Blaine Wright was in Utah with his family earlier this week, fishing for kokanee salmon, when he took time to talk about the two horses he has Friday night at Emerald Downs in race 2, a $25,000 maiden-claiming race.
One of Wright’s entrants is a 4-year-old gelding, Summers Choice, who has never raced before. The other, a 3-year-old gelding named Tiz Grazen, last appeared in the 2024 Washington Cup Juvenile Colts and Geldings Stakes, where he finished fourth in a race won by He’s Not Talking, who is among the headliners – along with Wright’s Goin’ South – in an allowance at the same six-furlong distance Saturday that could serve as a stepping-stone to the Muckleshoot Derby.
“The 4-year-old, he’s behind,” Wright conceded when discussing Summers Choice’s chances. “He never came in ’til late as a 3-year-old at Pleasanton and needed time to develop. He’s a big, tall horse. He’s probably going to be more of a route horse eventually.”
While Summers Choice has much to prove, Wright noted that he has “breezed halfway decent.” Indeed, he worked a bullet five furlongs over a muddy track on June 22 in 1:00.20 before going a minute flat on a fast track a week later over the same distance.
“Time to get to running,” Wright said of the grandson of Tiznow.
Tiz Grazen’s dam, Tizarae, was by Tiznow, but his sire-side influence is notable as well. In his lone start at age 2, Grazen finished a forgettable 10th in a maiden race at Santa Anita before winning three stakes as a 3-year-old, including the Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap at Hollywood Park. He also finished second in the Grade 2 Swaps at Hollywood.
“Them Grazens, you look for them to kind of get better with age,” Wright said. “Hopefully, he’s matured enough to run a little bit better. He wasn’t our top 2-year-old, but he faced some good horses and hopefully he’ll get better this year.”
Tiz Grazen’s debut came July 13 last year at Emerald, where he finished third, 9 1/2 lengths behind winner Si That Tiger. Also trained by Wright, that colt staked his claim to the top of the local 3-year-old division by defeating Goin’ South in the June 22 Auburn Stakes.
In an ideal situation, Tiz Grazen would have joined his 3-year-old stablemates in a race or two by now, but that just wasn’t in the cards.
“Tiz Grazen went to Turf Paradise and needed time off and didn’t quite get back to us at the beginning of the [Emerald] meet,” Wright explained. “So he’s here now and hopefully ready to run.”
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