8/6/2023
This week it’s an all-in-one re-cap of the entire weekend. We’ll begin with Sunday’s races and work backwards. The weekend saw many things including Alex Cruz’s Friday night win streak come to an end after 22 straight Friday nights and then Cruz exploding on Sunday with 5 wins including a Stakes win. Cruz also took the lead in the jockey standings for the 1st time this season in his quest to become the 1st ever jockey to win 4 straight riding titles.
Jockey Javier Matias was back riding after 2 weeks out with an ankle injury and got a win. Former leading rider Luis Negron who is now 2 back of Cruz took off his mount in the Lassie Stakes on Sunday. There is no official reason at this time but after his ride in the previous race he returned to unsaddle and had a noticeable limp walkiong back to the jockey’s room. We will follow up and hope Negron who is having a great season in his 1st in the Northwest is ready to go for a huge weekend of racing coming up.
Trainer David Martinez and Oak Crest Farms got their 2nd stakes win of the year and trainer Steve Bullock got his 1st. Trainer Tom Wenzel picked up his 450th training win at Emerald Downs, trainer Valentin Garcia got his 1st win as a trainer and an owner and on Sunday it was a throwback to the 70’s and celebration of Longacres and two big stakes races for the 2-year-olds, the Lads and the Lassies.
Emerald Downs also did a very unique experiment on throwback day that limited the wagering options to the 70’s. There was win-place-show, exacta and trifecta bets each race and just 2 daily doubles on the 1st two races and the final two. No pick 3, 4, 5 Jackpot pick 6 Super Hi-5 or superfectas. The carry-over of the Pick 6 and Super Hi-5 will carry-over to next Friday’s races.
Sunday was also “Throwback to the 70’s Day celebrating Longacres” and Promotions Director Gary Dougherty had a huge collections of programs, racing forms, memorabilia on display and Gary Baze and Vicky Aragon-Baze were both there to sign autographs as many reminisced about the old days. We also got a chance to catch up with both Gary and Vicky after the Gary Baze Purse, see our interview below.
ESN talks with Gary Baze and Vicky Aragon-Baze
Photo Gallery
Let’s get to this crazy weekend of racing!
Sunday Racing
There were 10 races on the card on throwback to the 70’s day with a total of 53 starters or 5.3 per race. The handle did not reflect that the reduced wagering options were a huge hit with the betting public as they failed to hit the $1,000,000 mark falling just short at $989,020 or $98,902 average per race.
Coming into the day Alex Cruz trailed Luis Negron by 3 in the race for the jockey title and by the end of the day Cruz took over 1st place with a 2 win advantage as he won half of the races for the 1st 5 win day of the year for any rider while Negron got shut out. This is also the 4th time in Cruz’s career he’s had 5 winners in a day.
7th Race $65,000 Lads Stakes
A field of 5 broke for starter Mark Gibson in the 2nd stakes race of the year for 2-year-old colts and geldings and the public was divided on 3 of them with Whiskey Harbor and Kevin Radke going off as the 1-1 top choice, Bourbon Dancer and Silvio Amador the 8-5 2nd pick and at 3-1 Freightline and Alex Cruz. Mr. Executive and Luis Negron were 14-1 and Beer Begone with Carlos Montalvo was let go at 21-1. Mr.Executive would finish 4th and Beer Begone 5th leaving it to the top 3 to decide the WTBOA Lads Stakes going 6 1/2-furlongs.
The favorite Whiskey Harbor stumbled at the start which changed the entire complection of the race. Cruz and Freightline inherited the lead and was able to slow the front end down to fractions of 23-flat and 45.94. Bourbon Dancer challenged Freightline from the rail and Whiskey Harbor had to go wide but Cruz had plenty left and pulled away from his pursuers to roll to the win. This was Cruz’s 3rd win on the day and tied him with Luis Negron for the jockey lead for the 1st time this season.
Freightline completed the 6 1/2-furlongs in 1:18.11 and is a Washington bred by Coast Guard out of Knight Raider by Tribunal and was bred by Nina Hagen and Holly Sturgeon.
Freightline races for Gold Coast Racing III and i0s trained by Steve Bullock. Freightline is now 2-1-1 from 4 lifetime starts and earned $36,140 to more than double his lifetime earnings which ballooned to $64,940 as he picked up the largest purse of the season to date of $36,140.
Winner’s Circle ceremonies with Joe Withee
Stretch run as Freightline pulls away
Photo Gallery
9th Race $50,000 Lassie Stakes
In the WTBOA Lads Stakes no surprises here as 4-5 odds-on choice Appeal Factor ran as she pleased winning by 4 lengths and probably could have won b y 10. Silvilo Amador broke from the 2 hole and the runner inside of her Neissa at 7-2 with Rocco Bowen sped to the lead. Neissa set a blazing fraction of 21.84 for the quarter which simply set up Appeal Factor who cruised up to engage Neissa stopping the clopck at 44:34 for the half and simply continued on to expand a massive lead. Neissa dug and was challenged by Mocktails Anyone and Carlos Montalvo in the race for 2nd.
At the 16th pole Amador was gearing down Appeal Factor who still won by 4 in the end and Mocktails Anyone got up for 2nd by a head over Neissa. Outsider Parker’s Fifteen ran on well to be 4th for Alex Cruz. Appeal Factor finished the 6 1/2-furlongs in a time of 1:18.58. Appeal Factor is a Washington bred by The Factor out of Karula by Colonel John and was bred by Oak Crest Farm.
Oak Crest Farm, Jack and Theresa Hodge are also the owners of Appeal Factor and the trainer is David Martinez. Appeal Factor is a perfect 2-2 in her short career so far with 2 Stakes wins breaking her maiden in the Angie C and winning Sunday’s Lassies. She picked up the winners share of the purse which was $27,500 to push her bankroll to an even $55,000.
Appeal Factor Winner’s Circle with Joe Withee
Appeal Factor runs away with the Lassies
Photo Gallery
1st Race
The 1st race on 70’s throwback day was a 1-mile journey with a field of 6. La Popis and Kevin Radke made a bold move near the quarter pole and drew off to win easily running the 1-lap in 1:39.21. Drinkup Buttercup and Rocco Bowen closed at 9-1 to be 2nd, 4-1 Lassie Cat and Luis Negron took 3rd with Gunnhild and Kevin Radke 4th. La Popis was the 3rd winner of the weekend for Orozco and owner-trainer Luciano Medina Gabriel, each winning one each day so far. The 1st $1 exacta paid $37.20 or the throwback $5 bet $186.
2nd Race
Rocco Bowen remains RED HOT and won his 4th of the weekend with a well timed ride on Flyin By wearing down Feather inthe Wind and Alex Cruz in deep stretch for the win. Above the Stars and Luis Negron got up for 3rd while favorite First Promise ran 4th with Isaias Enriquez. Flyin By is owned by Kimberley and Rebecca Johnston and trained by Kimberley Johnston. The 4-year-old filly is a Washington bred by Coast Guard out of Wind a Flyin by Blazonry and was bred by Vince and Pamela Gibson.
3rd Race
4-1 Missed the Boat dropped back down to the level he ran a solid 2nd back on June 17th with Alex Cruz to redeem himself with a solid victory over a fast closing Tax Code with Kevin Radke and was the 3-2 betting choice. Tax Code tried to sneak through on the rail on the turn got pinched and swung to the outside but by that time Missed the Boat built up too much of a lead. Prayer of Jabez with Carlos Montalvo ran 3rd and Smiling Goodbye with Luis Negron 4th. Missed the Boat ran the 6 1/2-furlongs in 1:15.72 and races for Sauvageau Equestrian and is trained by Candi Cryderman.
4th Race
Mary Walker was guided to victory by Isaias Enriquez in a nifty off the pace move in a short 5 horse field going 6-furlongs. Enriquez broke 4th and waited to make a move turning for home surging to the lead then holding off 6-5 top choice Reservoir with Luis Negron for the nearly 2-length win in a time of 1:10.96. Scatalicious and Alex Cruz were 3rd with Queensboro and Rocco Bowen running 4th. Mary Walker races for R. E. V. Racing and is trained by Frank Lucarelli.
5th Race
The favorites bounced back in the 5th race and Alex Cruz got his 2nd win on the card to pull within 1 of leading rider Luis Negron. Cruz and 3-5 odds-on choice Theuntouchableone squared off with 2nd choice Mr. Bugs and Luis Negron to edge away late for the convincing win going the 3/4-mile in 1:10.62. Seventh House at 13-1 ran 3rd for Kevin Radke and finishing 4th was Our Hy Roller and Carlos Montalvo. Theuntouchableone is owned by Heidi Nelson and trained by Blaine Wright. The 3-year-old gelding is a Washington bred by Danzig Candy out of Our Georgie Girl by Discreetly Mine and was bred by Ron and Nina Hagen.
6th Race
5 went a mile after a late scratch and no one challenged 2-1 Cobra Jet and Isaias Enriquez for the lead so Enriquez set all the fractions turning for home. That’s when Barossa and Alexis Valdes said go on the other 2-1 shot and surged to about a head lead only to see Cobra Jet fight back on the rail and get the head win over Barossa in a time of 1:37.18. You Split Tens with Alex Cruz ran 3rd and Lago De Oro and Silvio Amador was 4th. Cobra Jet runs for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, R. E. V. Racing and Lucarelli Racing and is trained by Frank Lucarelli. Cobra Jet is a Washington bred by Curlin to Mischief out of Atta Gal Val by Atta Boy Roy and bred by Mr and Mrs William Griffin.
8th Race
The 8th race was the “Gary Baze Purse” and Alex Cruz won his 4th race of the day and took over the lead of the jockey standings for the 1st time this season. Cruz took 9-5 favorite DK’s Crown just off the pace of the 5 1/2-furlong run and held off 2 challengers on either side down to the wire winning by a neck from between horses over 7-1 Mahi Mahi and Kevin Orozco who was a 1/2 length in front of 4-1 Quiet Charm and Neptali Ortiz. Pick Your Bid and Kevin Radke was 4th. D K’s Crown stopped the clock in 1:03.49 and is owned by Steve Haahr and Alexis Silva-Martinez, Silva-Martinez is also the trainer.
10th Race
Alex Cruz added win #5 on the day with a stalking trip aboard 9-5 top choice Spire. Cruz and Spire wheeled up to the front runners at the top of the stretch and blew on by for a convincing 4 1/2 length win in a time of 1:09.76 for 6-furlongs. 10-1 Mojave and Kevin Orozco ran a well earned place finish, Asian Rain and Rocco Bowen had the early pace and held off Dennard and Kevin Radke for 3rd place. Spire races for Dawn Spillman and is trained by Jorge Rosales.
Saturday Night Racing
There was a total of 59 starters for a per race average of 7.4. The bettors appreciated the extra race and the increased number of horses as they bet a total of $1,092,347. There were again multiple winners of the pick 6 and they all got $414.06 but now a $3,968 carry-over will be waiting for the Pick 6 bettors next Friday as there won’t be Pick 6 wagering on Sunday’s throwback to the 70’s card.
Only 1 rider doubled on Saturday and it was Silvio Amador our Red Hot Mover on this week’s Jockey Power Rankings, and he won the 4th and the feature race. Alex Cruz got a win and Luis Negron did not so the battle for the top rider continues to be a 3-race advantage for Negron who had a win on Friday night. Meantime, Amador is within 1 of 3rd place Kevin Radke who got 1 win on Saturday and both Radke and Amador have time to make a run at the top 2 with 14 wins separating the top 4 but Radke and Amador will have to close the gap each week.
Rocco Bowen remains red hot as well with his 3rd win of the weekend on Saturday while Carlos Montalvo and Jose Zunino had wins and Kevin Orozco who won the feature on Friday took the Saturday night finale for his 2nd win of the weekend.
No trainers doubled on Saturday but Valentin Garcia got his 1st win in the finale of the season and also was his 1st win of the year as either trainer or owner. Tom Wenzel got his 450th career win at Emerald Downs with a win in the 3rd for the leading owner by earnings George Todaro. Jeff Metz got a win and was his 2nd for the weekend and both wins for Saratoga Racing Club. Luciano Medino Gabriel continues his impressive run at Emerald with a win as an owner/trainer also his 2nd of the week. Blaine Wright and Jorge Rosales each had a win on Saturday but both are 14 and 15 wins respectively behind leading trainer Justin Evans who has been shut out so far this week.
7th Race Muckleshoot Casino Feature Race
The feature race on Saturday was a 6-furlong dash with a field of 5 after a late scratch. 2nd longshot Goat Rocks with Francisco Diaz-Lopez went to the front and held as much as a 3 length lead setting the fractions of 21.72 and 44.47. Diaz-Lopez tried to steal it on the front end but Silvio Amador on the 2-1 2nd choice Donne Cattive had this one measured from the start.
Amador broke 4th and slowly made his way toward the leader clear on the outside when he really began to pick up the momentum on the turn. Amador and Donne Cattive were picking off runners quickly including odds-on choice Ms Gusta Luna with Isaias Enriquez who never really got into the race and finished a disappointing 4th.
Turning for home Donne Cattive explode and quickly caught Goat Rocks and she and Amador would pull away to a 1 1/2-length win over a very stubborn Goat Rocks. They were well clear of 3rd place Starry Beach with Rocco Bowen at 6-1 followed by the favorite.
Donne Cattive ran the 3/4-mile in 1:10.27 and races for Luigi and Diana DiPietro and trained by Coco Faustino. Donne Cattive is now 2-1-1 from 9 lifetime starts and picked up $10,440 to push her career earnings to $28,270.
Donne Cattive wins the Muckleshoot Casino Purse on Saturday
1st Race
The Saturday card began with a minor upset with 7-1 Calypso Princess getting up in time by a neck with Jose Zunino aboard to nip 6-5 favorite Daredevil Princess and Alex Cruz. Luvahappyending and Luis Negron ran 3rd with Shesrsecretweapon and Rocco Bowen 4th. Calypso Princess ran the 6-furlongs in 1:11.74 and races for Dave Milburn and Mark Freeman and trained by Charlie Essex.
2nd Race
Alex Cruz got his 1st win of the weekend and kept the longshot theme rolling with a last to 1st move on 11-1 Heart River chasing down Mo Connelly and Rocco Bowen for the nearly 2-length win in the 6 1/2-furlong run. Shesaheatwave and Luis Negron just missed 2nd by a neck and Square Footage with Alexis Valdes ran 4th. Heart River races for Saratoga Northwest Racing Club and comes from the Jeff Metz barn and ran the 6 1/2 in 1:17.25. Heart River combined with Calypso Princess to pay $105.40 for the $1 daily double and returned $25.20 on the $2 win.
3rd Race
The 1st 50-cent pick 3 of the day paid very well when it was capped off with 5-1 Miner League and Carlos Montalvo. Montalvo ran down the front speed of odds-on choice Knightline with Rocco Bowen to get the win. Miner League ran the 5-furlongs in 58.32 for owner George Todaro and trainer Tom Wenzel and the pick 3 paid $351.30.
Knightline outfinished 7-1 Dynamic Secret with Luis Negron and 4th went to Mokki and Javier Matias. But the Stewards flashed the Inquiry sign and DQ’s Knightline placing him 6th moving Dynamic Secret to 2nd, Mokki up to 3rd and 19-1 Victory Aly with Kevin Radke to 4th. The superfecta paid $55.91 on the dime bet and $559.10 on the $1.
4th Race
8 runners went a mile in the 4th and Silvio Amador got his 1st win of the day with another last to 1st run with Bel Regazzo at 3-1. Raajin Ribbon was 2nd with Rocco Bowen, Benny the Jet and Alexis Valdes ran 3rd with Socal Red and Alex Cruz rounding out the superfecta. Bel Regazzo is owned and trained by Luciano Medina Gabrieal and ran the mile in 1:37.52. The 1st 50-cent pick 4 paid a whopping $1,881.75 and the pick 3 continued to pay well $243.45.
5th Race
Although the favorite didn’t win, the 5-2 2nd choice Its Kraken Time with Kevin Radke did getting up by a head after a fierce stretch battle with the 3-2 top choice Blazen Grazen and Alex Cruz. Its Kraken Time races for 48 Racing Stable and trained by Anne Wisdom and beat the other 10 contenders with a winning time of 1:03.52 for 5 1/2-furlongs. Bails Him Out and Isaias Enriquez ran 3rd and although Pedal to the Metal with Jose Ruiz ran 4th they didn’t stay there with the 2nd DQ of the day as the Stewards took him down and placed him 10th moving Pirate Red and Silvio Amador up to 4th for the final number of the superfecta.
6th Race
There was no denying Rocco Bowen and the 1st favorite to win on the day as Seven Sisters went gate to wire in the 6-furlong sprint in a time of 1:10.55 to win by nearly 3 lengths. Dance Lady and Jose Zunino rallied from last to 2nd, Heat Seeking Leta and Kevin Radke took 3rd while Miss Aggie Bling and Kevin Orozco hit the board 4th. Seven Sisters is owned by Eliska Kubinova and trained by Jorge Rosales. The 2nd pick 4 took a big drop in pay-out to just $168.05.
8th Race
In the finale Kevin Orozco picked up his 2nd win of the weekend when he surged to the lead with 7-2 Dusalut and pulled out to a 4 length mid-stretch lead and cruised to an easy win over a late closing Prince of Luck and Luis Negron at 15-1. 9-5 favorite Bob’s Sniper and Neptali Ortiz was 3rd, 15-1 Lochness and Kevin Radke 4th while Famous Rock Star with the 1st ride at Emerald Downs Dale Aguilar capped the Super Hi-5 in 5th. Dusalut ran the 5 1/2-furlongs in 1:04.76 for owner-trainer Valentin (Picho) Garcia. The final pick 4 paid $130.60, the pick 5 returned $518.05 and there were multiple winners of the pick 6 pushing a $3,968 carry-over to next Friday and no one got the Super Hi-5 so a carryover of $1,728 will also get pushed to next Friday night.
Friday Night Racing
There were 7 races with a total of 43 horses for an average of just over 6 per race. The handle has been very consistent on Friday nights and hit the bullseye again at $854,941. For the 1st 6 races 6 different riders found the winners circle it wasn’t until the 7th and last race that Rocco Bowen became the only double winner of the night. No owners or trainers doubled on Friday night.
From the betting windows no one hit the Jackpot of the pick 6 but those sharing the pay-off picked up $471.90 and a $2,311 carryover went to Saturday. The 50-cent pick 5 paid a nice 41,085.15 and the Super Hi-5 may have paid a season low of $50.30. Lucky Code in the 3rd was the high $2 win pay-out of $26.60 and did trigger a couple of really nice pick 3 pays. Let’s get to the re-caps!
6th Race Feature JD Plumbing Race
A field of 6 broke from the Emerald Downs gates at 6-furlongs and the 1-1 betting choice Ms Parkside with Luis Negron went straight to the lead but could not clear from 5-2 Reign of Fire who remined just a head back as the pair set the early fractions of 21.89 and 44.74. The back and forth battle would end up costing them the win as Reign of Fire was able to overtake the favorite and did look like she was going to win.
However, sitting back in 5th early Kevin Orozco had Nan Elizabeth saving herself and kept her out of trouble to the outside. As they approached the 1/4 pole “Lizabeth” and Orozco were about 2 lengths behind and closing. Orozco had plenty left as Nan Elizabeth rolled up to engage Reign of Fire who fought back valiantly but the mojo was all in Nan Elizabeth’s favor to get the win by a neck in a final time of 1:10.14. Ms Parkside held 3rd while Rocco Bowen on Smiling Thunder closed late for 4th.
Owner-Trainer Luciano Medina Gabriel saddled the winner and the nearly $14,000 in purse money pushed her career earnings to $75,160 and her career record is now 5-3-3 from 20 starts and an impressive 25% win rate.
Nan Elizabeth wins the Friday Night Feature
1st Race
Munnings Tale won as the betting choice of 8-5 with Alexis Valdes aboard running the 1-mile in 1:38.55. Cocoa Cents and Alex Cruz were 2nd followed by Warren’s Memorable and Rocco Bowen while Party Police and Kevin Radke rounded out the top 4. Winning owner was Rodney Orr and trained by Blaine Wright.
2nd Race
Rocco Bowen got 9-5 favorite Withee to the line 1st by a nose over Moonlightwine and Alex Cruz, denying Cruz’s best chance at a win on Friday night. Withee ran the 6-furlongs in 1:10.99 and races for Clark and David Israel and Richard Charles and is trained by Steve Bullock. The Thurd Ring with Neptali Ortiz ran 3rd and 4th went to Contejas with Silvio Amador. Withee is a Washington bred by Harbor the Gold out of Stormy Bet by Storm Creek and was bred by the owners.
3rd Race
Luis Negron booted home longshot Lucky Code at 12-1 for owner Free Brook Racing and trainer Scott Freeman with a clear win by 4 lengths running 1-mile in 1:37.61. Odds-on favorite A Skip in the Park with Jose Zunino took 2nd, Brannigan and Rocco Bowen ran 3rd and capping off the superfecta was Capiat and Kevin Radke.
4th Race
A field of 7 went 6 1/2-furlongs and jockey Javier Matias was making his 1st ride in 2 weeks after suffering an ankle injury and he made it pay with a perfect stalking trip on Awesome Move for the win by a nose as the 6-5 betting choice. Time’er Too just missed and settled for 2nd with Rocco Bowen, 23-1 Howdoyoulikemenow and Luis Negron got up for 3rd and Ice Tower and Alex Cruz ran 4th. Tena Birdwell is the owner and trainer of Awesome Move.
5th Race
3 went to the finish line in the 5th and 5-1 Pearl River Delta with Isaias Enriquez got the nose down in front of Gold Coast Girl, the 2nd loss by a nose on the day for Rocco Bowen and then just a neck back in 3rd was Big Mama Thornton and Silvio Amador who 2 in front of deep closer Ms Lynn and Luis Negron for 4th. Dave Duke and Ron Dutton own the winner and is trained by Rigo Velasquez. Pearl River Delta is a Washington bred by Abraaj out of Atta Girl Pearl by Atta Boy Roy and bred by Pat and Mullan Chinn.
7th Race
In the finale Rocco Bowen got his 2nd win after 2 other near misses brining in odds-on choice Shemakescents to a clear win. Rodeo Rose and Damian Cruz ran 2nd, Lady Brett had the early lead for Alex Cruz as he had one last chance to keep his Friday night win streak alive but settled for 3rd while For You Only and Jennifer Whitaker was 4th with Easy Does It and Kevin Orozco completing the Super Hi-5. Shemakescents races for Saratoga Northwest Racing Club, is trained by Jeff Metz and ran the 6 1/2-furlongs in 1:17.88.
www.elisportsnetwork.com