6/8/2025
(Auburn, WA) Sunday featured 8 races on the card with a well matched but small field of 5 in the feature race.
The Numbers
The 8 races had 62 entries but 8 scratches, the most in a single day this season, knocked the number of starters down a full entry from 7.75 per race to 6.75. Not sure why all the scratches other than the expected high heat. But it was an unusual number of scratches for a single card.
The bettors were a little light on Sunday but still topped a million with a handle of $1,062,035 for a per race handle average of $132,754.
Bulldogs Scratched
Adding to the scratch list was the first dog race of the season, the Bulldogs. ESN talked with Track President Phil Ziegler who said they postponed the Bulldog races because of the expected 90-degree temperatures.
Ziegler says the Bulldogs have been re-scheduled for Friday, June 27 or Saturday, June 28 with the Saturday date preferred. Ziegler says they’ll make a final decision closer to the dates, and it will be based on the weather forecast.
Ziegler says if the forecast for Saturday the 28th is again for hot temperatures they will do it Friday evening where the heat of the day won’t be an issue during the night time racing. That decision will be made probably by Monday, June 23.
Joe Scratched
Joe Withee decided to be safe than sorry and took another day to make sure he’s over the bug he was dealing with and for the first time that anyone can remember, Joe Withee was off for a 3rd straight day. Joe expects to be at his paddock side desk next Friday night.
The Streaks
The top 2 riders in the jockey standings each continued their personal win streaks on Sunday. Leading rider Kevin Krigger has now won at least one race on 10 consecutive days, in fact only not winning a race on one of the 14 race days of the 2025 season.
Manny Americano extended his win streak in the 1st race on Sunday to 9 straight days. Americano wasn’t finished as he won the 2nd race taking both ends of the opening daily double which paid $26. Manny added a 3rd win in the 6th aboard Amanofmystature and took the getaway race in the 8th on Cheering for Layla.
Krigger took the 5th on Ario and then the feature aboard Listentothemusic. With that 2nd win Krigger maintained his lead over Americano 23-22 as the duo are pulling away from the pack.
Kevin Orozco also scored a win as did David Haldar. Right now, it’s Krigger with 23 wins, Americano 22, Alex Cruz and Orozco tied for 3rd with 11 and Silvio Amador in 5th and the only other into double digit wins with 10.
1st Timers
A couple of 1st time winners on Sunday from the barn area. Gary Greiner won the 4th race. The former Northern Cal trainer got his first Emerald Downs win with The Great Haynes. Owner Renee Greiner got her 1st win at Emerald as well.
In the 8th race the owner/trainer combination of Amy and Simon Hobson entered 2, Cheering for Layla and Parlay Bay. They had a fantastic start in Auburn as Cheering for Layla won and Parlay Bay took 3rd. The Hobson’s were also a Northern Cal staple for many years before having to look elsewhere to run with the collapse of racing in the Bay area.
Congrats and welcome to both camps and we hope to catch up with them soon.
Now, let’s get to the race re-caps!
7th and Featured Race The Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse
5 well matched runners went 6-furlongs in the feature race of the day and odds-on choice Listentothemusic with Kevin Krigger had the run of the race. Listentothemusic was just inside of front speed Tax Code at 7-2 with David Haldar kept Music and Krigger pinned on the rail as they set fractions of 21.76 and 43.99.
Turning for home Tax Code maintained his lead and it looked like Listentothemusic and Krigger thought about getting to his outside but then Krigger simply laid down the hammer and Music responded right up the rail and pulled away for the nearly 3 length win in a blazing time of 1:08.36.
Tax Code gave a valiant effort but had to settle for 2nd best. 16-1 Firewalker and Jennifer Whitaker ran his butt off to get up for 3rd in a terrific effort while Jin Tong and Alex Cruz had an even effort taking 4th.
Listentothemusic is owned by David Bernsen and trained by Justin Evans. Listentothemusic earned $14,250 to push his earnings to $96,290. His career record improves to 3-1-0 from 6 starts.
Pay-Outs
3 Listentothemusic (Krigger) $3.36 $2.48 $2.10
6 Tax Code (Haldar) $2.90 $2.34
1 Firewalker (Whitaker) $4.04
$1 Ex 3-6 $5.42
$1 Tri 3-6-1 $36.72
$1 Super 3-6-1-4 $73.60
$1 Daily Double 5-3 $7.47
50-cent Pick (3) 4-5-3/5 $15.88
Race Replay
1st Race
A field of 5 went 1-mile and the front end was where it was as 4-1 Sanger quickly grabbed a 2 length lead, set all the fractions of 23.22, 45.85 and 1:09.92 then held off the 2nd favorite 9-5 Bedrock and Kevin Krigger to win by 3/4 of a length in a final time of 1:36.22. 7-2 Crown Magic and Francisco Monroy rallied for 3rd and 7-1 Bert’s Prospect with Silvio Amador was 4th.
Sanger is owned by Harris Farms Inc and trained by Debbie Peery. This was Peery’s second win of the season.
Pay-Outs
6 Sanger (Americano) $10.76 $4.50 $2.66
2 Bedrock (Krigger) $3.32 $2.10
3 Crown Magic (Monroy) $3.12
$1 Ex 6-2 $13.51
$1 Tri 6-2-3 $55.12
$1 Super 6-2-3-1 $127.30
Race Replay
2nd Race
7 older runners went 1 mile in the 2nd race with favorite Orth and Kevin Orozco going to the front but in this race, they had company in 24-1 J T’s Watch with David Haldar in the saddle. They went 23.10 and 46.40 which set up Manny Americano aboard Mashad Flats who swung wide into the stretch and ran past Orth then grinded away to catch a stubborn J T’s Watch to win by a neck in a time of 1:36.24. Orth held 3rd and 2-1 Grape Nuts Warrior with Alex Cruz got up for 4th.
Mashad Flats won his 2nd race of the season and is owned by Joseph Budanich and Meta Woods and trained by Shelly Crowe.
Pay-Outs
2 Mashad Flats (Americano) $7.06 $3.84 $2.72
7 J T’s Watch (Haldar) $18.24 $8.28
3 Orth (Orozco) $2.94
$1 Ex 2-7 $58.57
$1 Tri 2-7-3 $202.30
$1 Super 2-7-3-1 $268.90
$1 Daily Double 6-2 $26.89
Race Replay
3rd Race
A field of 7 fillies and mares went 6 1/2-furlongs in the 3rd and a beautiful stalking trip for Diamond Dee piloted by Kevin Orozco had plenty to overhaul Don’t Tell Hydee preventing Manny Americano from tripling to begin Sunday racing. Diamond Dee completed the 6 1/2-furlongs on 1:16.85. Diamond Dee is owned by Eliana Thompson and trained b y Jorge Rosales.
Don’t Tell Hydee held 2nd, 2-1 Confidence Builder had a rough trip with a bad break then was hard to handle by Juan Gutierrez around the turn and still finished full of run to take 3rd, may have been the best horse in the race but a rough trip was too much to overcome. 4-1 Hot Lava Cake and Kevin Krigger completed the superfecta.
Pay-Outs
6 Diamond Dee (Orozco) $7.78 $3.84 $2.32
2 Don’t Tell Hydee (Americano) $4.54 $2.66
1 Confidence Builder (Gutierrez) $2.24
$1 Ex 6-2 $10.88
$1 Tri 6-2-1 $22.76
$1 Super 6-2-1-3 $51.00
$1 Daily Double 2-6 $17.49
50-cent Pick (3) 6-2-6 $54.03
Race Replay
4th Race
3 scratches in the 4th dropped the field to 5 but it was 9-2 The Great Haynes who would prove to be great indeed. David Haldar aboard broke well and was on the outside of favorite Yoderando and Manny Americano with Jazzy Love and Alex Cruz in between with a short lead. Turning for home Yoderando began to tire and backed out finishing 4th while The Great Haynes extended her lead to 3 lengths. Jazzy Love looked like she was going to bolt but Cruz straightened her out and she finished well to be 2nd while Haughty Kitty and Frank Alvarado got up for the show.
The Great Haynes ran the 3/4 mile in 1:09.55 and is owned by Renee Greiner and trained by Gary Greiner. This is Gary’s 1st win at Emerald Downs. Congrats to team Greiner!
Pay-Outs
6 The Great Haynes (Haldar) $11.28 $5.74 $3.14
5 Jazzy Love (Cruz) $4.18 $2.92
2 Haughty Kitty (Alvarado) $3.06
$1 Ex 6-5 19.39
$1 Tri 6-5-2 $51.94
$1 Super 6-5-2-4 $95.40
$1 Daily Double 6-6 $27.69
50-cent Pick (3) 2-6-6 $51-99
50-cent Pick (4) 6-2-6-6 $295.53
Race Replay
5th Race
The 5th was a 10-horse field going 6-furlongs and the 2ns choice Ario and Kevon Krigger took full advantage of a blistering early pace of 21.45 and 44.20 as Ario sat 3rd about 4 lengths behind allowing the speedsters to knock each other out and they did. Ario got the first run and pulled away for a clear 3 length victory in a final time of 1:09.63. Ario races for Peter Redekop his 3rd win of the season and trained by Blaine Wright snapping a cool streak for Wright since winning 4 on Mother’s Day for his 8th win of the season.
The front speed did allow several come from off the pace with 14-1 Hela Forever and Julien Couton closed from midpack while coming from last to 3rd was 21-1 Verdi with Carlos Montalvo and completing the superfecta was 12-1 Sir Argento and Manny Americano.
Pay-Outs
4 Ario (Krigger) $5.78 $3.80 $3.10
3 Hela Forever (Couton) $9.76 $6.64
11 Verdi (Montalvo) $9.06
$1 Ex 4-3 $36.13
$1 Tri 4-3-11 $290.70
$1 Super 4-3-11-1 $1,169.60
$1 Daily Double 6-4 $26.62
50-cent Pick (3) 6-6-4 $56.12
Race Replay
6th Race
8 older horses went 6-furlongs where 5-1 Anna’s Iron Man was sent to the front by Silvio Amador while betting choice 6-5 Amanofmystature and Manny Americano sat back in 4th. As Anna churned out fractions of 22.49 and 45.50 Amanofmystature swung off the rail to find mid-stretch and roared on by for 1 1/4-length win in a final time of 1:09.99 to give Americano his 3rd win of the day. This was also trainer Michael Lenzini’s 2nd win of the meet in his first season in Auburn. Gary Marrone is the owner of Amanofmystature.
Anna’s Iron Man ran a gutsy race and held 2nd, Gianola ran a good one along the rail for Javier Matias at 16-1 and 6-1 Rocket Ribbon with Kevin Orozco finished 4th.
Pay-Outs
5 Amanofmystature (Americano) $4.60 $3.62 $3.06
2 Anna’s Iron Man (Amador) $4.78 $4.70
4 Gianola (Matias) $5.36
$1 Ex 5-2 $19.63
$1 Tri 5-2-4 $139.40
$1 Super 5-2-4-8 $759.40
$1 Daily Double 4-5 $9.72
50-cent Pick (3) 6-4-5 $55.39
50-cent Pick (4) 6-6-4-5 $127.07
Race Replay
8th Race
In the finale Manny Americano capped off a huge day winning half the races with his 4th win on 7-2 Cheering for Layla with a front running effort going 6-furlongs. 3-2 favorite Burnin at Midnight with Frank Alvarado made their run at the quarter pole pulling within a 1/2 length before Americano released the brakes and pulled away for an easy 4+ length win in a final time of 1:11.10. Cheering for Layla also handed trainer Simon Hobson and owner Amy Hobson their first wins at Emerald Downs.
Burnin at Midnight held 2nd with 10-1 Parlay Bay and Kevin Krigger running 3rd, 18-1 Mistical Candy and Francisco Monroy was 4th while 3-2 2nd choice Leah’s Lute and Juan Gutierrez completed the Super High 5.
Pay-Outs
4 Cheering for Layla (Americano) $9.82 $4.54 $3.24
9 Burnin at Midnight (Alvarado) $3.00 $2.60
7 Parlay Bay (Krigger) $5.36
$1 Ex 4-9 $16.04
$1 Tri 4-9-7 $79.74
$1 Super 4-9-7-3 $416.10
50-cent Super High Five 4-9-7-3-8 $357.12
$1 Daily Double 3-4 $10.49
50-cent Pick (3) 5-3/5-4 $32.49
50-cent Pick (4) 4-5-3/5-4 $74.74
50-cent Pick (5) 6-4-5-3/5-4 $442.05
20-cent Pick (6) 6-6-4-5-3/5-4 $261.36 Carryover $8,390
Race Replay
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