Top Prospect (OR) - J E Lopez (6/1)
7. One Special Dynasty (OR) - A V Anaya (10/1)
8. Ivory Bac (OR) - J A Figueroa (8/1)
9. Er Cartel (OR) - J A Guerrero (10/1)
10. Juan Funnybunny (OR) - S A Bethke (20/1)

The Larry Welliver Memorial Starter will be the fourth race of the day as fillies and mares will vie at six furlongs for a $7,500 added purse. The contenders must have of started for a claiming price of $3,200 or less since October 1st of 2017. Owned by Braun, Fields, Hughes & Robbins and Trained by Nick Lowe, Milady’s Secret is a winner of back to back races earlier in the meet. Jockey Patrick Henry Jr. will have the call atop the four year old daughter of Grindstone.

The Oregon Hers for Oregon bred three-year-old fillies to engage at six furlongs worth $15,000. Linda Duke’s True Statement was a surprising maiden winner in her last start for Trainer Dave Duke as the offspring of Understatement went gate to wire in the five furlong dash in a wet-fast track time of 1:00:31. Jockey JC Estrada is once again slated to ride.

The Janet Wineberg brings out two-year-old fillies to sprint five furlongs for a purse of $15,000 . Sporting the colors for Rodney Orr, Sari’s Tiger returns from Golden Gate Fields to the Pacific Northwest where she raced at Emerald Downs earlier in the year. Trained by Ben Root, the young filly by Smiling Tiger has placed second five of her nine lifetime starts. Jockey Jose Zunino will have the assignment for Sari’s Tiger in the day’s sixth race.

The Lethal Grande Oregon Sprint Championship worth $15,000 for three year olds and upward at six furlongs will be the eighth race of the day. Owned and Trained by Mike Thompson, Salty Minnow is fresh off of a game score in the Mt Hood Handicap at one mile last month. Regular rider Francisco Diaz-Lopes will get the leg up to ride the five year old son of Salt Water. Salty Minnow has won two of three local starts at The Meadows this season.

The Oregon His for three-year-old Oregon bred colts and geldings at six furlongs worth $15,000. Multiple stakes winning Grinning Tiger looms large in the Oregon His after winning the $20,000 Fall Challenge last month. Owned by Nance, Smith, Eakin & Cosgrove and Trained by Jonathan Nance, Jockey Jose Zunino will pilot the gelding son of Smiling Tiger.

The Patrick Cosgrove Memorial Starter lures a half dozen for six furlongs in the $7,500 added event which will be run as the tenth and final race of the day. Three year olds and upward will take on the sprint contest as Delineator Express looks to bounce back after finishing fourth in his last start. Owned by Valentin L. Garcia and Trained by Robbie Baze, the seven year old by Delineator will make his 52nd start with a record of 10 wins, 10 seconds and 11 thirds. Jockey Leonel Camacho-Flores will be back in the saddle for the Oregon bred gelding.

Post time Sunday is 12 noon Pacific for Oregon Championship Day.