7/19/2025
(Auburn, WA) Although 8 races were run due to scratches including a 7 horse field down to 3 starters it was one of the shortest cards of the season with a total of 57 runners, somewhat bailed out with a 12 horse field in the finale. That’s an average of 7.1 runners per race.
The betting handle came in a tad light as well with bettors putting up $912,283 for a per race average of $114,035.
From the Saddle
Chel-c Bailey scored her first double win at Emerald Downs with one the public was on with Angier in the 4th and then Sir Lucas at 9-1 in the 6th. Bailey rode for Justin Evans on Angier and then handed Neil Koch his 2nd win of the season in as many days aboard Sir Lucas.
Kevin Krigger snapped his multiple win day streak of 3 in a row but did get into the winner’s circle in the feature race aboard Roys Hobbs. Manny Americano broke out of a 3 day slump to get a win on Saturday with Coastal Gal in the 3rd.
Adrian Castellanos has strung together multiple days with at least 1 win, Kiaman McGregor won the 3 horse race in the 2nd on the 3-1 longest shot on the board on Dynamic Plan. Juan Gutierrez took the 5th on Lucy L for his 2nd win of the weekend also with a win on Friday Night. And Isaias Enriquez brought home 11-1 Improbable Bet in the finale for trainer Melissa Ledford, her 2nd career win.
The Betting Window
Improbable Bet also triggered the big pays of the day with 14-1 Tiz Dynamic running 2nd, 5-2 favorite Empire Warrior was 3rd, 9-1 Towhee 4th and 9-2 Datt Man 5th. It’s the first double carryover of the Super High 5 this year and is up to $9.421 for Sunday’s card.
The $1 superfecta returned $4,640.40, the $1 trifecta paid $811.90 and the $1 exacta $204.16. The 50-cent Pick 5 returned a whopping $11,725.47, which is either top 2 or 3 highest pay for the season. The Pick 6 was not hit and 5 winners returned $577.69 with the carryover into Sunday now up to $7,959.
Let’s get to the Friday Races!
7th Race and Feature Race
Roy Hobbs caught Gunnin for Gold in the final stride for a neck victory in Saturday’s featured Pacific Plumbing Supply Pipe Shop Purse at Emerald Downs.
With Kevin Krigger aboard, Roy Hobbs stopped the clock in 1:15.63 for 6 ½ furlongs and paid $7.84 as the third betting choice in a field of six. Jorge Maravilla, a newcomer this year to Emerald Downs, is the winning trainer for owner Irma Esmeralda Angel.
A 5-year-old California-bred by Grazen, Roy Hobbs upped his batting average to .500 lifetime with a 4-0-1 mark in eight starts with earnings of $54,460. He has three wins in 2025—two at Emerald Downs and one at Santa Anita.
Gunnin for Gold, the betting favorite ridden by Alex Cruz, did everything but win the race, opening a long lead while setting fractions of :22.42, :44.50, and 1:08.77, and just failing to last for the victory. It was the second heartbreaker of the year for the 5-year-old son of Harbor the Gold, who was tagged in similar fashion by Listentothemusic on Memorial Day.
Om Fire, Frank Alvarado riding, finished third while Horse Doctor, Sir Greyson, and Fort Necessity rounded out the order of finish.
Rollin Dice, 2 to 1 morning line favorite, was a late scratch at the starting gate.
Pay-Outs
4 Roys Hobbs (Krigger) $7.84 $4.36 $3.36
2 Gunnin for Gold (Cruz) $4.74 $4.80
1 Om Fire (Alvarado) $3.92
$1 Ex 4-2 $12.98
$1 Tri 4-2-1 $38.16
$1 Super 4-2-1-7 $945.30
$1 DD 7-4 $91.11 Consolation DD 7-5 $10.36
50-cent Pick (3) 1-7-4/5 $192.55
Race Replay
The rest of the Saturday’s races.
1st Race
In the Saturday opener Sonoma Dreaming went straight to the front and pilot Adrian Castellanos sat chilly setting all fractions of 21.91 and 44.91 and finished the job with a length win in a final of 1:10.43. Sonoma Dreaming runs far Patrick Brogan, Brian Earley and Bruce Phillips and trained by Isidro Tamayo.
Hey Barmaid ran an even 2nd with Manny Americano up, Princess Payton and Julien Couton finished 3rd and taking 4th was Heat Seeking Leta under Carlos Montalvo.
Pay-Outs
4 Sonoma Dreaming (Castellanos) $6.52 $3.10 $2.22
5 Hey Barmaid (Americano) $4.68 $3.08
6 Princess Payton (Couton) $2.74
$1 Ex 4-5 $16.31
$1 Tri 4-5-6 $47.66
$1 Super 4-5-6-2 $157.80
Race Replay
2nd Race
After 4 scratches in this race only 3 were left to run and “longshot” 3-1 Dynamic Plan with Kiaman McGregor wired the 5 1/2-furlong sprint with 4 lengths to spare in a time of 1:04.37. Internet Bidder and Manny Americano was a clear 2nd with Elusivity and Alex Cruz a well beaten 3rd.
Dynamic Plan races for White Diamond Syndicate and Eric Nussle and trained by Vince Gibson. Dynamic Plan is a Washington bred by Dynamic Impact out of Gold Plan by Liberty Gold.
With the scratches there was no place, show or superfecta wagering.
Pay-Outs
2 Dynamic Plan (McGregor) $8.16
1 Internet Bidder (Amricano)
3 Elusivity (Cruz)
$1 Ex 2-1 $5.09
$1 Tri 2-1-3 $4.52
$1 DD 4-2 $16.33 Consoltion DD 4-4/5 $3.57
Race Replay
3rd Race
6 went 6-furlongs and 5-2 Coastal Girl got a perfect ride from Manny Americano to win by a neck at the wire clocking in at 1:10.36. Coastal Girl races for Wayne Williams and Terra Firma Farm and trained by Joe Toye. Coastal Girl is a Washington bred by Coast Guard out of Ms Moscow Mattie by Matty G and was bred by Ron and Nina Hagen.
Classic American under Frank Alvarado just missed and settled for 2nd, My Quiet Place with Isaias Enriquez tired late to hold onto 3rd and taking 4th were Special Diva and Kevin Krigger.
Claimed: Classic American was red tagged by new owner A & E Equine and trainer Justin Evans for
Pay-Outs
3 Coastal Girl (Americano) $7.60 $3.96 $2.44
2 Classic American (Alvarado) $4.78 $2.62
4 My Quiet Place (Enriquez) $2.98
$1 Ex 3-2 $9.37
$1 Tri 3-2-4 $27.56
$1 Super 3-2-4 1 $54.00
$1 DD 2-3 $20.14
50-cent Pick (3) 4-2-3 $50.33
Race Replay
4th Race
Race favorite Angier nand Chel-c Bailey ran a perfect stalking trip going 6-furlongs and pounced at the 1/8th npole pulling away to win by 1 1/2-lengths in a final time of 1:09.48. Angier nraces for Rakoczy Racing and Justin Evans and trained by Evans.
Star Travel and Kiaman McGregor at 12-1 ran a brave front speed race and held well for 2nd nearly 7 lengths in front of the rest. Taking 3rd was 3-1 Impassable and Frank Alvarado a 1/2 length in front of 4th place I’m a Dude and Kevin Krigger.
Pay-Outs
4 Angier (Bailey) $4.78 $4.02 $2.92
2 Star Travel (McGregor) $14.26 $5.12
3 Impassable (Alvarado) $2.76
$1 Ex 4-2 $48.74
$1 Tri 4-2-3 $134.24
$1 Super 4-2-3-1 $432.70
$1 DD 3-4 $9.96
50-cent Pick (3) 2-3-4 $35.53
50-cent Pick (4) 4-2-3-4 $229.55
Race Replay
5th Race
5-1 Lucy L went straight to the lead under the urging of Juan Gutierrez and set all the fractions of this 1-mile run with a more than reasonable 1:12.79 3/4-mile time left plenty of horse left for Guti to bring home for the win in a final time of 1:37.91. Lucy L is conditioned by Rigoberto Velasquez and owners Rancho Viejo and Jerry Carmody.
Kitten’s Kid and Julien Couton ran right behind Lucy all the way around for 2nd, 3rd was Bold Daughter and Kevin Krigger while 13-1 English Danger completed the superfecta.
Pay-Outs
1 Lucy L (Gutierrez) $13.14 $6.96 $4.76
3 Kitten’s Kid (Couton) $10.40 $6.90
7 Bold Daughter (Krigger) $5.56
$1 Ex1-3 $48.57
$1 Tri 1-3-7 $480.50
$1 Super 1-3-7-5 $1,376.00
$1 DD 4-1 $12.68 Consolation DD 4-4 $2.26
50-cent Pick (3) 3-4-1 $44.20
Race Replay
6th Race
Sir Lucas sat just off the front speed until the quarter pole when Chel-c Bailey asked Luke to pick it up and put his head in front. From then on Sir Lucas had plenty in the tank and rolled to a 4 1/2 length win at 9-1 in a final time of 1:38.70. Sir Lucas picked up win #2 for trainer Neil Koch and owner Larry Odbert.
Rail Town and Manny Americano rallied late to get up for 2nd, Tempting Prospect under Kevin Krigger took 3rd with El Diamonte Negro and Alex Cruz were 4th.
Claimed: Ride for Gold went to new owner Cicle T Racing and the barn of trainer Scott Tubbs for $5,000.
Pay-Outs
7 Sir Lucas (Bailey) $21.16 $7.40 $4.92
2 Rail Town (Americano) $3.70 $2.86
1 Tempting Prospect (Krigger) $3.64
$1 Ex 7-2 $39.02
$1 Tri 7-2-1 $134.64
$1 Super 7-2-1-4 $458.10
$1 DD 1-7 56.07
50-cent Pick (3) 4-1-7 $84.31
50-cent Pick (4) 3-4-1-7 $283.89
Race Replay
8th Race
Improbable Bet and Isaias Enriquez pulled clear late to win by a clear 2 lengths. 11-1 Improbable Bet won for owner Dr Mark Dedomenico LLC and trainer Melissa Ledford in a time of 1:10.25 for 6-furlongs. 14-1 Tiz Dynamic under Silvio Amador ran a solid 2nd, 5-2 Empire Warrior and Manny Americano were 3rd, Towlee and Frank Alvarado finished 4th and 9-2 Datt Man with Kevin Krigger rounded out the Super High 5.
Claimed: Improbable Bet was taken by new owner Unstable and will be trained by Jennifer Nunnally for 10k.
Pay-Outs
9 Improbable Bet (Enriquez) $24.92 $9.72 $7.20
10 Tiz Dynamnic (Amador) $16.52 $8.42
6 Empire Warrior (Americano) $3.44
$1 Ex 9-10 $204.16
$1 Tri 9-10-6 $811.90
$1 Super 9-10-6-8 $4,640.40
50-cent Super High Five 9-10-6-8-3 non winner carryover $9,421
$1 DD 4-9 $36.27
50-cent Pick (3) 7-4-9 $252.00
50-cent Pick (4) 1-7-4-9 $1,212.04
50-cent Pick (5) 4-1-7-4-9 $11,725.47
20-cent Pick (6) 3-4-1-7-4-9 (5-correct) $577.69 Carryover $7,959
Race Replay
