9/2/2024
(Auburn, WA)
*Editor’s note: This is the Eli Sports Network’s very busy time of year as we begin another school year of High School sports. Our main business is live streaming High School sports and we have several crews out nightly Monday-Saturday to cover games. Last year we live streamed more than 1,300 games and events in a 9 month-period.
So for the rest of the season our Emerald Downs coverage will be shorter and focus on the feature races and Stakes on closing day. Plus our News and Notes, Betting Window features and the Claim report. The re-cap of each race will be reduced to a link to the Equibase full chart. We’re sorry for those who like the little re-caps of each race but we’re simply out of time these days.
So let’s get started with our weekend wrap-up. There were 24 races carded with a 7-8-9 format beginning Friday night. Below is our Feature race stories and then a link to each days charts for full results, pay-offs and additional information.
Saturday
8th Race Feature Race
A field of 5 lined up for this solid feature race going 1 mile. The well matched field was led by 3-2 favorite Paid in Full with Alex Cruz who went to the lead setting all the fractions of 22.74, 45.11 and 1:09.82 to the top of the stretch. 3-1 Dirt Road Red and Javier Matias sat on the rail just behind Paid in Full saving ground every step of the way.
3-1 Third Wheel with Kevin Krigger was 3rd early on with 5-2 Overly Fast and Karlo Lopez running 4th with Napoletano last as the lomgshot at 11-1.
As they swung for home Paid in Full drifted off the rail opening up a big lane for Dirt Road Red and Matias. Matias asked and had plenty saved for the home stretch rolling up on Paid in Full and right on by to win by nearly 2 lengths. Dirt Road Red ran the 8 furlongs in 1:36.49. Paid in Full ran a good race and held off a closing Overly Fast by a 1/2 length for 2nd and Third Wheel ended up 4th.
Dirt Road Red races for John Parker and trained by Candi Cryderman. Dirt Road Red earned $10,545 for the win and pushes his career earnings to $248,976 and a career record of 14-14-9 from 57 lifetime starts.
This was Dirt Road Red’s 3rd win of the season and is now 3-0-1-1 from 6 starts in 2024. Dirt Road Red paid $8.18, $3.18 and $2.62. The $1 exacta paid $12.23, 50-cent trifecta $17.38 and the $1 superfecta $66.30.
Link to Equibase Chart with full Pay-outs
Dirt Road Red wins the Feature Replay
Saturday
7th Race Feature Race
The Saturday feature was as good as a Stakes race that turned into a match race between Slew’s Tiz Whiz and Arma d’Oro after 2 late scratches reducing the field to 4 going a mile. Arma d’Oro already recorded the fastest mile time of the season and looked to either stalk or take the lead if he was allowed at his pace.
When the gates opened it wS 8-1 El Alto Hombre and Leslie Mawing going to the lead with Arma d’Oro and Kevin Krigger 2nd. Slew’s Tiz Whiz with Jose Zunino was a closer 3rd than usual and 16-1 Muncey and Javier Matias were 4th and would stay in 4th as none of the 3 in front came back to him.
As they reached the far turn El Alto Hombre was clinging to a short lead when Krigger said go and cruised to a 2 length lead turning for home. Slew and Zunino moved early too and as they straightened away Arma d’Oro didn’t add to his 2 length lead but didn’t give an inch either as the pair drew away from the other two and Arma d’Oro scored a 2 length win in the 2nd fastest mile time of the meet in 1:34.35, 3/10s of a second off his already fastest time of 1:34.04. Slew’s Tiz Whiz was 11 lengths in front of El Alto Hombre who was a clear 3rd over Muncey.
Arma d’Oro races for Rakoczy Racing and Justin Evans and trained by Evans. Arma d’Oro collected $15,390 for the win and has now banked $172,760 from 35 career starts and an 8-4-6 record.
There was no show wagering with just 4 starters and Arma d’Oro at 3-2 paid $5.04 and $2.10. Slew was the odds-on favorite and paid $2.10. The $1 exacta $3.02, the 50-cent trifecta $3.99 and the $1 superfecta $6.70.
Link to Equibase Chart with full Pay-outs
Arma d’Oro holds off Slew’s Tiz Whiz in the Feature Replay
Friday Night
6th Race Feature Race
After 2 scratches left 5 to go 6 1/2 furlongs, still Rockit a Day got no respect. Juan Gutierrez pressed the pace right behind odds on favorite and 3 time winner Frisco Frills with Allyssa Morales. Fractions set were 22.67 and 45.31. Meantime, longshot at 8-1 She’s So Shiny and Isaias Enriquez sat further back in 4th place.
Rockit a Day took the lead from Frisco at the half mile by a head and put away the speedy Frisco Frills who didn’t have it on this night and fade to 4th place. At the top of the stretch Rockit a Day held a 1 1/2 length lead but She’s So Shiny was stirring as she swung out 5 wide to make her bid. Inside the 16th pole Shiny had a shot but Gutierrez and Rockit gutted out the win by a neck in a final time of 1:16.82. 5-1 Lady Cruiser and Carlos Montalvo came from last and was gaining as well but was back about length at the line.
Rockit a Day won her 3rd race of the year and never as a favorite. She broke her maiden on opening Day, May 4th at 4-1 for owners The Five and trainer David Martinez but was claimed for $10,000 by new owner Club Lucky for trainer Bonnie Jenne. Since then she has been 1st at 11-1, 3rd at 27-1 and then tried Stakes company in the Kent Stakes and was well beaten at 61-1. Rockit won again at 6-1.
Jenne and Gutiererz have had a long working relationship as a pair of veterans and of course Guti the all-time winningest rider at Emerald Downs. The duo just teamed up to take the Washington Cup Juvenile for colts and geldings last Sunday.
Rockit a Day is now 3-0-4 from 11 lifetime starts and banked $9,405 in the starter allowance run. Her career earnings are now $39,063. Rockit a Day is a Washington bred by Atta Boy Roy out of Jacobita by Forest Wildcat and was bred by Keith and Jan Swagerty.
Roclit a Day paid $15.98, $5.64 and $3.12. The $1 exacta $58.83, the 50-cent trifecta $109.54 and the $1 superfecta $532.10.
Link to Equibase Chart with full Pay-outs
Rockit A Day upsets in the Feature
Link to Friday Race Charts
Link to Saturday Race Charts
Link to Sunday Race Charts
News and Notes
Alex Cruz clinches 5th straight Jockey title
OK, there is a mathematical path for someone to catch Alex Cruz in the final 6 days but they are so astounding there is no way anyone can catch him. Coming into the weekend Cruz had a 13 win lead over Kevin Krigger and after Cruz scorched the track with 6 more wins this past weekend. Cruz added to his lead by 3 with 60 wins over Krigger’s 44.
Cruz is the only jockey to win 4 consecutive jockey titles at any race meet in state history and now #5 in a row is his. Despite a “mathematical” pathway for Krigger to run down Cruz it’s 99.99999% improbable. The problem is Krigger even getting enough rides to make up tghe 16 win deficit.
Krigger has the highest win percent of the meet with a massive 30% and won 3 more races over the weekend. The only one who could make a late run is Krigger. But really? The numbers say not even close. Krigger averages 3 rides per day which means he has likely 18 rides left this season.
This means Krigger has to win 16 of 18 races to tie and 17 of 18 to pass Cruz. And these ridiculous numbers are based on Cruz not winning another race in 6 days. Each win he does get adds to the number of mounts needed by the chasers to catch him so even though we can show a mathematic path on paper there is no real path to topping Cruz in 2024. The question left is will Cruz make it 6 in a row?
Blaine Wright gets Emerald win 500 and 501
Trainer Blaine Wright was sitting on Emerald Downs win 499 coming into the weekend and scored his 500th win on Sunday in the 4th race when Checkered Flag nosed out Goin’ South for the win.Kevin Orozco got the win for owners William and Mary Lou Griffin, Steve Kinross and Cherie Wright for Blaine Wright’s 500th win.
Wright didn’t take long to add #501 when he won the 5th race with 5-1 My Little Lady and Silvio Amador. Wright is currently 2nd in the trainer standings with a 32-17-18 for 2024 and 2nd in total earnings at 566k.
Francisco Diaz-Lopez
Francisco rode his 1st race since being injured in a spill earlier this month. Diaz-Lopez make his living working horses in the morning and has been a regular presence on the backside for years at Emerald and rides in races sparingly. Diaz-Lopez is having his best year racing in many years at Emerald with a 2-2-3 record from just 24 rides. He is currently 20th in earnings. He finished out of the money on Friday but it was great to see him back in the saddle.
Zippin Sevenz
Former Stakes winner Zippin Sevenz had been on a streak and not the good kind. The last time Zip won was the Emerald Distaff from Longacres Mile Day in 2022 at 23-1 with Alex Cruz aboard. Since then she’s been shut out 9 straight races. Now retired jockey Kevin Radke tried with her last year, Karlo Lopez gave her a shot earlier this season but who pulled her out of her funk? Yep, Cruz on Friday night in the 2nd race as the odds-on favorite. The win was great for owner Mike Phillips and trainer Alan Bozell who have been the only home Zip has known but was claimed for $12,500 on Friday and goes to the Lucarelli barn.
Validate
The 5 year-old Validate has been a popular runner in the claiming ranks as he was taken for the 5th time this year. Validate had spent his 1st 4 years with trainer Howard Belvoir and coming into the 2024 season had only 1 win from 16 lifetime starts.
He won on his 2nd outing under Leslie Mawing for Belvoir on May 31st. Belvoir ran him again on June 16 and was claimed by owner/trainer Alexis Silva-Martinez for 5k. Silva-Martinez ran him 3 times and was claimed by trainer Justin Evans on July 7 also for 5k. Silva-Martinez took him back for $2,500 on July 28th. Validate was claimed again on August 16 by Jorge Rosales for $3,500. Rosales then ran him Friday night for $5,000 and now heads to the barn of trainer Bob Bean.
Validate ran 5th Friday night but 2024 has been his best year going 3-1-1 from 8 starts and earning more than $20,000 of his 34k career earnings this summer.
Washington Breeder shine on Friday Night
Washington State breeders shined on Friday night winning 5 of the 7 races. The leading breeders Nina and Ron Hagen began with a sweep of the 1st daily double taking the 1st and 2nd races with Theuntouchableone by Danzig Candy and Zippin Sevenz by Coast Guard.
The 5th race was won by the breeder team of Jennifer Webber, Margo Lloyd, Tammy Sodergren and Kenneth Jochimsen. The group saw their A Skip in the Park by Prospect Park win handily for owners Round table Stable #2.
Keith and Jan Swagerty then finished the night sweeping the late daily double including the feature race with 6-1 Rockit a Day by Atta Boy Roy and 7-1 Always Gallant by Gallant Son in the finale. The Swagerty’s came away with the far better daily double pay-off for as their late double paid $63.99 for the $1 bet while the Hagen’s did not surprise anyone paying just $2.41 as both were odds-on favorites.
Both the Hagen’s and Swagerty’s added another win on Saturday for 3 each this weekend. Connie Belshay got 1 win on Sunday to avoid a Washington shut out on day 48.
John Parker and Candi Cryderman double on Sunday
It’s been a tough season for team Parker and Cryderman, two very familiar faces to the Emerald Downs winner’s circle. Sunday they swept the late daily double including the feature race with Red Dirt Road at 3-1 and New Every Morning at 5-2. For Cryderman she recorded her 9th and 10th wins of the season. She’s currently tied for 10th in the trainer standings.
John Parker has won the Owners Standings 5 times taking top honors in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022. He finished 3rd last year and was looking to get back to the top this season. Parker has had some frustration in finding a spot for some of his younger horses to get in. He has compliled a record 99% would be thrilled with of 10-810 in 3rd place in wins and earnings. With 6 race days left don’t be surprised if those bright yellow silks with black JB on the back catch fire.
Team Rage doubles/Joe Toye simple Rages!
The Rage ownhership group of Rage recorded 2 wins over the weekend while their trainer Joe Toye has simply been raging recording at 1 win for the 6th straight day. Rage #2939 won on Saturday with 6-1 Public Apperance in the 4th race and on Sunday Rage #4 won the 3rd race with 5-2 I’m Telling Mom. The Rage ownership groups are now a combined 7-1-2 from 12 starts all under the watchful eye of Toye.
Meantime, Toye is on a tear. Toye has sent 17 starters to the gates over the last 6 racing racing days tallying a remarkable 8-1-3 record. That’s a 47% win rate and 71% top 3 finish. Toye on the year is now 19-13-13 from 91 starts hitting a 21% win rate. Toye moves up to 4th in the trainer standings.
The Betting Window
There were 2 massive pay-offs on Friday night with the 50-cent pick 5 paying $10,502.24 with 2 winning tickets. This was not a new high as the season high Pick 5 pay is $25,371.01 from July 14.
The Super High Five set a new high pay by blowing out the previous high pay of $4,562.60 from July 21st. Friday night’s 50-cent pentafecta paid an eye-popping $24,465.38, just shy of 20k more than the previous high pay. 7-1 Always Gallant led the charge followed by a 10-1, 10-1, 6-1 and 11-1 rounding 0ut the top 5.
Either someone was able to key 1 or 2 of the runners and invested a lot to get this or someone’s lucky numbers or birthdays or anniversaries are 3-8-1-9-2. If you bet the Super High 5 and left be sure to check your tickets!
Pick 5 was huge in August
The 14 race days in August proved to be very profitable for the Pick 5 players. Only 5 of the 14 days paid less than $1,000. The high pay was $10,502.24 which was on Friday and the lowest of $350.73 was Saturday to bookend the popular bet on the final 2 days of the month.
There was also a $8,511.37, $7,239.99 pay-off and a $4,831.71. There were 4 other pays between $2,000 and $3,400 and a $1,180.78. Total they paid off $45,554.04 for the month or an average of $3,253.86.
Claims
Sunday
1st Race
Parker’s Fifteen goes to Russell Hulk and trainer David Martinez for $5,000.
Unbridled Violet was claimed by Lusk Racing and heads to conditioner Vince Gibson for $5,000.
9th Race
New Every Morning was claimed by Rosales Racing F1 and will be trained by Jorge Rosales for $2,500.
Wear the Crown was red tagged by John Parker and trainer Candi Cryderman for $2,500.
Saturday
1st Race
Earthly Tiger was tagged by Alex and Vincent Ortega for trainer Scott Tubbs for $5,000.
2nd Race
Coastal Girl was claimed by Rage #2939 and goes to trainer Joe Toye for $15,000.
8th Race
Sorority Party got new owners in Alex and Vincent Ortega and goes to the Scott Tubbs barn for $5,000.
Friday Night
2nd Race
Zippin Sevenz wasa tagged by Josh McKee, Aaron Bresko and Lucarelli Racing and goes to trainers Frank Lucarelli for $12,500.
Rafanelli was taken by Jaqueline Smith for trainer Michael Bullene for $12,500.
4th Race
Validate was red tagged by new owner Llolyd David Irvine and goes to the barn of Bob Bean for $5,000.
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