6/29/2025

(Auburn, Wa) It was a big day at Emerald Downs on Sunday with 8 solid races but mixed in with the craziness of the T-Rex World Championships. There were big pays, fast times and streaks were snapped.

The T-Rex World Championships were run on Sunday and like the Corgi’s has p;iqued the interest of ESPN who were on site to record all the action. Our full coverage is at the bottom of this story with results, videos and huge picture gallery. Let’s get to the Sunday report.

The Numbers

There were 61 starters on Sunday averaging 7.6 per race. The bettors responded with a big day for 8 races wagering $1,619,502 or a per race average of $202,438. If this had been a 10-race card it would have likely been the 2nd 2-million dollar handle of the year. Last year there was only 1 day of 2+ million and that was on Longacres Mile day.

The Streaks

Kevin Krigger had his 18 consecutive days with at least 1 win come to an end on Sunday getting shut out only for the 2nd time this year. This is the longest streak of the season but not close to the track and state record of 46 straight days set be Alex Cruz over the 2020-2021 seasons winning at least 1 race the final 25 days of the 2020 season and not missing in 2021 for the first 21 days.

Trainer Ian Jewell and owners WYN Racing Stables had their 3 wins in a row streak snapped when their Let’s Go Champ in the Sunday feature ran off the board. Going back to last weekend Jewell and WYN Racing, both new to Emerald Downs this season, had won 3 races in 3 straight starts. Tom Wenzel had accomplished 5 straight wins in 5 starts last week.

Riders Up

Castillo heats up

Pablo Castillo won on opening day with his 2nd ride at Emerald Downs and then went on a cold streak that hit 19 days until last Friday. Castillo snapped that streak with a win on Graceful Mischief. Castillo then made sure there would not be another 19 days for win #3 taking the 5th aboard El Berrinches on Saturday. Castillo added a 3rd straight day with a win on Sunday with 11-1 Red Memorys in the 2nd race. Castillo went from ice-cold to blazing hot in 3 straight days.

Juan knows how to Win

Juan Gutierrez the tracks all-time leading rider is closing in on 1,600 wins on the Auburn oval after winning twice on Sunday. Gutierrez took the opener on 8-1 Lucy L. Guti is not taking a ton of rides on a daily basis and would finish 3rd in the 4th on Hickory Wind. On his 3rd and final ride he rolled to an easy win in the feature race aboard What a Dude. Those were career Emerald Downs wins 1,597 and 1,598.

Moreno hits the board

It’s been a tough start for the young apprentice who made his first career start May 11th here at Emerald Downs. On Sunday he got aboard only his 5th start ever 9-1 Hunting for Gold. Moreno was out with the front speed and held on by a head in a 3-way photo to get 3rd place. This was Moreno’s first on-the board finish. It’s a tough jock’s room, but if he can keep showing signs of progress that 5-pound weight bug can be attractive with a lot of trainers.

Paddock Talk

Trainer Rigoberto Velasquz was off to an 0-17 start to the 2025 season when he brok through on Saturday with a pair of wins. Velasquez wasted little time in continuing that streak on Sunday winning the 1st race with 8-1 outsider Lucy L. Velasquez thought if one was good, then two would be great again and that’s what he did in the 2nd race. Velasquez got his 4th picture quickly taken in the 2nd race with 11-1 Red Memorys for his 4th win in less than 24 hours.

Jose Puentes began the weekend with 2 wins and strung together wins on Friday and Saturday. Puentes picked up a 3rd straight day with a win on Sunday when he sent out Creative Om in the 6th that Silvio Amador crushed the competition with a 6 length win.

Sunday wasn’t for the Top Conditioners

Only 2 of the top trainers brought home a victory on Sunday with Tim McCanna and Jorge Rosales collecting wins. The top 6 are led by Blaine Wright’s 16 wins, Justin Evans with 15 followed by McCanna with 13, Howie Gibson has 12 and Frank Lucarelli and Rosales each with 11.

Serjio Garcia picked up his 3rd win of the season with 14-1 Lusma in the 5th race, Miguel Hernandez scored his 4th win in the feature with What a dude and winning his 2nd race of the season was Candelario Villamar in the 8th with Lula Bella.

The Betting Window

Season High Pick 4

$5,212.74 set a new high bar for the 50-cent pick 4 and took stringing together an 8-1 to 11-1 to 10-1 to the favorite in the 4th of 7-5. There were 3 winning tickets so any other winner in the 4th race may have been a single ticket winner. But Artemus Gordon didn’t even make it run winning by 8 lengths.

20-cent Pick 6 bet on a roll!

The second single winning 20-cent Pick 6 Jackpot was won on Sunday with one lucky ticket holder walking away with $16,333.94. This was a tough one with 10-1 Kitten in Charge winning the 3rd and 14-1 Lusma in the 5th. But the favorite won the 4th race and finished with 3 straight betting choices to finish the day.

$754 Pick 3 disappointing?

The 1st Pick 3 of the day paid a nice $754.47 but was it disappointing. I’d say yes, stringing together and 8-1 to 11-1 to 10-1 seemingly should pay easily into the 4 figures. Especially when all you had to do was add the favorite in the 4th race to win the season high pcik 4 pay of $5,212. This makes the Pick 3 pay seem way out of whack but somehow the 5 winning tickets must not have played the pick 4.

Let’s get to the Friday Races!

7th Race and Feature Race Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse

By Vince Bruun

Stamping himself among the sharpest horses at Emerald Downs, What a Dude powered to the lead on the last turn and drew off for a 4 ¼ length victory over Its Kraken Time in Sunday’s 25,000 Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse at Emerald Downs.

Nicely handled by Juan Gutierrez, the winner ran the mile in a season-fastest 1:33.85 and paid $4.90 as a slight choice in the wagering. Miguel Hernandez is the winning owner and trainer.

A 6-year-old by Hard Spun, What a Dude also recorded the meet’s fastest time at 1 mile & 70 yards, a 1:38.92 clocking on June 13, and was stakes placed twice this spring at Turf Paradise. The overall mark is 7-4-4 in 28 starts with earnings of $166,352.

Sitting off a rapid pace set by Its Kraken Time (:22.63, :45.22, 1:08.93), the winner burst to the lead at the five-sixteenths pole, and the issue was never in doubt from there, bettering a 1:34.25 clocking set Saturday by Suprsinglyperfect.

Its Kraken Time, longest price on the board at 18 to 1, held second, while 2 to 1 third choice Veritas Aequitas finished third. Rounding out the order of finish were Elegant Boy, He’s Not Talking, Count Dracula, and Lets Go Champ.

Pay-Outs
3 What a Dude (Gutierrez)  $4.90  $3.50  $2.64
6 It’s Kraken Time (Montalvo)  $13.30  $6.22
2 Veritas Aequitas (Alvardo)  $2.56
$1 Ex 3-6 $25.47
$1 Tri 3-6-2 $54.00
$1 Super 3-6-2-1 $153.80
$1 DD 1-3 $6.93
50-cent Pick (3) 5-1/9-3 $53.03

Race Replay

The rest of the Saturday’s races.

1st Race

Lucy L was overlooked by the bettors at 8-1 going 6-furlongs. Juan Gutierrez stalked and sprinted to the lead at the top of the stretch to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:10.14. Lucy L is owned by Rancho Viejo and Jerry Carmody and trained by Rigoberto Velasquez.

Another longshot, Libby’s Gambit had a great run with Kevin Orozco at 11-1 to take 2nd, favorite Jazzy Love and Alex Cruz took 3rd and 25-1 Square Footage and Chel-c Bailey completed the suprfecta, triggering a big pay.

Pay-Outs
5 Lucy L (Gutierrez)  $18.26  $8.82  $4.24
2 Libby’s Gambit (Orozco) $11.50  4.96
6 Jazzy Love (Cruz)  $2.64
$1 Ex 5-2 $110.77
$1 Tri 5-2-6 $232.78
$1 Super 5-2-6-3 $2,113.80

Race Replay

2nd Race

Pablo Castillo won for the 3rd straight day after grinding through a 19 day winless streak when he took 11-1 Red Memorys gate to wire in a 1-mile run. It looked like the pace setter may be getting tired at the 1/4 pole as he held a head lead turning for home. But Castillo had plenty left pulling away again for a 21/2 lenth win in a final time of 1:L38.58. Odds-on favorite Chasin A Dollar and Alex Cruz ran for 2nd, 9-1 Hunting for Gold with Jairo Moreno finished 3rd and 6-1 El Goloso and David Haldar was 4th.

Red Memorys races for Rancho Viejo and Antonio Martinez and trained by Rigo Velasquez. Red Memorys is a Washington bred by Jake La Gold out of Time for a Memory by Time to Get Even and was bred by Antonio Martinez.

Pay-Outs
4 Red Memorys (Castillo)  $25.34  $6.38  $3.76
8 Chasin A Dollar (Cruz)  $2.38  $2.10
1 Hunting for Gold (Moreno)  $3.88
$1 Ex 4-8 $22.39
$1 Tri 4-8-1 $85.34
$1 Super 4-8-1-3 $205.30
$1 DD 5-4 $60.03

Race Replay

3rd Race

Longshots began the day with yet another double digit winner, 10-1 Kitten in Charge with a nice closing run under Alex Cruz to get up to win by 3/4’s of a length running the 6-furlongs in 1:09.22. 3-1 Sir Argento and Manny Americano ran on for 2nd with I’m a Dude and Kevin Krigger taking 3rd and completing the superfecta was 7-2 Verdi and Carlos Montalvo aboard.

Kitten in Charge came from the Tim McCanna barn and races for Daehling Farms.

Pay-Outs
7 Kitten In Charge $22.30  $6.78  $5.44
2 Sir Argento (Americano)  $4.16  $3.44
4 I’m a Dude To (Krigger)  $5.66
$1 Ex 7-2 $72.14
$1 Tri 7-2-4 $568.20
$1 Super 7-2-4-1 $1,093.80
$1 DD 4-7 $125.67
50-cent Pick (3) 5-4-7 $754.47

Race Replay

4th Race

Artemus Gordon was bet down to 7-5 and paid them off being the first favorite to win on the day rolling to an 8 length win covering the mile in 1:35.28 with Manny Amricano in the saddle. Artemus Gordan races for Dawn Spillman and trained by Jorge Rosales.

13-1 Ruler of Angels and Francisco Monroy ran 2nd, 4-1 Hickory Wind under Juan Gutierrez finished 3rd with 14-1 Anna’s Iron Man and Kiaman McGregor completing the superfecta.

Pay-Outs
1 Artemus Gordon (Americano) $4.92  $3.40  $2.58
7 Rulers of Angels (Monroy)  $9.38  $4.48
9 Hickory Wind (Gutierrez)  $2.90
$1 Ex 1-7 $18.82
$1 Tri 1-7-9 $107.86
$1 Super 1-7-9-8 $781.40
$1 DD 7-1 $45.24
50-cent Pick (3) 4-7-1 $257.64
50-cent Pick (4) 5-4-7-1/3/6 $5,212.74

Race Replay

5th Race

The prices weren’t done hitting the board with 14-1 Lusma going nearly gate-to-wire in the 5th with Julien Couton surging past 8-1 Don’t Tell Ydee and Alex Cruz in the 6-furlong dash. The held off 3-1 Confidence Builder and Silvio Amador while 19-1 Princess K and Manny Americano ran 4th.

Lusma races for Hector Ramiro Preciado and trained by Serjio Garcia.

Pay-Outs
5 Lusma (Couton)  $31.30  $14.98  $7.28
2 Don’t Tell Hydee (Cruz)  $8.64  $5.98
3 Confidence Builder (Amador)  $3.26
$1 Ex 5-2 $130.49
$1 Tri 5-2-3 $507.42
$1 Super 5-2-3-6 $6,854.80
$1 DD 1-5 $33.85
50-cent Pick (3) 7-1-5 $257.98

Race Replay

6th Race

After the 1st 5 races the average $2 win was 9-1. The final 3 races saw that bottom out to 8-5 with 3 straight betting favorites winning to finsh the week. Creative Om led off with a 6+ length win in the 6th easily handling the 9 horse field in a slick 1:14.79 for 6 1/2-furlongs. Creative Om races for Emily Majkrzak and Tanner Victory and trained by Jose Puentes.

4-1 Nastika’s Secret ran 2nd with Manny Americano, Tigersun and Frank Alvarado took 3rd and finishing 4th was Dekudylan under Javier Matias.

Pay-Outs
 1 Creative Om (Amador) $5.00  $3.24  $2.54
3 Nastika’s Secret (Amricano)  $4.60  $3.14
5 Tigersun (Alvarado) $2.26
$1 Ex 1-3 $10.37
$1 Tri 1-3-5 $30.70
$1 Super 1-3-5-8 $90.50
$1 DD 5-1 $63.31  Consolation $14.21
50-cent Pick (3) 1-5-1/9 $62.56
50-cent Pick (4) 7-1/3/6-5-1/9 $1,047.22

Race Replay

8th Race

In the finale, Lula Bella wrapped up the day with a 1-length win with a nicely timed ride from Francisco Monroy. Lula Bella is owned by Omar Rodriguez-Munoz and trained by Candelario Villamar and ran the 5 1/2-furlongs in 1:03.74.

La Popis and Julien Couton closed well to be 2nd but couldn’t catch the front runner. Yoderando and Manny Americano closed from last to grab 3rd while Hot Lava Cake and Kevin Krigger were 4th and completing the Super High Five was Sonoma Dreaming and Kevin Orozco.

Pay-Outs
4 Lula Bella (Monroy)  $6.32  $4.32  $2.24
5 La Popis (Couton)  $3.86  $2.60
3 Yoderando (Americano)  $2.76
$1 Ex 4-5 $11.46
$1 Tri 4-5-3 $33.04
$1 Super 4-5-3-8 $95.40
50-cent Super High Five 4-5-3-8-1 $182.40
$1 DD 3-4 $7.52
50-cent Pick (3) 1/9-3-4  $11.32
50-cent Pick (4) 5-1/9-3-4  $155.73
50-cent Pick (5) 1/3/6-5-1/9-3-4 (5 correct)  $452.84
20-cent Pick (6) 7-1/3/6-5-1/9-3-4 (6 correct)  $16,333.94

Race Replay

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