7/21/2023
(Auburn, WA) Friday night racing had 7 races with 43 starters or just over 6 a race average. 4 favorites won along with 2 2nd fav’s and the longest shot of the night to win was 3-1. You had to be confident and up your bets to make a big return as the pick 4’s paid between $33 and $54, the pick 5 paid about $150 the pick 6 had multiple winners and paid $160 but a nice carry-over to Saturday of more than $5,000. The overall hand for the night was more than 826k and averaged a little more than $118,000 per race.
From a jockey’s perspective Kevin Radke came in as our Red Hot Mover of the week after winning 5 races and a stake last week and picked up where he left off as the only one to win twice. Leading rider Luis Negron got the feature win by a neck over Alex Cruz and Cruz extended his Friday night win streak and again waited for the final race to get his win going wire to wire for the win. Cruz has won at least 1 race in 21 straight Friday nights. Negron and Cruz each won 1 race and Negron maintained his 4 win lead in the standings.
Rocco Bowen is back for the full weekend and had a solid night winning 1 along with 3 places and 2 shows, Silvio Amador picked up a victory from his 3 mounts and Isaias Enriquez who was shut out last week wasted little time to rectify that issue by winning the 1st race of the night.
Blaine Wright was Red Hot last week as well and came out firing. Leading trainer Justin Evans had jetted out to a massive lead and it appears no one is going to catch him but if anyone is it looks to be Wright who doubled Friday night and doubled as an owner as well. He was the sole owner of Coastarando in the 4th and shared ownership with Shawn Sudo of Hollywood Mistress in the 5th.
Jeff Metz got a win and a pair of 2nds from 3 starts, Sam Dronen won and showed from his 2 runners, Frank Lucarelli remains hot as well and won the opener, Jorge Rosales was in the winner’s circle in the finale and picked up a show in his other start and Coco Patino won the feature.
The best race of the night was the feature race so let’s get into the Friday night card with a look at the feature race and then re-caps of the other 6 races.
6th Race Feature Race the Muckleshoot Casino Purse
A big field of 9 went 6 1/2-furlongs in the Muckleshoot Casino purse Friday night and it was the closest we got to a big win pay-off on the night. 11-1 Ice Tower with Alex Cruz spun for home as the front speed was fading and split horses to take the lead. 7-5 favorite Napoletano with Luis Negron had been tracking Ice Tower and hit the top of the stretch in 4th.
Ice Tower pulled ahead at the 1/8th pole and looked like he might get the win but Napoletano had a kick left, split rivals and closed with a rush on the inside of Ice Tower and in the final yards surged to a neck win. 10-1 Time’er Too with Rocco Bowen was 3rd and rounding out the superfecta was 20-1 Reign of Speed with Neptalia Ortiz.
Ice Tower ran the 6 1/2 in 1:16.54 and races for Luigi Di Pietro and trained by Coco Patino. Napoletano earned $8,120 for the win to push the 4-year-old gelding’s earning to $26,152 and a career record of 2-1-0 from 9 lifetime starts.
Napoletano paid $4.80 on the $2 win while Ice Tower returned $9.80 and $5 while Time’er Too paid $5.40 for the show. The $1 exacta returned $17.10 the 50-cent trifecta was good for $52.25 and the dime super paid $65.39 or for the traditional $1 bet a hefty $653.90.
Race Replay of Friday Night’s Feature Race
The rest of the card
1st Race
2nd choice Out of Stars with Isaias Enriquez aboard sat just off the pace and took control in the stretch for a clear win. 6-5 favorite Percy’s Sis and Alex Cruz couldn’t hold the lead for the win but was clearly 2nd best, Goin’ Coastal and Rocco Bowen were 3rd while Baby Martini and Francisco Diaz-Perez completed the top 4. Out of Stars ran the 6-furlongs in 1:11.06 and races for Chad and Josh and is trained by Frank Lucarelli. Out of Stars is a Washington bred by Super Saver out of Star Dreamin by Curlin and was bred by Chad Christensen.
2nd Race
5-2 3rd favorite Heat Seeking Leta gave Kevin Radke his 1st win of the night with a perfect stalking run from 4th swung out for the drive and was much the best winning by 3 lengths. The Emerald Racing Club’s Warren’s Memorable ran 2nd with Rocco Bowen at 5-1, Bells and Whistles and Isaias Enriquez was 3rd and Rolinga with Alex Cruz took 4th. Heat Seeking Leta is owned by Carol Dronen and trained by Sam Dronen. This is the Dronen’s 2nd win of the season.
3rd Race
Rocco Bowen sent 1-1 favorite Purple Night straight to the lead in this 5 horse field going 6-furlongs and never looked back to win by more than a length. Mist Oona B anbd Alex Anaya, our Blazer rider of the week last week was a clear 2nd best on the 4-1 shot, at 5-1 Shesrsecretweapon ran 3rd with Alex Cruz and Gunnhild with Kevin Radke was 4th at 4-1. Purple Night is owned by Horseplayers Racing Club and trained by Jeff Metz and ran the 3/4’s in a time of 1:10.86.
4th Race
Coastarando broke well in this 6 horse field going 6 1/2-furlongs and Silvio Amador sat just off the front speed of Danielle’s Secret and Alex Cruz. Turning for home Amador made his move and got 1st run quickly giving him some distance and held off Shemakescents with Rocco Bowen who closed late for 2nd. Danielle’s Secret held the show and Rodeo Rose with Kevin Radke was 4th. Coastarando stopped the clock in 1:16.35 and races for BDW Racing and is trained by Blaine Wright. The 1st pick 4 paid $38.55.
5th Race
A field of 6 went 1-mile and Kevin Radke put favorite Hollywood Mistress in a perfect off the pace position sitting 4th for the 1st 6-furlongs that they ran in 1:11.78. at the quarter pole Radke was out in the 3 path when he pressed go and Hollywood responded with a sweeping run past the front runners to the lead and pulled away for a 2 length win. Sherlinda and Rocco Bowen were a clear 2nd while long shot Brilliant Bird with Silvio Amador set all the fractions on the lead and held on for 3rd at 11-1 while completing the superfecta was In the Red with Luis Negron. Hollywood Mistress ran the mile in 1:36.47 and races for BDW Racing and Shawn Sudo giving both Radke and trainer Blaine Wright their 2nd win on the card. The 50-cent trifecta paid a decent $110.15 and the super $42.99 for the 10-cent bet or $429.90 for the $1 wager.
7th Race
In the finale Alex Cruz’s Friday night win streak was on the line for the 2nd week in a row and again he does not get upset and goes wire-to-wire with Lady Brett as the 3-1 2nd choice and paid the highest $2 win of the night at $8.80. Miss Accelerate with Kevin Radke ran 2nd as the 9-5 favorite, I Am Yours and Luis Negron fnished 3rd, Settler’s Cove and Jennifer Whitaker ran 4th and completing the 50-cent super hi-5 was Awesome Daze and Silvio Amador. Lady Brett races for Michael Radovich and is trained by Jorge Rosales and ran the 6-furlongs in 1:11.29. Ther Super Hi-5 was the high pay of the day at $383.35.
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