7/26/2025

(Auburn, Wa) Day 32 of the 2025 season and the weather has cooled off to perfect racing weather unlike the unforgiving and sweltering heat they are dealing with on the east coast. The feature race was all about catching What a Dude, something they could not do.

Juan Gutierrez had a great day winning the feature but also opening the day with an 8 length win on 11-year-old Pistol Power. Isaias Enriquez also got his picture taken twice with a win in the 2-year-old race and the finale.

The Numbers

Saturday featured 8 races with 59 starters averaging 7.4 per race. The bettors responded with solid $1,113,093 in wagers for an average of $139,137 per race.

From the Saddle

A pair of veterans doubled up on Saturday. Juan Gutierrez opened the day with a huge win on 11-year-old Pistol Power for owner Lisa Baze and trainer Jesse Velasquez. Winning by 8 lengths. Gutierrez came back to win the feature race on What A Dude by nearly 6 lengths in a leisurely stroll for Dude in a time of 1:35.26 for owner/trainer Miguel Hernandez. The 6-year-old, What a Dude has the fastest mile time of the season of 1:33.85 from June 29. He also has the top 1-mile & 70 yards clocking of the year at 1:38.92.

Guti took care of the older runners on Saturday while another former Emerald Champ, Isaias Enriquez handled the younger generation. Enriquez burst thr0ugh a hole at the top of the stretch in the 3rd on 2-year-old Bewitching Joy in the 3rd for an impressive 3 length win for the Cinco Vino Stable.

Enriquez then wrapped up the card taking the finale on Stellzone by nearly 5 lengths for Randall, Rossi, Bresko and Lucarelli. Frank Lucarelli trained both winners Enriquez brought home to record his own double on Saturday.

The 2 wins pushed Lucarelli to 17 wins and in 4th place just 2 wins behind leader Justin Evans with 19. Blaine Wright and Jorge Rosales are tied for 2nd with 18.

The Betting Window

The second largest pay-out of the season went to one lucky winner on Saturday who correctly selected all 6 winners in the 20-cent Jackpot Pick 6 and won $19,746.28.

There was a 15k+ carryover heading into Sunday and the ace handicapper began with 5-2 Bewitching Joy in the 3rd to start their ticket. Then hit 11-1 First Endeavor which no doubt separated many from his ticket in just the 2nd leg. They nailed another 11-1 in Stay Sassy in the 5th which may have left them as the only live ticket after just 3 races.

Add 7-1 Prancin Lady in the 6th and no one th0ught anyone would string together the 6 winners and likely began prepping for a big carryover on Sunday.

Some may have thought maybe 4 winners would get a piece of the consolation but back-to-back 2-1 shots with What A Dude in the 7th and Stellzone in the 8th secured the lone winner of a huge win. Congrats to the winner, this was not an easy Pick 6 to figure out.

Pick 5 & Pick 4 were big too!

With the 2 11-1 shots and 7-1 to begin the late Pick 5 and resulted in the 3rd highest pick 5 pay of the year returning $6,980.36. Still far short of the top pick 5 of the year at more than 11k.

The pick 4 ending in the 6th race and included 5-2 to 11-1 to 11-1 finishing with 7-1 paid a big$3,692.50. Still well below the $5,200 top pay of 2025.

Curously the Pick 3 of 11-1 to 11-1 to 7-1 only paid $414.16. Would have thought the pay would have been close to the $1,000 pay at least.

Let’s get to the Saturday Races!

7th Race and Feature Race Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse

By Vince Bruun
What a Dude remained razor sharp at Emerald Downs, exploding through the stretch and romping by 5 ¾ lengths in Saturday’s $25,000 Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse for 3-year-olds and up.

Perfectly handled by Juan Gutierrez, What a Dude ran a mile in 1:35.26, returning $6.48 as second betting choice. Miguel Hernandez, who claimed the gelding for $8,000 late last year, is the winning owner and trainer.

A 6-year-old by Hard Spun, What a Dude has reeled off three straight wins including meet-fastest times at one mile (1:33.85) and one mile & 70 yards (1:38.92) and is so sharp that the $125,000 Longacres Mile might be a realistic placement for his next start on Aug. 17.

Saving ground in third as Listentothemusic set fractions of :23.33, :46.69, and 1:11.01, What a Dude burst through and took command in upper stretch, and it was all over but the shouting, whit What a Dude improving his record to 8-8-4 in 29 starts with earnings of $180,602. His Emerald Downs mark is 3-0-0 in four starts with earnings of $42,680.

Listentothemusic, the 4 to 5 favorite ridden by Manuel Americano, held second and is 2-1-0 in four starts this season at Emerald Downs.

Firewalker, the longest shot on the board at 42 to 1, held third under Jennifer Whitaker while Veritas Aequitas, Surprsinglyperfect, Elegant Boy, and Perfect Dude rounded out the order of finish.

F B I Bob was scratched and entered back in Sunday’s $50,000 Irish Day Stakes for 3-year-olds.

With the victory, What a Dude became the seventh horse with three wins at the meet, joining Surprsinglyperfect, Diamond Dee, Blazing Peme, Artemus Gordon, Chuckanut Bay, and It’s Saul Right.

Pay-Outs
3 What A Dude (Gutierrez)  $6.48  $2.72  $2.42
1 Listentothemusic (Americano)  $2.38  $2.38
8 Firewalker (Whitaker)  $5.34
$1 Ex 3-1 $5.77
$1 Tri 3-1-8  $89.44
$1 Super  3-1-8-6 $235.20
$1 DD 6-3 $24.37
50-cent Pick (3) 5-6-3 $150.37

Race Replay

The rest of the Saturday’s races.

1st Race

11-year-old Pistol Power just keeps denying retirement as the craft veteran romped in the opening race on Saturday with Juan Gutierrez guiding him to an 8 length thrashing in a 1-mile run. Pistol Power started his 60th race and won for fun pushing his career record to 16-10-13 for a 27% win rate and 65% top 3 finish. Odds on favorite Crown Magic and Manny Americano ran 2nd, Westphal with Julien Couton took 3rd and 4th went Beskar and Alex Cruz.

Pistol Power races for Lisa Baze and Jesse Velaquez running the mile in 1:37.51. Pistol Power is a Washington bred by War Power out of pistolpackin’gal by Tribunal and was bred by Donald Lawrence. Pistol Power has npw earned $146,837.

Pay-Outs
4 Pistol Power (Gutierrez)  $13.60  $4.74  $3.00
1 Crown Magic (Americano)  $2.44  $2.10
7 Westphal (Couton)  $2.62
$1 Ex 4-1 $13.34
$1 Tri 4-1-7 $36.66
$1 Super 4-1-7-2 $47.60

Race Replay

2nd Race

2-1 favorite in a well matched field, Pocket Knife got a perfectly timed ride by the hot Kiaman McGregor getting up by a neck to take the 2nd race and completing the all weapon opening daily double. Although not as lethal as Pistol Power, Pocket Knife got the job done covering the mile in 1:40.70. Shady Harbor and Manny Americano just missed taking 2nd, Linchpin’s Lockett and Francisco Diaz-Lopez ran 3rd and Winanywayyucan under Juan Gutierrez placed 4th.

Pocket Knife races for ownes Doug A and Doug C Carlson and one of them is the trainer. Pocket Knife is a Washington bred by Lutes Gift out of Knife River by Smoke Glacken and was bred by Horse Haven Creek Farm.

Claimed: Shady Harbor goes to the barn of Rigoberto Velasquez and owner Lisa Baze for $2,500.

Pay-Outs
5 Pocket Knife (McGregor)  $6.54  $3.42 $2.68
4 Shady Harbor (Americano)  $3.78  $3.28
3 Linchpin’s Locket (Diaz-Lopez)  $4.26
$1 Ex 5-4 $16.28
$1 Tri  5-4-3 $63.74
$1 Super 5-4-3-1 $326.80
$1 DD 4-5 $45.55

Race Replay

3rd Race

There was one entry in the 3rd race of 8 2-year-old fillies who had run a race and that experience appeared to be the difference in this wide open 5-furlong sprint. Bewitching Joy ran a patient stalking trip under the guise of Isaias Enriquez and burst through an opening at the top of the stretch like an old pro to win going away by 3 lengths in a time of 58.74. Bewitching joy is owned by Cinco Vino Stables and trained by Frank Lucarelli.

9-1 Right and Tight with Kiaman McGregor was a clear 2nd, getting up for 3rd by a neck was 11-1 Boujee Britches and Keving Krigger while 7-2 Thebiggerthebetter ran an even 4th with Carlos Montalvo.

Pay-Outs
2 Bewitching Joy (Enriquez)  $7.32  $5.16  $3.32
6 Right and Tight (McGregor)  $9.48  $6.98
3 Boujee Britches (Krigger)  $4.92
$1 Ex 2-6 $31.28
$1 Tri  2-6-3 $270.92
$1 Super  2-6-3-7 $1,140.90
$1 DD  5-2 $16.10  Consolation DD 5-9 $2.97
50-cent Pick (3) 4-5-2/9 $93.02

Race Replay

4th Race

11-1 First Endeavor came rolling down the middle of the stretch under Manny Americano and rolled on by the odds-on choice to post a length win in the 6-furlong run in a time of 1:11.10. First Endeavor races for Tony and Brenna 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.

Pole to Pole under Kevin Krigger couldn’t hold off the winner and settled for 2nd, Lord of Light and Kiaman McGregor came from well back to take 3rd and completing the superfecta was 46-1 Galloping Major and Adrian Castellanos.

Claimed: Pole to Pole was taken by the new connections of owner Eliana Thompson and trainer Jorge Rosales for $2,500.

Pay-Outs
3 First Endeavor (Americano)  $25.40  $5.90  $2.48
4 Pole to Pole (Krigger)  $2.98  $2.18
2 Lord of Light (McGregor)  $2.24
$1 Ex 3-4 $31.80
$1 Tri  3-4-2 $61.56
$1 Super 3-4-2-6 $443.20
$1 DD  2-3 $61.29
50-cent Pick (3) 5-2/9-3 $88.40
50-cent Pick (4)  4-5-2/9-3 $777.01

Race Replay

5th Race

Not only did 11-1 Stay Sassy ran like her name she did it being contested the entire 6-furlong trip. Never leading by more than a 1/2 length and just by head for half the race Sassy and Alex Cruz held off all comers to post the neck victory. Stay Sassy races for Dave and the Little Lady Stable and trained by Charlie Essex. Stay Sassy is a Washington bred by Stay Thirsty out of Pippa Bou Peep by Harbor the Gold and was bred by Dave and Linda Olson.

5-1 Harney Lane and Silvio Amador just missed closing strongly to take 2nd, Big Beauty and Kevin Krigger ran 3rd with Grease Missile and Isaias Enriquez pushing the pace but tired to hold 4th.

Pay-Outs
5 Stay Sassy (Cruz)  $24.76  $8.22  $4.04
2 Harney Lane (Amador)  $6.04  $3.30
7 Big Beauty (Krigger)  $3.08
$1 Ex 5-2 $45.86
$1 Tri 5-2-7 $214.06
$1 Super 5-2-7-3 $610.20
$1 DD 3-5 $103.55
50-cent Pick (3) 2-3-5 $423.85

Race Replay

6th Race

Prancin Lady at 7-1 went stgraight to the lead and jockey Frank Alvarado had no intentions of giving up that lead going gate to wire winning by more than 2 lengths in a time of 1:17.33 for the 6 1/2-furlongs. Prancin Lady races for owner/trainer Jacqui Navarre. This was Navarre’s 2nd win at Emerald Downs, both with Prancin Lady.

Tianma and Kevin Krigger took 2nd, Heras Hope and Manny Amricano were a clear 3rd with Striking Notes and Carlos Montalvo finishing 4th.

Pay-Outs
6 Prancin Lady (Alvarado)  $16.40  $6.72  $3.14
2 Tianma (Krigger)  $4.40  $2.34
1 Heras Hope (Americano)  $2.46 
$1 Ex 6-2 $27.42
$1 Tri 6-2-1 $76.12
$1 Super 6-2-1-4 $390.00
$1 DD 5-6 $43.48
50-cent Pick (3) 3-5-6 $414.16
50-cent Pick (4) 2/9-3-5-6 $3,692.50

Race Replay

8th Race

In the finale, 10 starters went 6-furlongs and Stellzone went to the lead under Isaias Enriquez and never looked back rolling to a 4 1/2 length win in a final time of 1:10.80. Stellzone races for the partnership of Randall and Rossi, Aaron Bresko and Lucarelli Racing and trained by Frank Lucarelli.

Peg’s Choice with Frank Alvarado made a nice move to run 2nd, I’lltakeiktfromhere and Alex Cruz ran 3rd, taking 4th was Cantputapriceonfun with Kevin Orozco and Burninatmidnight and Manny Americano completed the Super High 5.

Pay-Outs
7 Stellzone (Enriquez)  $6.04  $3.84  $3.14
1 Peg’s Choice (Alvarado)  $7.46  $4.14
4 I’lltakeitfromhere (Cruz)  $4.42
$1 Ex 7-1 $22.72
$1 Tri 7-1-4 $110.78
$1 Super 7-1-4-2 $395.40
50-cent Super High Five 7-1-4-2-11 $674.10
$1 DD 3-7 $12.07
50-cent Pick (3) 6-3-7 $53.85
50-cent Pick (4) 5-6-3-5/7 $529.84
50-cent Pick (5) 3-5-6-3-5/7 $6,980.36
20-cent Pick (6) 2/9-3-5-6-3-5/7 $19,745.28

Race Replay

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