5/31/2024
(Auburn, WA) The 1st Friday night of racing kicked off the 3-day a week racing schedule for the rest of the season. 7 races were on tap with the 6th and feature race contested over 5 1/2 furlongs with a field of 6 3-year-old Washington breds and a purse of $17,000.
The skies were clear on Friday night and the track was fast. Last week front speed and the inside of the track were favored and that trend followed through to the 1st Friday night. Big prices were also on the menu and there was a chance to make some good money. Let’s get to the Friday night races!
Feature Race 6th Race
The field of 6 went 5 1/2 furlongs after a late scratch of Betty Lute and 11-1 Rockit a Day broke well from the outside and Juan Gutierrez quickly crossed to get to the rail. Gutierrez and Rockit A Day set fractions of 22.26 and 44.85 and led by a 1/2 length turning for home. 9-5 I’m Telling Mom and Carlos Montalvo came running at Rockit but Guti left plenty for the stretch and stayed inside on the fast part of the track holding off the threat for the duration of the stretch pulling off a full length victory in a final time of 1:03.54.
This was the 2nd feature race in 3 race days that Gutierrez has won and those are his 2 wins on the season. Rockit A Day races for Club Lucky Racing and is trained by Bonnie Jenne which was her 1st win of the season as well. Rockit A Day is a 3-year-old Washington bred by Atta Boy Roy out of Jaconita by Forest Wildcat and was bred by Keith and Jan Swagerty. Rockit A Day collected $9,960 to push his career earnings to just more than $26,000 and is now 2-0-3 from 7 lifetime starts.
I’m Telling Mom held 2nd, My Quiet Place and Isaias Enriquez was a clear 3rd at 5-2 and 7-5 favorite She’s a Kraken with Kevin Orozco finished 4th. Rockit AZ Day paid $25.48, $10.46 and $3.96, The $1 exacta was $60.59, the $1 trifecta $170.92 and the $1 superfecta $354.30.
The Muckleshoot Feature Race for May 31
1st Race
The 1st race of the week got deleted down to a field of 4 with a late scratch of Lolo Paniolo. When the gates opened for the 1-mile run #1 Summer Shandee was the 1-1 favorite with Silvio Amador aboard. But it was 3-1 Moon Time and Alex Cruz who took the early lead with Summer Shandee sitting right off the leader. Play-off Bound at 7-2 with Brayan Pena and 5-2 My Sunshine and Luis Reyes sat just behind the front pair.
Moon Time would set all the fractions to the quarter pole of 23.43 and 46.72 while going the 6-furlongs in 1:11.07 and as they turned for home Moon Time held to a tenuous lead by a head over Summer Shandee while Play-Off Bound made a good run to the top of the stretch but flattened out while My Sunshine also flattened out to be 4th. Summer Shandee on the rail would finally wear down Moon Time to edge away for the 1/2 length win in a final time of 1:37.11. Summer Shandee is owned and trained by Sergio Perez.
2nd Race
The 2nd evening race 6 broke from the gate and The Golden Egg with Karlo Lopez was the overwhelming odds-on choice at 1-4. But 7-1 Battleof Trafalgar and Leslie Mawing popped out of the gate in 1st place and set all the fractions of 22.64 and 45.98. The Golden was off a bit slow but quickly sat right behind the leader and turning for home pushed his head in front. But Mawing settled Traf for the drive and pulled away for a 1 1/2 length win in a final time of 1:05.09 for the 5 1/2 furlongs. The Golden Egg ran 2nd, 7-1 Thusly Inspired and Brayan Pena was 3rd and capping the superfecta was 5-1 Pocco Diablo Rojo with Jose Hernandez.
Battleof Trafalgar races for Bern Kent and trained by Rigoberto Velasquez. The 4-year-old gelding is a Washington bred by Coast Guard out of Lady Yodeler by Swiss Yodeler and was bred by Mr and Mrs Edwin Welch. Battleof Trafalgar paid $16.74, $4.04 and $2.72. The opening daily double returned $15.83.
3rd Race
The track was still favoring the inside and front speed proven in this 3rd race. 5-1 Validate ran a race exactly like Naval Escort in Sunday’s feature race dropping back to last well off the pace and never leaving the rail which opened up and Validate with Leslie Mawing rolled on through to run past the entire field to win by nearly 2 lengths covering the 6 furlongs in 1:10.26. 9-2 Prayforyourcountry ran a solid 2nd with Kevin Orozco while 3-1 Nation of Faith and Alex Cruz closed to be 3rd and 8-5 favorite Uncle Juju and Karlo Lopez faded to 4th.
Validate is owned by owner/trainer Howard Belvoir and is the Hall of Famer’s 1st win of the 2024 season. Validate paid $13.70 and completed the 1st 50-cent pick 3 paying $39.59.
Validate with Leslie Mawing get Howard Belvoir his 1st win of the season
4th Race
A field of 5 went the 2 turns and it was over at the break with Helen’s Sun and Karlo Lopez going straight to the lead and never looking back. The other 4 allowed Helen’s Sun to go a slow 24.80 and 48.65 and there was no way anyone could run down the front speed and Lopez kept him on the rail which remains the fastest part of the track. Lopez and Helen’s Sun covered the 1 mile in 1:37.90 and is owned by Brian Nash, Ramsey Rutt and Woodway Stable and is trained by Blaine Wright.
7-2 Westerberg and Jose Zunino ran on for 2nd to get 11-1 Blues Rapper and Alyyssa Morales with 7-5 Hickory Wind and Kevin Orozco taking 4th. The 1st 50-cent pick 4 of the day paid $197.47.
5th Race
5 went a mile in the 5th and the inside proved to be too tough once again. Allyssa Morales was on the 1 horse Move Over at 2-1 and sat just behind the front runners in 2nd and 3rd place. Morales and Move Over was squeezed a little bit in the clubhouse turn but settled nicely behind 9-1 Stephen James and Silvio Amador. As they turned for home Morales and Move Over did just that waited for them to Move Over and when they did slipped through to take the lead. Odds on choice Creative Bid and Karlo Lopez made their move on the outside but again that’s where closers are going to die on this track right now. Move Over never gave in and denied the favorite the win by a head.
Bernalinho and Brayan Pena ran an even 3rd at 5-1 and 4th place went to Stephen James. Move Over is owned and trained by Miguel Hernandez. Hernandez also trained 2nd place finisher Creative Bid and the Hernandez exacta paid $6.29. Move Over ran the mile in 1:36.97.
7th Race
6 going 6 furlongs was the Friday night finale and odds on Atta Boy Lloyd with Luis Reyes broke quickly from the 2 hole and quickly built a 5 length lead while setting quick fractions of 22.14 and 44.83. Turning for home the 5 length lead was shaved down to 2 1/2 as 16-1 outsider Street Mogul with Neptali Ortiz aboard came running and wa threatening to pull off a big upset but Atta Boy Lloyd had just enough and held on for the win by a neck. 7-2 Mongolian Spring with Juan Gutierrez took 3rd, 4-1 Earthly Tiger and Brayan Pena was 4th with Letsgotothebar and Allyssa Morales completing the Super High 5.
Atta Boy Lloyd races for Rakoczy Racing and Justin Evans and trained by Evans. The final 50-cent pick 3 paid a solid $84.19, the pick 4 returned $216.48 while the pick 5 was good for $1431.63 and the pick 6 paid $1,583.75. The Super High 5 paid $448.38.
Atta Boy Lloyd holds on for the win
News and Notes from Friday Night
Leslie Mawing is the 1st rider to double on a card since Karlo Lopez tripled on May 19. Mawing took back to back races in the 2nd and 3rd races. The 7-1 Battleof Trafalgar and 5-1 Validate paid $33.76 on the $1 daily double. Validate’s trainer Howard Belvoir got his 1st win of the season pushing his Emerald Downs total to 822, #3 all time for the Hall of Famer.
Allyssa Morales picked up her 2nd win of the season in the 5th race with a nifty ride on Move Over. With the win Move Over bedcamw the 1st 2-time winner of 2024 and is on a 4 race win streak with 2 wins at Turf Paradise before shipping north and winning on May 19 before Friday’s win.
Claims:
1st Race
Summer Shandee was taken by owner/trainer Miguel Hernandez for $3,500
My Sunshine was claimed by owner/trainer Alexis Silva-Martinez for $3,500
3rd Race
Charlie’s Man was claimed by Alex and Vincent Ortega and goes to the barn of Scott Tubbs for $5,000
Uncle Juju goes to Diane or James Hickox and Howard Gibson and will be trained by Gibson for $5,000
6th Race
I’m Telling Mom was claimed by the ownership group of Rage and goes to trainer Joe Toye for $25,000
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