Background gets up in time to win G3 Longacres Mile

Background, running fourth at the top of the lane, made his move just in time Sunday and got up to win the Grade 3, $100,000 Longacres Mile.

Michael Puhich trains Background, a 4-year-old Khozan gelding. Giddyup Stables campaigns the Florida-bred, who was piloted by jockey Rocco Bowen.

Eleven runners contested the 2021 Longacres Mile, the lone graded stakes race offered each year at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Wash. Two of those 11, Papa’s Golden Boy and Anyportinastorm, got out to the front and set fractions of 22.96 and 45.34 through the first half-mile.

Windribbon confronted the two pacesetters around the far turn, while Background got in position to join the battle. Bowen found running room three-wide for his mount, and he closed sharply to edge Windribbon at the wire.

Background covered one mile in 1:36.67 and returned $6.60 as the 2-1 favorite. Finishing second through fourth were Windribbon, Five Star General and Papa’s Golden Boy.

The Longacres Mile marked Background’s first stakes win. He entered off back-to-back second-place efforts at Arlington Park and now sports a career record of 14: 4-2-4.

Puhich earned his first graded stakes score since his Taylor Said won the 2012 Longacres Mile. Bowen notched his first ever graded triumph.