CC Emerald
$175.000 1 1/16 Miles Turf
Three Year Olds And Upward.
Have Started for Claiming Price of $25.000 or Less Since 1/1/24
Churchill Downs November 15, 2025
At a time when it is not unusual to see races at all levels struggling to fill it is a testament to the popularity of the CC series at Churchill Downs that these races yield full to overflowing fields almost entirely across all of the races offered. The races which don’t quite attract the maximum number of entries are nonetheless represented by healthy field sizes that we all wish were commonplace. The CC Emerald has drawn a maximum of fourteen entries.
1. Lava Man (Mb Stables/I Irtiz Jr) The most remarkable thing about this horses career is not that he has been in the money in fifteen out of his sixteen starts but that this is the first time he has ventured into stakes territory, It also surprises me that he was not picked up for the $15.000 he was on offer for in an optional claiming race he won back in June. His works are fast, he always hits the board, and his connections have been known to win once in a while. I see no reason to think he can’t compete at this level.
2. Brand Recognition (Mb Stables/J.L. Ortiz) The second of three entries from the top barn and a lot of similarities to his stablemate to his inside. Very consistent at the allowance level but making his stakes bow as well. He was a private purchase for $60.000, and his owner chooses a restricted stakes to give him an acid test. Very little between them but in my opinion the entry inside of him looks slightly stronger and more accomplished.
3. Athabasca (Czech Out Farms/I Castillo) He was consistently competitive at lower claiming levels for much of the year but started moving up in class after a six-length win in April when he was available for $6.250. His last two races have been very strong at higher level optional claimers where he was protected and not for sale. He is a five-year-old on a strong upswing in form.
4. Swale (Chili King Stables/A. Concepcion) Was once offered up for a $16.000 claiming tag where no one took him, but Chili King saw something this past summer that led him to claim him for $50.000 He is a lightly races three-year-old that has won three of seven starts. He was successful in an optional claimer at Del Mar in his first start for his new connections but took a step backwards when aggressively placed in the G2 JC Derby. He cuts back to a distance he seems to prefer
5. Grand Zion (La Canada Racehorses/L/R. Rivera) A stakes winner on grass as a two-year-old and again at three he was available to claim for $20.000 in September but was not taken. He is a nose short from being a graded stakes winner, but that form was a year ago and for some reason he did not carry that forward. I can’t pick him but I can’t completely discount him either given his back class.
6. House Of Games (Spankys Barn/T. Gaffalione) Graded stakes winner at the marathon distance of a mile and a half on grass who has cut back to sprinting on the grass. His last win was in a $25.000 claiming race in July. He was moved back up to graded stakes level where he did not hit the board and then was immediately offered up after that for $32.000 where he finished second. Although he shows up in a stakes again, I am not sensing overwhelming confidence in his current form cycle.
7. Mr Wendal (Asgar/F. Geroux) Won a minor stakes race sprinting on grass as a two-year-old. Has dipped his hoof into stakes competition periodically since and scored in last year’s CC but in the Canterbury which is a turf sprint. With success sprinting on grass, he is now attempting to stretch out which is something he has only done one time before. As a two-year-old he finished second going a mile but that was in a $5.000 claiming race, and it was three years ago so you can’t put much stock in that.
8. Falling Crystal (Big Jd Racing/Jo Torres) Claimed for $5.000 in March and after failing in two allowance starts he was put back on the market again for $7.500 in July. He won that and the trainer took him right into a successful stakes win in the CA bred California Dreaming in August at Del Mar. Seemed to be on an upward tear in form but has disappointed since in two stakes efforts. Working well but hasn’t shown the consistency yet that would make you want to back him.
9. Yansa (Invicta Group Llc/Mario Gutierrez) Won his last start in a $25.000 claiming race on grass at a mile. His other two wins have also come in routes but those were on dirt. Those are the positives I see. On the downside are his two unsuccessful stakes tries and his recent form outside of claiming races. His last two showed life and his works recently are fast albeit on dirt.
10. Aways Game (Spb Racing/J. Mckee) Claimed for a paltry $4.000 in August and has run three good ones for Spb racing since nearly taking down the $200.000 State bred Mohawk in his last race. He is an improving four-year-old who has yet to be off the board on the grass winning two of his four turf starts. His last work was a scorching 1:09.1 on this very turf course and he earned his first 100 SRF figure in his last race. Can’t ignore.
11. Cazadero (Mb Stables/ A. Cedillo) Two open allowance wins with good SRFs in his two starts since being claimed by Mb Stables for $25.000 in June. Multiple unlisted stakes winner who comes back into the barn of the trainer who let him go at auction for $9.000 three years ago. Has had a thirty-two-start career where he has been consistently good and performed well at times at the graded level. No reason he should not be a contender here. He has hit the board fourteen times out of nineteen starts going long on grass, so this is what he wants to do.
12. Silent Force (D J C Racing Stables/A. Beschizza) Was claimed from Mb Stables for $20.000 at the beginning of 2024 and has proven to be a useful sort for his new trainer since. He has won four times from thirteen starts since but has faltered when the trainer has tried to move him up the ladder. Has a good turf route record but the waters seem deep here.
13. Kings Poker (Jormav/G. Corrales) G1 stakes winner has tons of back class as his $700.000 in lifetime earnings attest to but it has been a while since he has been able to throw down with the best of them. He has found the winners circle four times in seven starts this season so he may be full of confidence and ready to reassert himself and reclaim some former glory.
14. Illusive Runner (Aydar Stables/D Z Gaskin) The four-year-old has only started nine times. He has won twice including his last race which was a $17.500 claiming race at a mile on the grass at Aqueduct. His other win was a MSW sprinting on a sloppy track at Hastings. Not much form to go on and his SRFs give little confidence at this level. On top of that the outside draw does not help.
Aways Game seems to be the hot in form horse off of his last race and recent works. He will be my top pick. Cazadero to his outside also looks like somewhat of a “now” horse and appears capable of taking this step up. I’m rooting for old timer Kings Poker to revert to his form of years back and give a good account so I will slot him into my third choice.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded