Many people consider hydrogen the way to go when it comes to replacing fossil fuels as a primary energy source. A majority of handicappers will be backing the horse Hydrogen when he runs in a $10,000 starter race for 3-year-old and up that kicks off a seven-race card Friday evening at Emerald Downs. Hydrogen is gunning for his fourth-straight victory in the one-mile race, which drew five horses. Four of the five horses won their previous start, and Rocky Rough won back-to-back races going a mile in $10,000 claimers prior to a fourth-place finish in a $40,420 open allowance race Aug. 14. In other words, it is a strong and competitive field, so Hydrogen will need to be on his toes in order to secure his ninth victory. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match and FREE Formulator PPs! Join DRF Bets. Hydrogen started his winning streak, all at the one-mile distance, with a neck victory June 24 over Missed the Boat in a $10,000 claimer for trainer Tim McCanna and owner Hern/LePley Racing. It was his second start at Emerald; he just missed in a similar race to Missed the Boat on June 3. Hydrogen was claimed out of the June 24 race by trainer Jorge Rosales, who was acting on behalf of Eliska Kubinov. In two starts for his new connections, Hydrogen won a $25,000 claimer July 17 and was an easy 2 1/2-length winner for $15,000 on Aug. 7. McCanna took Hydrogen back for Hern/LePley on Aug. 7, and considering that McCanna has a 46 percent strike rate and $4.25 ROI with claimed horses running back the first time the past couple of years, there is an excellent chance Hydrogen will keep his winning streak alive. He also should get a nice trip from a stalking position after leaving from the outside post with leading rider Alex Cruz retaining the mount. The Candi Cryderman-trained Missed the Boat is an 11-time winner, so he knows where the wire is, and he came from a stalking position to win a $25,000 claimer going 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 7. Missed the Boat has an excellent 7-3-5 record from 19 starts at one mile, so he will not have any trouble with the added yardage. Missed the Boat is versatile. He took them all the way when he edged Hydrogen on June 3. Juan Gutierrez will have options depending on how Missed the Boat breaks from post 4. Mixo, trained by Shelly Crow, is going for the hat trick after winning back-to-back sprints, beginning with a victory at this level going 6 1/2 furlongs on July 1. He came from a stalking position to edge Take Charge Deputy by a nose going six furlongs July 29. Distance is the question for Mixo, who finished fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Gottstein Futurity in 2016, the only time he raced farther than 6 1/2 furlongs. Completing the field is the Rigoberto Velasquez-trained Pistol Power, who is coming off a win going a mile in a $10,000 claimer on Aug. 5.