Emerald Downs: Gutierrez wins his 2nd Feature with Miss Dynamic; Cruz has 4 winners on Saturday; and Bulldogs!

***For anyone who would like our coverage e-mailed to you when we post stories or content please send your e-mail address to Paul at paul@youresn.com and we’ll be happy to add you to our Emerald Downs News group.

(Auburn, WA) Belmont weekend began on Saturday and 17-1 Dornoch with Luis Saez stunned the bettors with a perfect ride for the upset. For more on the Belmont click on this link for coverage from Bleacher Report.

Meantime at Emerald Downs there were 7 races on Saturday and 8 on Sunday. Alex Cruz had grinded his way through the past 2 weeks and was holding onto a tie for the lead in the jockey standings. Cruz picked up 1 win on Friday night then exploded for 4 winners on Saturday winning the 1st and last daily double bookending the day and taking the feature race.

On Sunday, it was again sunny skies and warm temperatures perfect for the 1st big promotional race of the 2024 season with the Bulldog races. Our coverage of winners and the final heats for both the English and French Bulldogs is below.

Then much larger 4-footed athletes was spotlighted with the 1st 2-year-old race of the season in the 2nd race a field of 7 went 4 1/2 furlongs. The feature race of the day in the 7th race was a solid field of 3-year-olds and up fillies and mares going 6 furlongs in the Muckleshoot Casino Purse. 6 of the 7 starters are morning line 3-1 to 6-1 so a well matched field in the feature.

Below is our re-cap of both Sunday and Saturday’s races along with out News and Notes, Jockey, Trainer and Owner standings and more so let’s get to the racing!

Sunday’s Races

Feature Race 7th The Muckleshoot Casino Purse

The all-time leading rider at Emerald Downs is Juan Gutierrez and in this his comeback year after taking the year off in 2023 is proving why he is the all-time winner. Gutierrez is 4 for 4 in his last 4 feature races and 4-5 for the year or an 80% winner and at the average odds of 9-1.

On Sunday after the Bulldog races had shown their stuff on the track Gutirerrez teamed up with an old friend Miss Dynamic and blew the doors off this field of 7 with a front running 5 1/2 length victory in a sizziling 1:08.11 for 6 furlongs after setting fractions of 21.41 and 43.66.

Gutierrez and Miss Dynamic go back to her beginnings as Gutierrez was aboard her 1st race in 2022 a 2 year-old maiden claiming in which she won by 10 lengths. The duo would bounce back and win the Angie C Stakes and then finished 3rd in both the Barbara Shinpoch Stakes and the Washington Cup Juvenile fillies. Miss Dybamis raced 5 times but only recorded 1 win with Rocco Bowen aboard.

It seemed like when Gutierrez got back in the saddle all was good with Miss Dynamic and she shot out of the gates from her 1 post and quickly led by 1 1/2 lengths. She pushed it to 2 1/2 by the top of the stretch before disappointing the other 6 as she opened up and crushed their souls with a dramatic turn of foot down the stretch.

The public had stayed away from Miss Dynamic not sure if she was ready to bounce back with her odds at 10-1 or so up until a minute before post time when her odds crashed in the final moments all the way down to 3-1 favoritism. The bettors really couldn’t make a decision with all 7 between 3-1 and 6-1.

Out of the other 6 runners only You Go Girl and Alex Cruz showed a chance to get Miss D on the turn but was clearly 2nd best 2 1/2 in front of 3rd place Silvery Orb and Jose Zunino with Ruby Ray and Kevin Krigger running 4th.

Miss Dynamic is trained by Rigoberto Velasquez and owned by Antonio Mendoza who also bred Miss Dynamic here in Washington by Dynamic Impact out of Miss Salome by Harbor the Gold. Miss Dynamic is now 4-2-2 from 10 lifetime starts with a 40% win rate and collected $14,535 to push her bank account to just shy of 100k at $99,330.

Miss Dynamic paid $8.64, $5.58 and $4.36 while You Go Girl returned $6.28 and $4.86 and Silvery Orb $4.30.

ESN talks with Jockey Juan Gutierrez

Miss Dynamic rolls to the Sunday Feature win

1st Race

After a late scratch at the gate of Fruit Lutes left just 4 to go 5 1/2 furlongs and odds on Spinnin Pistols with Jose “The Carpenter” Zunino laid off the front pace of 7-2 Where You Gonna Go and Javier Matias and ran by the front speed near the 16th pole to pull away for a 1 1/4 length win in a final time of 1:03.38. 8-5 Quail was a distant 3rd with 7-1 Chancellors Boom finishing 4th.

Spinnin Pistols races for Tracy and Paula Henline and trained by Blaine Wright. The favorite paid $3.94 and $2.86 the show betting was refunded do to only 4 horses in the race. Where You Gonna Go paid a nice $4.42 to place and the $1 exacta returned 9-1 at $10.01.

2nd Race

The 2nd race was the 1st 2-year-old race of the season and a field of 7 went 4 1/2 furlongs. The betting public was split with a 2-1 and 2 5-2 shots in the race. Despite the favoritism spread out 6-1 Vivacious Tribute and Karlo Lopez jumped out of the gate 1st and simply added to his lead every step of the way blowing out the field by 5 1/4 lengths in a final time of 50.87. Vivacious Tribute is owned by Margaret Root and trained by Blaine Wright his 2nd straight win on the day. The Blaine Wright Daily Double paid $18.78. Vivacious Tribute is a Washington bred by Tom’s Tribute out of Vivacious Beauty by Into Mischief and was bred by Dr and Mrs Jack Root Jr.

Running 2nd and 3rd were the 5-2 shots with Da Smoke and Carlos Montalvo a clear 2nd and A Thousand Miles and Luis Reyes a clear 3rd with The Lair and Kevin Krigger grabbing 4th. The 50-cent trifecta paid a solid $65.80 and the 10-cent superfecta returned $70.30 or $703.00 on the $1 bet.

1st 2-year-old race of 2024 and Vivacious Tribute blazes with Karlo Lopez

3rd Race

A field of 6 maiden fillies and mares went 6 furlongs and Bring a Smile made quick work of this group with Silvio Amador going straight to the front and set reasonable fractions of 22.15 and 45.19 which left plenty for the stretch where she blazed to a 3 1/2 length win in a sizzling time of 1:08.79. Bring a Smile the 3-5 odds on choice handed trainer Blaine Wright his 3rd straight win on Sunday’s card. HX3 Inc owns the 3-year-old Washington bred by Mitole out of Thunderina by Curlin and was bred by Todd and Shawn Hanson.

12-1 Cape Blossom with Javier Matias ran 2nd, 6-1 Fine By Me and Kevin Orozco took 3rd with 7-2 Mocktails Anyone and Carlos Montalvo capped off the superfecta.

4th Race

A field of 7 went a mile for 3 year-olds and up and favorite Moon Time with Brayan Pena boat raced the field taking an early 1 length lead, stretching it to 3 then 5 lengths at the top of the stretch and till wasn’t done adding another 4 lengths for a 9 length win the largest margin of victory for the season and did it by setting fractions of 23.71, 46.88, 1:10.80 and a final time of 1:35.87. 5-1 Kaline and Leslie Mawing ran on well to be 2nd, 3-1 Its Five Somewhere and Isaias Enriquez was 3rd with 5-1 Dark Mystery and Karlo Lopez running 4th.

Moon Time races for Eliana Thompson and Kevin Chavarria and is trained by Jorge Rosales. Moon Time finished off the 1st pick 4 on the day returning $32.66.

Moon Time blasts off with Brayan Pena

5th Race

2nd favorite in the field of 6 3 year-old and up fillies and mares Olivian with Karlo Lopez stumbled out of the gate and had to quickly recover to get in this 5 1/2 furling sprint and she did with flying colors. Despite the stumble she had taken the lead by the 1st call by a length and maintained that position to the stretch where she then extended her lead to win comfortably by 2 1/2 lengths. 4-1 Don’t Tell Hydee with Brayan Pena ran a solid 2nd with the bettors choice 7-5 Reservoir and Carlos Montalvo taking 3rd and 10-1 Mean Sharon with Alex Cruz capping the superfecta.

Olivian ran the 5 1/2 in a final time of 1:03.03 and is owned and trained by Billy Christian. She returned $7.90, $4.48 and $2.92 across the board and returned a decent exacta at $20.13.

6th Race

A Field of 6 went 6 furlongs and the winner ran the 3/4’s of a mile in 1:08.95 while the rest ran it over 1:10. Odds-on favorite Bourbon Tiger with Kevin Orozco blitzed this field of 3 year-old and up fillies and mares by 5 1/2 lengths in front running style. 9-1 Alicehouseolfheart and Karlo Lopez was the only one with any chance heading into the stretch and was simply 2nd best. The race was on for 3rd with 16-1 She Said My Way and Brayan Pena running hard for the show by a neck over 4th place finisher 6-1 Boosical Lady and Kiaman McGregor.

Gate 2 Wire LLC, Magaret and Benjamin Root own Bourbon Tiger and Frank Lucarelli trains. Tiger capped a very chalky pick 4 paying just $21.03.

Bourbon Tiger leaves no doubt with Kevin Orozco

8th Race

The week wrapped with another front runner going gate to wire with My Sunshine and Carlos Montalvo hitting the lead and denying several with a shot at the top of the stretch a chance to overhaul him. My Sunshine set sensible fractions in the 1 mile run of 23.74, 46.29 and 1:10.53 before finishing a 1/2 length in front of Honky Tonk Hero with Alex Cruz and Upper Room with Kevin Orozco in a final time of 1:36.64. Alexis Silva-Martinez is the owner and trainer of My Sunshine.

Taking 4th was Hey Sequoia with Kevin Krigger and Summer Shandee with Brayan Pena completed the Super High Five. My Sunshine was 5-1 and completed the pick 5 which paid $473.77 and pick 4 at $211.27.

Saturday’s Races

Feature Race 6th

Alex Cruz won 4 of the 7 races on the Saturday card and won 3 of 4 from the stalking position. In the Saturday feature race he did it on the front end taking 3-1 Peter Flies straight to the front of the 6 furlong sprint and boy did Peter sprint.

When the gates flew open Cruz stepped on the gas and he and Peter Flies quickly drew off to a 1 1/2 length lead with 6-1 El Bromista and Karlo Lopez just behind favorite It’s Turbo at 2-1 with Isaias Enriquez sat 3rd early on but no one thought it would be a good idea to match the blazing fractions set by Peter of 21.81 and 43.79.

But if they thought that Peter Flies was gonna hit the wall they were incorrect as he got stronger and pulled away from his nearest competitors stopping the clock in a season best 1:08 flat. It’s Turbo got up to grab 2nd by a head over El Bromista. Our Boy Roy and Leslie Mawing finished 4th.

Peter Flies is a 4 year-old gelding by Private Gold out of Irene Flies by Rocky Bar and was bred by Keith and Jan Swagerty. Peter Flies runs for owner Dave Milburn and trained by Charlie Essex. Peter Flies picked up the $13,965 winner’s share and now has more than 50k in earnings at $50,111. His career record is now 3-5-0 from 11 lifetime starts with a 27% win clip and 73% top 3 finish rate.

Saturday’s Feature Race

1st Race

A field of 5 maidens went 5 1/2 furlongs to kick-off Saturday afternoon racing and 8-5 2nd favorite Grazed n’ Confused with Alex Cruz sat just off the pace of 14-1 Bumping River with Francisco Diaz-Lopez and swept by the front runner in the stretcvh to post a 1 length win in a time of 1:04-flat. Bumping River ran big and held well to be 2nd while 6-5 favorite Leah’s Lute with Javier Matias closed to be a clear 3rd and Escapefromparadise with Isaias Enriquez was 4th.

Grazed n’ Confused races for Billy Speed Racing Stable and trained by Frank Lucarelli. The 4-year-old filly is a Washington bred by Grazen out of Dixie Dreamin by Dixieland Band and was bred by Mr and Mrs William Griffin. The $1 exacta with the 2nd choice on top paid a decent $21.66 and the 50-cent trifecta also not bad with the favorites finishing 1st and 3rd paying $20.27.

2nd Race

The 2nd race a field of 6 3 year-olds and up went 6 1/2 furlongs. Alex Cruz basically copied his win from the 1st race into this race and sat with Moonlightnwine in 4th place early on just a length or so back while Hot Memories and Kevin Orozco set the fractions at 22.79 and 45.49. It was jammed on the front end with Hot Memories, Nyquiler with Brayan Pena and Emperorofthenorth with Leslie Mawing made a big move on the turn.

Cruz and Moonlight were stuck on the rail and finally was able to get outside of all 3 and ran down a tenacious Hot Memories in the final 100 yards to win by 1 1/4 in a final time of 1:16.17. Nyquiler would take 3rd and Emperorofthenorth 4th. Moonlightnwine is owned by Joan Hutchison and Jim Leslie and trained by Vince Gibson. The 3-1 Moonlightnwine returned $8.64, $4.52 and $3.20. The exacta with 7-1 Hot Memories paid $25.83 on the $1 bet and $129.15 on the old Longacres $5 minimum bet. The 50-cent trifecta was good for $70.13 and the $1 superfecta $321.70.

Moonlightnwine with a great move to get the win

3rd Race

Six 3-year-olds and up went 6 furlongs and the longest shot on the board 9-1 Corn Pop with Juan Gutierrez again surprised the bettors with a great stalking trip pulling away for a 1/2 length win in the end in a fast 1:08.72. Kevin Orozco tried again to steal it on the front end this time with 6-1 A View From Above led all the way until inside the 16th pole and begrudgingly gave way to Corn Pop. 9-2 D K’s Crown with Karlo Lopez ran 3rd and 5-1 Meant For Me with Luis Reyes completed the superfecta which paid a ni ce $71.58 for the dime bet. The trifecta returned $109.16 and the 1st 50-cent pick 3 paid $105.67.

Corn Pop is owned by Jerald Carmody and trained by Rigoberto Velasquez. Gutierrez continues to win at an incredible rate with few opportunities. Gutierrez had 3 rides through combined on Friday and Saturday and posted 2 wins. He now has 5 wins from just 17 mounts a 29% win rate.

4th Race

8 runners went 6 furlongs in a 3 year-old and up fillies and mares race and in the final 200 yards you couldn’t get any closer of a finish with just the 4th by a nose finish on the year. It was nearly the 1st deadheat for the win of the season. Favorite Shelby Gold with Leslie Mawing went nose to nose with 6-1 Pop Chart and Karlo Lopez and Mawing and Shelby just got the tip of her nose down just in time for the win. The separated from the the rest of the field by nearly 3 lengths where 7-2 Parco and Kevin Krigger ran a solid race to take 3rd and finishing off the top 4 was 10-1 La Popis with Luis Reyes.

Shelby Gold ran the 3/4’s mile in 1:09.80. The 4-year-old filly by Harbor the Gold out of Donadue by Uh Oh Bango is a Washington bred and was bred by Eric Jensen. Shelby Gold races for REV Racing and is trained by Frank Lucarelli. Despite being the favorite the 50-cent pick 3 still paid a nice $58.16 and the 50-cent pick 5 was good for $247.57.

Shelby Gold and Pop Chart go nose to nose to the wire

5th Race

The betting public did not know where to go in this one with the favorite at 3-1 and there were 3 of them at 3-1. Only 1 of them would hit the board though with 5-1 Feather Inthe Wind taking advantage of the 5 furlong dash breaking quickly and jockey Javier Matias quickly got the 5-year-old mare over to the inside and drew off to a 3 length lead turning for home and had plenty left extending her lead to more than 4 lengths and stopping the clock in 56.72 after setting fractions of 21.39 and 44.08.

16-1 Heart on the Run with Karlo Lopez ran a big race holding 2nd while 3-1 Alex’s Girl with Alex cruz closed fast to get 3rd after being stuck on the rail and having to swing all the way to the outside in the stretch. 14-1 Fire Escape and Brayan Pena also ran well taking 4th.

Feather Inthe Wind is owned by Lawrence Racing Stable and trained by Heath Lawrence getting his 1st win of the season and paid $12.94 and $25.78 for the $2 across the board bet. The good pay-outs continued with the trifecta paying $134.48 for 4 bits or $268.96 for the 8 bit bet. The superfecta was $239.25 for the 10-cent bet and $2,392.50 for the $1 bet. The 50-cent pick 3 remains a very good bet paying $121.15 and the 2nd pick 4 paid $662.97. Feather Inthe Wind is a Washington bred by Gold Aly out of Nina Nicole by Touch Gold and was bred by Steve Meredith.

7th Race

Alex Cruz would finish the day like he started double bookending and picking up his 4th win of the day. Cruz at 5-2 aboard Connector sat just off the pace in this field of 5 going 5 1/2 furlongs and made his move in the middle of the track. coming off the turn. Connector rolled up on Devil’s on Duty with Silvio Amador and drew off to win by 1 1/4 lengths. 9-2 Chinook Bend and Carlos Montalvo ran 3rd and was 10 lengths clear of 4th place Coy Roy with Brayan Pena as the betting favorite and finishing 5th was Waitingatthebar and Allyssa Morales to round out the Super High Five.

Connector is owned by White Diamond Syndicate, Lusk Racing and Jeff Cissell and trained by Vince Gibson. Connector capped the 50-cent pick 5 which paid a handsome $1,587.30 and the final pick 4 $104.61. The Super High Five paid $32.74.

Claims from Saturday and Sunday

Saturday, June 8 Claims
4th Race
Pop Chart was taken by new owner Joihn Mattlusky for trainer Elodio Madrigal for a claiming price of $5,000.
5th Race
Frisco Frills was claimed by Vanessa Arballo and goes to trainer Miguel Hernandez for a claiming price of $8,000
Tiz a Tiger was red tagged by Lucas and Randy Green and Randy Green will train also for $8,000.

Sunday, June 9 Claims
4th Race
Moon Time was claimed by Lucinano Gabriel Medina & Hon Cheung Kum and will be trained by Gabriel for a claiming price of $3,500.
Kaline was claimed by owner/trainer Justin Evans also for $3,500
5th Race
Don’t Tell Hydee goes to new owners Carl Petroff, Russell Nakagawa and David Lechmanik for trainer Frank Lucarelli for $5,000
Kerrygold Lady heads to the barn of Candi Cryderman for owner John Parker for $5,000
7th Race
Zazen was the only horse running for a tag in the feature race and Chad and Josh paid the $30,000 to take her and now heads to trainer Howard Gibson. This ties for the most expensive claim of the meet so far in 2024.
8th Race
Hey Sequoia gives John Parker and Candi Cryderman their 2nd claim of the day for $5,000
Summer Shandee heads to new owner/trainer Luciano Gabriel Medina and owner Hon Cheung Kum also their 2nd claim of the day for the tag of $5,000.
You Kidding Me was taken by Alex and Vincent Ortega for trainer Scott Tubbs for $5,000.

Jockey’s

4 time defending Champ Alex Cruz had struggled the past couple of weeks winning just 1 race in each of these weeks literally winning the final race of the week to prevent the shut out. This week he didn’t wait long winning the 4th race on Friday. Cruz then blew up on Saturday winning 4 of the 7 races on the card.

Cruz won the 1st two races on the card and then the final 2 races bookending it with a pair of daily doubles. This didn’t fool too many bettors though as the 1st one paid $10 and the finale $14. Cruz won the feature race on Saturday with the fastest 6 furlong time of the season aboard Peter Flies. Cruz scored wins for 4 different trainers doubling only for Vince Gibson. Cruz rode the most mounts of the week with 20 and finished 5-3-2-2 a 25% win rate.

13 riders found the winners circle this weekend with Cruz, Karlo Lopez, Juan Gutierrez and Carlos Montalvo. Karlo Lopez scored his 1st on Friday and then doubled on Saturday. Lopez finished the week with 18 rides and a 3-3-3-4 record. He is trails Cruz in the standings 15-13 but continues to stack up 2nd place finishes as he has 25 compared to his 13 wins.

Juan Gutierrez has soared to the top of the jockey standings in win percent winning 3 of 4 rides for a 75% win clip this week. He’s now 6-1-1 from 18 starts and is winning at an overall 33% rate. Carlos Montalvo kept up his impressive start winning 2 races and was 2-1-2-1 from 7 starts. Overall Montalvo is 3rd behind Cruz and Lopez with 10 wins firing at a 27% win rate.

The other riders with wins include Brayan Pena, Javier Matias, Jose Zunino, Kevin Krigger, Kevin Orozco, Leslie Mawing, Luis Reyes Silvio Amador and Jose Rodriguez got his 1st win of the season. Below are the full standings.

Trainer’s

Much like the all-time winning rider at Emerald Downs, the all-time leading trainer Frank Lucarelli also has not forgotten how to do this job. Lucarell exploded for 4 wins doubled his win total from 4 to 8 in 3 days winning 1 on Friday, 2 on Saturday and another 1 on Sunday. Lucarelli was 4-1-0 from 7 starts.

It looked like the race for most wins this week was down to Lucarelli and Vince Gibson who both had 3 wins after Friday and Saturday but Blaine Wright had different plans as he came out firing on Sunday winning the 1st, 2nd and 3rd races to finish with 4 wins as well. Wright was 4-0-1 from 9 starts to pull into a tie with Justin Evans. Evans had a solid week with a pair of wins going 2-1-3 from 12 starts. Wright and Evans are tied atop the trainer standings with 12 wins each.

Lucarelli is 3rd with 8 wins and Gibson also doubled his win total from 3 to 6 to take 4th place. Jorge Rosales and Rigoberto Velasquez each also doubled and both also doubled their wins from 2 to 4. There were 2 trainers who got their 1st wins of the season a nd included Billy Christian and Heath Lawrence.

Other trainers with wins this week were Charlie Essez, Elodio Madrigal and Alexis Silva-Martinez.

Owner’s

It was a fair shake for all owners this weekend with 22 races and 22 different winners. John Parker is now tied for the lead in wins with John and Janene Maryanski and Gerald and Gail Schneider each with 3 wins each. 11 owners now have 2 wins on the season.

There were 16 owners or owner groups getting their 1st win of the season. On Saturday it was 6 of the 7 races and on Sunday 7 of 8 races had 1st time winners spreading the wealth.

Here are the 1st time winners, on Friday, Justin Evans and SCW Racing, Ty Leatherman and Justin Evans and Remmah Racing. On Saturday, Billy Speed Racing Stable, Joan Hutchinson and Jim Leslie, R. E. V. Racing, Lawrence Racing Stable, Dave Milburn and White Diamond Syndicate and Lusk Racing and Jeff Cissell. On Sunday, Tracy and Paula Henline, Margaret Root, Eliana Thompson and Kevin Chavarria, Billy Christian, Gate 2 Wire Racing and Magaret and Benjamin Root, Antonio Mendoza and Alexis Silva-Martinez.

The Betting Window

After a Friday’s 7th and final race that set new season highs in the $2 place, $1 exacta, 50-cent trifecta and 10-cent superfecta (Click link to our Friday coverage with full details here) there was no other season high pay-offs set this weekend. However, there were several ways to keep making good hits even with big favorites winning races.

Let’s take a look at the traditional win, place and show returns this last weekend and the average $2 win returned $8.53, $2 place $5.71 and $2 show was $3.69.

Out of the 22 races there were 6 win pay-offs over $10 with the high pay of the week $27.16 which was Nomi Lackee in the 7th race on Friday. The average $2 place paid $5.71 with 13 of 44 place pay-outs more than $6 with several double digit place pays with the top being the 7th race on Friday, Candied Joulet paid a new season high of $20.84. The other 2 were $19.56 and $14.42. The average show pay-off was a solid $3.69 but still no double digit pay-out this season.

The big pay-offs of the week are of course those that set new high’s on Friday but other big pays from Saturday and Sunday included 2 of the pick 3’s on Saturday paid more than $100, the high pick 4 was the 2nd one on the Saturday card returning $662.97 and the pick 5’s paid on Saturday $1,587.30 and on Sunday $473.77.

Pick 6

The new Pick 6 format this year was a throw back to the original format at a reduced price. This year’s 50-cent bet with a very low take out was hoping to attract fans back to the old Pick 6 days and it simply has not done that and I would like to see it go back to the 20-cent Jackpot format.

The new format is simply to similar to the far more popular 50-cent Pick 5. This was proven this weekend and should be an eye opener. The pick 5 had a 15k carryover from the previous Sunday while the pick 6 had a $1,500 carryover. On Friday night bettors pumped in $93,000 into the pick 5 pool for a total of 108k. The pick 5 was hit and returned just under $1,100. This means there was likely 80 or more winners of the pick 5.

The pick 6 paid more as it too was hit returning a tad under $1,500. However, the total pool was less than 5k including the $1,500 carry-over so a total of $3,100 was wagered in the pick 6 on Friday night compared to the $93,000 into the pick 5 and the pick 6 has a much lower take-out yet attracted only 3% of the money bet on the pick 5.

The 2 bets are to similar and also shows take-out is not at the top of mind for bettors especially in the longer vertical bets. It costs less and or you can cover more horses with the same amount of money and so there is no reasl carrot for pick 5 bettors to move over to the pick 6. Bettors want to win and cash tickets, it’s sdimple math, it’s harder and more expensive to pick 6 winners in a row over 5.

To further prove this would be the next day after big carry-overs are hit. Saturday saw $8,246 bet into the pick 5 and just $716 into the pick 6 which was not hit and $461 rolled over to Sunday. On Sunday the pick attracted $8,624 and the pick 6 about $1,200 with the $461 carry-over for a pool of $1,640. It was not hit again and $1,517 is rolling over to Friday night.

Last year if you go back and look at the numbers bet on the 20-cent Jackpot Pick 6 it towers over the throwback format for this year. Maybe it’s still too early to judge but I enjoyed playing the 20-cent pick 6 and bet it it many times and hit several 5 of 6, never did get a 6 of 6 but chased it all season long. This year I am simply not interested and would rather take my $50 to $100 bet on picking 5 of 5 in a bigger pool over a harder 6 of 6 and so far miniscule pools to aim for, but again maybe another week of carry-overs will build the pot to where I can’t ignore it.

Either way, I do hope of a return of the 20-cent pick 6 Jackpot. By the way, it’s called the Jackpot because the whole pot is only paid out to a singular winner. If more than 1 are tied with 6 winners then a percent of the pot is paid and split equally. That’s why the Jack-Pot has paid out a $45,000 winner and many other large pots, it just seemed to build much faster than this years pick 6. We’ll see if the old format ever gets some legs, I do hope it does.

The Bulldogs!

It was the running of the Bulldogs on Sunday with divisions for the English Bulldogs and a French Bulldog division. There were a total of 8 heats that qualified the finalists. Melo in the French Bulldog division defended his title winning his 2nd in a row. Here are the final results for each division followed by videos and a large photo gallery.

English Bulldog Division

1st #5 Sir Nigel Pedington
2nd #3 Rocky
3rd #4 Oscar the Truffle Hunter

English Bulldog Final