7/13/2024
(Auburn, WA) 8 races on the card under a hot sun and clear skies on Saturday and the feature race was the $50,000 Irish Day Stakes that saw the field reduced to just 4 with a late scratch from Sir Argento. The 8 races had 52 starters for an average of 6.5 per race and a final handle of $958,150 for an average per race handle of $119,769.
Let’s get to the races!
Feature Race The $50,000 Irish Day Stakes Race 2
The Irish Day Stakes was run as the 2nd race on the card and the field of 5 was reduced to 4 with a scratch of Sir Argento. Miner League was the 4-5 odds on choice coming off his dominating win in the Auburn Stakes back on June 16. Carlos Montalvo broke well from the inside post but maybe felt pressure to move sooner due to the short field and couldn’t allow the front speed to run off.
Whiskeyjack and Jose Zunino at 8-5 as the 2nd favorite was coming off a last to 1st run at 8-1 in an optional claimer and sported a career 2 starts and 2 wins record. Jack also was much closer than his season debut not wanting that early speed to have it all his own way on the lead.
That early speed was 3-1 Tougherthantherest with Silvio Amador who had finished 3rd also at 8-1 to Miner League in the Auburn Stakes. Amador and Tougherthantherest broke quickly and cleared both favorites with 23-1 longshot Julian in Paris was already far back and would never challenge to finish 4th.
Down the backstretch Tough set the 1st fraction at 22.51 which was bad news to the 2 favorites and Miner League made a move heading into the turn sweeping up on the outside and Whiskeyjack stayed close between horses but when 45.24 flashed up on the board for the half time in the 6 1/2 furlongs no doubt the connections of the favorites were starting to sweat while trainer of Tougherthantherest Blaine Wright had to be feeling good and he found out quickly he had every right to feel good as Amador left plenty in reserve.
Tougherthantherest extended his lead and rolled to a 2 1/2 length win in a final time of 1:16.86. The 2 favorites both failed to fire in the stretch and Whiskeyjack took 2nd and Miner League was 3rd.
Tougherthantherest is owned by Heidi Nelson and Dale Varbel and Blaine Wright is the trainer. Tougherthantherest earned $28,200 as he picked up his 2nd career win and is now 2-0-1 from 6 starts. His bankroll expanded to $53,450.
There was no show wagering with just 4 runners and Tougherthantherest paid $8.38 and $3.48 and Whiskeyjack paid $2.86 to place. The $1 exacta paid 10-1 at $11.80.
The Irish Day Stakes
The rest of the Saturday card
1st Race
Front speed was king for 80% of the day as the first call front runner won the 1st 5 races including the opener when 5-1 New Every Morning and Luis Reyes burst out of the gate for a quick 2 length lead and would set all the fractions of 22.46 and 45.33 woould win by 3 1/2 lengths in a final 6 furlong time of 1:09.98. New Every Morning is owned by John Parker and trained by Candi Cryderman and paid $12.04, $5.18 and $3.32.
8-5 favorite Rhodium Runner and Karlo Lopez finshed a clear 2nd, 9-2 Dennard and Alex Cruz was 3rd with Abraaj Mirage and Kevin Krigger capping the superfecta at 2-1. The 1st exacta of the day paid $22.53, the 50-cent trifecta returned $43.70 and the $1 superfecta paid $104.10.
3rd Race
Luis Reyes used the same game plan from the 1st race and took 7-1 Warren’s Memorable straight to the lead and made every pole a winning won in the 1 mile and 70 yard run. Reyes and Warren set times of 23.64, 47.79 and 1:12.49 for 3/4’s a mile and a final time of 1:43.41 with his length+ win. There was quite a group waiting for Warren’s Memory as the owners are the Emerald Racing Club of 141 members and is trained by Scott Tubbs.
4-1 Mischief Mama and Karlo Lopez ran 2nd Realrealgood and Allyssa Morales at 9-1 was 3rd and 4-1 Luvahappyending was 4th with Silvio Amador up. Warren’s Memorable paid $16.76, $5.46 and $4.02. The 1st 50-cent pick 3 of the day returned a nice $108.68. The trifecta returned $108.51 on the 2 quarters bet for the $1 bill bet $217.02 and the $1 superfecta paoid $512.10.
4th Race
Silvio Amador repeated the pattern on Saturday, Luis Reyes won the 1st race on the lead, Amador won the Irish Day Stakes on the engine in the 2nd. Reyes wins the 3rd with a front running effort and Amador blows them out in the 4th with a front running win on Si that Tiger over 5 furlongs. Amador led by 1 then 2 1/2 extended it to 4 at the top of the stretch and rolled to a 7 1/4 length win in a final time of 57.50. The only difference from the 1st 3 races was this was the 1st favorite to win at 3-2. Si That Tiger is owned by John and Janene Maryanski and Gerald and Gail Schndeider and is trained by Blaine Wright getting his 2nd win of the day.
West Coast Bull and Kevin Krigger ran 2nd behind the winner from start to finish at 5-2, 8-1 Tiz Grazen and Luis Reyes get the neck in front for the show and Candy Caballo and Leslie Mawing took 4th. The 1st pick 4 of the day paid a nice $447.26 and the $1 daily double $59.73.
5th Race
Karlo Lopez was next to hustle to the lead and go wire-to-wire aboard 8-5 favorite Knightline against a field of 7 going 6 furlongs. Knightline cleared the field with reasonable fractions of 22.19 and 45.23. Turning for home Knightline and Lopez had built an insurmountable 3 length lead and finished what he started with a 1 1/4 lengths win in a final time of 1:10.97. Knightline is owned by Nina and Ron Hagen, Peter Deraitus Jr and Howie Gibson and trained by Gibson. Knightline is a Washington bred by Coast Guard out of Knight Club by Matty G and was bred by Nina and Ron Hagen.
5-2 Street Mogul and Kevin Krigger ran a good race closing well at the end but settled for 2nd, 11-1 Barrister Proof and Javier Matias took 3rd and Mr Exclusive finished off the superfecta with Luis Reyes aboard at 9-1. Knightline paid $5.36, $3.54 and $2.80.
Race Replay
6th Race
In the 6th race a field of 5 went 6 furlongs and Luis Reyes nearly duplicated his 1st 2 wins on the night but broke 2nd about a length behind front runner and favorite Khaiky’s Command with Alex Cruz. But by the 1/2 pole Reyes had 2-1 Taino House on the lead from the outside. Taino House under a relaxed hold cruised to a 3 length lead and finished 4 lengths better than the other 2-1 Clayton Delaney and Karlo Lopez. Taino House is owned and trained by Miguel Hernandez and finished in 1:09.69. This was Reyes’ 3rd win of the day and 1st triple at Emerald Downs.
Clayton Delaney closed for the place, My Sunshine and Carlos Montalvo took 3rd at 5-1 and Khaiky’s Command held 4th. The 2nd pick 4 of the day paid $129.25.
Race Replay
7th Race
The 7th race blew up the whole pattern when Leslie Mawing took 7-2 Shelby Gold to the back of the pack in last going 6 furlongs in a field o 7. Mawing took his time never lost touch turned for home and the rail opened up and rallied to out close 9-1 Dansmetothendoflov with Isaias Enriquez. Luis Reyes was trying for win #4 on favorite Reservoir and got 1st run to lead into the stretch but flattened out taking 3rd and 14-1 Justin’s Lady with Alex Cruz was the early speed but couldn’t hold it ended up 4th.
Shelby Gold stopped the clock in 1:11.39 and races for R. E. V. Racing and trained by Frank Lucarelli. The 4 year-old filly is a Washington bred by Harbor the Gold out of Donadue by Uh Oh Bango and was bred by Eric Jensen. Shelby Gold paid $9.54, $4.92 and $3.02. The $1 exacta returned $32.10 the $1 superfecta paid $631.30.
Race Replay
8th Race
If Shelby Gold blew up the pattern of how to win on Saturday, Sporty Nugget blew up the tote board setting a new high $2 win pay-out. Sporty Nugget with Isaias Enriquez aboard was the only one to win from a true stalking position sitting 4th for 4 furlongs of the 1 mile distance race then began to ease forward into 2nd by the top of the stretch. 7-5 favorite Devil D’Oro and Kevin Krigger looked to the winner but Sporty Nugget had more in the tank and engaged the top choice and went on by to win by a length in a final time of 1:41.77. Sporty Nugget is owned by Billy Speed Racing Stable and trained by Frank Lucarelli, Lucarelli’s 2nd straight win.
Devil D’Oro held 2nd, 5-1 Money is Time was 3rd with Allyssa Morales, 4th went to 9-1 Pocket Knife and Jose Zunino and capping the Supr High 5 was Just Pin Me with Alex Cruz at 37-1. The Super High 5 was not hit and carries over $1,453 to Sunday. Sporty Nugget paid $83.80 on the $2 win and is easily the new high $2 win pay. The $1 exacta paid $119.25, the 50-cent trifecta $475.86, the 10-cent superfecta $375.88 which is surprsingly low even though the $1 super paid $3,758.80.
The Frank Lucarelli daily double paid $130.67, the pick 3 again surprisingly only $130.67, the pick 4 $$1,033.96 and the pick 5 $4,746.88. The pick 6 was not hit and 4 of 6 paid $6.90 with $451 carrying over to Sunday.
Race Replay
News and Notes
Handicapper nails 40-1 shot
Emerald Downs’ Joe Withee went on the record Saturday prior to the race selecting 40-1 longshot Sporty Nugget to stun the bettors and Sporty with Isaias Enriquez did not disappoint. Withee has been hot this year earlier having a 7 win day but nothing compares to nailing a 40-1 shot that set a new season high pay-out for the $2 win of $83.80. Strong work Joe!!
Jockeys
Silvio Amador snapped out of an 8 day win drought Friday night and followed that up with 2 wins on Saturday. One of those wins was his 2nd Stakes win of the season. Amador went from 9 wins now at 12 and tied for 7th in wins but in money earned he is 4th. He is also now the leading Stakes winning jockey the 1st one to two. He has another good chance on Sunday to get his 3rd stakes with Appeal Factor the same horse he won his 1st Stake with this year. Amador won on Appeal Factor in the 1st Stakes race of the season the Seattle Stakes on June 15th.
Luis Reyes has turned around his up and down beginning at Emerald Downs with hos 2nd big day of the year. The 1st was winning his 1st Stakes race on Neiman in the Budweiser Stakes on June 23rd. He has had days with 2 wins but Saturday was his 1st triple. Reyes has settled in and has become a big threat and is currently 4th in wins and 5th in earnings.
The top 2 riders combined for just 1 win on Saturday with top rider Alex Cruz getting shut out and Karlo Lopez getting 1 win. Cruz has 1 win for the week so far and Lopez has 2. :opez is still racking up a large number of 2nds that he keeps trying to convert to more wins right now he has 25 wins and 41 2nds. Cruz still leads the jockey standings with 37 a big 12 win advantage.
Isaias Enriquez picked up his 11th win on the huge longshot Sporty Nugget and Leslie Mawing after getting 3 wins last week and jetted to the top of the Eli Sports Power Rankings got his 10th win of the year on Saturday. Juan Gutierrez is now the only rider winning at more than 30% at 32% while Kevin Krigger got blanked yesterday and slips to 29%
Trainers
Blaine Wright doubled on Saturday and won the Stakes race with Tougherthantherest. Wright is the 1st trainer to win 2 stakes races also taking last Sunday’s Vivacious Tribute in the King County Express for 2 in a row. He goes for his 3rd straight today with 12-1 Arctic Breeze today in the Kent Stakes.
Frank Lucarelli also doubled winning the final 2 races on Saturday card 7-2 Shelby Gold and 40-1 Sporty Nugget. Leading trainer Justin Evans did not record a win on Saturday and the race for top trainer got a little tighter with Wright moving within 5 trailing 25-20 and Lucarelli in a clear 3rd with 13 wins.
Claims
1st Race
Abraaj Mirage has a new owner and trainer and is Liz Kowalski as both for a tag of $3,500.
Dennard goes to the barn of owner/trainer Miguel Hernandez for the price of $3,500.
New Every Morning was claimed by White Diamond Syndicate for trainer Vince Gibson at $3,500.
7th Race
Shelby Gold was claimed by Lusk Racing and Alexis Silve-Martinez abd will be trained by Silva-Martinez for $5,000.
Reservoir was tagged by Rick Kessler and Terra Firma Farm and goes to trainer Joe Toye for the price of $5,000.
Rafanelli got taken by Alex and Vincent Ortega for trainer Scott Tubbs at $5,000.
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