5/25/2025

(Auburn, Wa) Sunday of Memorial Day weekend had 9 races on the card with 75 starters for an average of 8.3 starters per race. The first full field of 12 ran for the first time on Sunday in the 6th race. There had been other 12 horse fields but in each at least one runner was scratched preventing the official field of 12.

Kevin Krigger and trainer Justin Evans teamed up for 3 wins each and all-time leading rider at Emerald Downs got his 1st win of the season in the finale on Confidence Builder. This was his 1,593rd win in Auburn and 2,207th career win.

Manny Americano had a riding double and Kevin Orozco extended his winning streak to 7 consecutive days when he brought home 8-1 Handr’sdream in the 3rd race.

The big fields and big pays are attracting a lot of attention as the betting handle set a new season high of $1,811,545 and for the 2nd straight day the average per race handle topped 200k at $201,283 per race.

The top $2 show of the season was topped for the 2nd straight day after Pakas Secret paid $22.14 on Saturday, El Goloso at 60-1 paid $26.42 on Sunday.

Look for more news and notes with “The Track Wire” story that will come out on Wednesday.

Let’s get to the Sunday races!

8th Race Feature Race The Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse

A field of 6 went 5 1/2-furlongs and the two favorites would quickly make this into a two horse race, at least until the stretch. 9-5 Fun Money with Kevin Krigger broke 1st and drew off to a 1 1/2-length lead while setting a sizzling first quarter of 21.29. 6-5 favorite From Scratch and Silvio Amador loomed up to go head and head on the turn and the duo set a half mile time of 43.49.

As the pair straightened away Krigger tapped Fun Money and they found not one other gear but five additional gears rolled to the biggest win of the year pulling away from the betting choice to win by 8 3/4-lengths.

From Scratch held 2nd and was more than 2 lengths in front of 3rd place Clubhouse Drama with Isaias Enriquez at 11-1 with 10-1 Special Diva and Frank Alvarado running 4th.

Fun Money is owned by Jeff Plotkin, Paul Miller and Al Sander and trained by Justin Evans. This was the 3rd win of the day for both Krigger and Evans. Fun Money, a 5-year-old mare is now 2-5-4 from 13 lifetime starts and earned $13,680 to push her lifetime earnings to $182, 970.

Fun Money stopped the clock in a blazing 1:01.84, a second off the track and world record of 1:00.87 set by Hollywood Harbor back in 2012. Her final time did set the meet fastest 5 1/2-furlong time just beating the 1:01.87 set by Si That Tiger 2 weeks ago.

Pay-outs
5 Fun Money (Krigger)  $5.74  $2.72  $2.10
2 From Scratch (Amador)  $2.54  $2.30
7 Clubhouse Drama (Enriquez)  $3.94
$1 Ex 5-2 $8.63
$1 Tri 5-2-7 $26.62
$1 Super 5-2-7-6 $152.30
$1 DD 5-5 $4.59
50-cent Pick (3) 5-5-5 $29.52

Race Replay

The rest of the Sunday card.

1st Race

In the Sunday opener, early front speed showed it’s hand setting the tone for several front runners chalking up wins. 9-2 Shady Harbor a first time starter with Manny Americano up went straight to the lead and denied all challengers winning the 5 1/2-furlongs by nearly 4 lengths in a final time of 1:04.46. Shady Harbor is owned by the Shady Valley Ranch and trained by Howie Gibson who remains hot as a firecracker.

12-1 Peg’s Choice with Silvio Amador ran 2nd, 5-2 Lovely Story and Frank Alvarado was 3rd with favorite Always a Diva and Kevin Krigger running 4th.

The 3-year-old filly, Shady Harbor is a Washington bred by Harbor the Gold out of Hit a Star by Ihtimam and was bred by the Shady Valley Ranch.

Pay-outs
3 Shady Harbor (Americano)  $11.88  $5.96  $3.66
6 Peg’s Choice (Amador)  $10.78  $6.34
1 Lovely Story (Alvarado)  $3.28
$1 Ex 3-6 $64.08
$1 Tri 3-6-1 $159.38
$1 Super 3-6-1-2  $301.80

Race Replay

2nd Race
The public settled on Chalkoneupformom and Silvio Amador to be the 8-5 favorite and they did not disappoint with a front running winning effort going 5 1/2-furlongs. Mom and Silvio set all the fractions going 21.68, 44.33 and a final time of 1:03.06 winning by 6 lengths. Chalkoneupformom races for Susan Hunter and is trained by Isidro Tamayo.

5-2 Stormy Kiss ran 2nd with Manny Amricano up while 7-1 Swift Caro and Julien Couton took 3rd and completing the top 4 was 4-1 Prancin Lady with Frank Alvarado.

Pay-outs
4 Chalkoneupformom (Amador)  $5.50  $3.42  $2.86
5 Stormy Kiss (Americano)  $3.68  $2.88
3 Swift Caro (Couton)  $3.86
$1 Ex 4-5 $7.55
$1 Tri 4-5-3 $18.15
$1 Super 4-5-3-7 $105.00
$1 DD 3-4 $17.44

Race Replay

3rd Race
Jockey Kevin Orozco has the current longest streak for wins with 7 straight days of finding the winners circle at least once per day. His only miss was on opening day. Orozco extended the streak on Sunday winning the 3rd on 8-1 Handr’sdream in a front running effort going 6-furlongs. Handr’sdream won by 2 lengths in a final time of 1:09.54 and races for Shelly and Glen Davis and trained by Tena Birdwell.

2-1 Roll Dem Bones and Manny Americano ran on for 2nd with 8-1 Candy’s Wildcat and Kevin Krigger getting 3rd and completing the superfecta was 14-1 Royal Halo and Isaias Enriquez.

Pay-outs
5 Handr’sdream (Orozco)  $19.20  $8.02  $5.30
7 Roll Dem Bones (Americano)  $4.12  $3.04
2 Candy’s Wildcat (Krigger)  $4.82
$1 Ex 5-7 $46.37
$1 Tri 5-7-2  $110.83
$1 Super 5-7-2-8  $1,619.80
$1 DD 4-5 $6.83
50-cent Pick (3) 3-4-5 $86.92

Race Replay

4th Race
A quick 6 1/2 furlong run saw 2-1 2nd choice Great King with Kevin Krigger go right to the front with 9-2 Dirt Road Red and Javier Matias right at his throat. Those two squared off to the top of the stretch setting fractions of 22.01 and 44.37 with never a head separating the pair.

Red began to tire slightly and Great King surged but then had to hold off the stalking favorite Home Doctor and Silvio Amador. Great King was just that on this day holding off the Dr by a neck to get the win in a final time of 1:15.38. Great King is owned by Rockingham Ranch and trained by Justin Evans.

Dirt Road Red held 3rd with 12-1 El Alto Hombre finishing 4th with the new addition to the jock’s room Akatsuki Tomita up.

Pay-outs
6 Great King (Krigger)  $6.04  $3.08  $2.50
4 Horse Doctor (Amador)  $2.80  $2.12
7 Dirt Road Red (Matias)  $2.66
$1 Ex 6-4 $7.99
$1 Tri 6-4-7 $13.58
$1 Super 6-4-7-3 $124.70
$1 DD 5-6 $45.13
50-cent Pick (3) 4-5-6 $84.65
50-cent Pick (4) 3-4-5-6 $318.93

Race Replay

5th Race

10 loaded up for starter Mark Gibson in the 5th a group of maiden-claimers. The 2-1 betting choice did not fire at all and left the door open in a well matched race. 5-1 First Endeavor with Manny Americano along with 2nd choice 2-1 Cause for Divorce and Kevin Orozco were hanging out in mid pack when Cause for Divorce went wide and First Endeavor dove to the rail and they both zoomed past the front runners in a closer sandwich.

First Endeavor and Cause for Divorce were head and head when First Endeavor had just a little bit more and edged away to a 1/2-length win running the mile in 1:38.44. First Endeavor is owned by Tony Loften and trained by Steve Bullock. The 5-year-old gelding is a Washington bred by Misremembered out of Proud Garrison by Proud Irish and was bred by Richard Barton Enterprises.

60-1 El Goloso and David Haldar got up for 3rd and paid a season high $2 show pay-off. 9-2 Whiskeyontherocks and Silvio Amador head bobbed 48-1 Hunting for Gold for 4th. The 10-cent superfecta paid $534 bucks, think what it would have paid had the 48-1 shot placed 4th?

Pay-outs
8 First Endeavor (Americano)  $12.92  $4.74  $4.04
10 Cause for Divorce (Orozco)  $3.74  $3.06
2 El Goloso (Haldar)  $26.42
$1 Ex 8-10 $17.36
$1 Tri 8-10-2  $705.36
$1 Super 8-10-2-3 $5,341.20
$1 DD 6-8 $26.94
50-cent Pick (3) 5-6-8 $135.29

Race Replay

6th Race

There had been several races to draw 12 runners this season but this race all 12 actually ran for the first time. Another first was trainer Candelario Villamar got his 1st Emerald Downs win when Francisco Monroy brought home 11-1 Lula Bella from a stalking position in the 6-furlong run. Villamar won it for his owner Omar Rodriguez-Munoz and Lula ran the 3/4’s in 1:10.23.

Soft favorite Bob’s Vai at 7-2 with Kevin Krigger ran 2nd, 4-1 Bango’s Heat and Manny Americano ran 3rd with 5-1 Smokemonthecliff with David Haldar taking 4th.

Pay-outs
5 Lula Bella (Monroy)  $24.18  $11.96  $7.08
11 Bob’s Vai (Krigger)  $5.32  $5.24
6 Bango’s Heat (Americano)  $2.86
$1 Ex 5-11 $80.87
$1 Tri  5-11-6 $311.54
$1 Super 5-11-6-9  $2,478.80
$1 DD 8-5  $71.98
50-cent Pick (3) 6-8-5 $123.77
50-cent Pick (4) 5-6-8-5 $1,313.11

Race Replay

7th Race
A field of 8 older claimers went 1-mile and 2-5 odds-on choice Club Mesquite and Kevin Krigger did win but sure had to work at it to hold off Rich Gold and Manny Americano by a nose. Club Mesquite led the whole way but was hooked the entire trip to pull off the spectacular win in a final time of 1:35.50. Club Mesquite is owned by Rakoczy Racing and Justin Evans and trained by Evans.

Rich Gold was 6 lengths in front of 3rd place Benny Buckets with Alex Cruz at 8-1 and coming in 4th was 27-1 Stephen James with Julien Couton in the saddle.

Pay-outs
5 Club Mesquite (Krigger)  $2.70  $2.10  $2.10
3 Rich Gold (Americano)  $2.90  $2.30
9 Benny Buckets (Cruz)  $2.90
$1 Ex 5-3 $3.03
$1 Tri 5-3-9 $13.02
$1 Super 5-3-9-4 $61.70
$1 DD 5-5 $20.33
50-cent Pick (3) 8-5-5 $109.08

Race Replay

9th Race

5-1 Confidence Builder with Juan Gutierrez roared down the stretch coming from far back in the 6-furlong sprint and blew past the even money favorite Ready to Gig at the 16th pole to win by 2 lengths. Confidence Builder stopped the clock in 1:10.43 and races for Miguel H Racing and is trained by Miguel Hernandez. It was also the 1st win of the season for Hernandez.

Ready to Gig and Manny Americano ran 2nd followed by 37-1 Topanticipation with David Haldar, 49-1 Haughty Kitten and Francisco Monroy ran on for 4th while 13-1 Libby’s Gambit and Kevin Krigger ended up 5th to complete the Super Hi 5.

Pay-outs
8 Confidence Builder (Gutierrez)  $12.68  $4.12  $3.14
10 Ready to Gig (Americano)  $2.88  $2.62
4 Topanticipation (Haldar)  $10.66
$1 Ex 8-10 $16.88
$1 Tri 8-10-4 $210.10
$1 Super 8-10-4-9  $1,472.50
50-cent Super Hi Five 8-10-4-9-1  no winner, carryover $748
$1 DD 5-8 $27.00
50-cent Pick (3) 5/7-5-8 $25.86
50-cent Pick (4) 5-5/7-5-8 $181.12
50-cent Pick (5) 8-5-5/7-5-8 $1,633.87
20-cent Jackpot Pick (6) 6-8-5-5/7-5-8 $3,728.37

Race Replay

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