8/8/2025
(Auburn, Wa) Friday night racing had a little bit of everything with DQ to Manny Americano tripling and trainer Robbie Baze getting his 1st win of the season. 2-1 favorite in the feature race Crypto Ride didn’t disappoint and the pick 6 carried over. Let’s get to Friday night.
The Numbers
There were 7 races on the card with a total of 53 starters averaging 7.6 per race. The betting was measured with the 2nd lowest handle of the season at $812,532 total which was $116,076 per race.
The lowest handle of the season was back on June 20 at 810k. Now let’s see if the handle bounces back like it did on June 21 with 1.1-million and then on Sunday, June 22 woith 2.26-million.
From the Saddle
Manny Americano entered the night trailing Kevin Krigger by 10 in the race for the Jockey’s title and needs to out finish Krigger more than at anytime this season to have a shot at catching him. Americano began this week winning 3 of the first 4 races. One was via DQ but he’ll take the wins anyway he can get them.
Krigger did answer with a win in the feature so going into Sunday Krigger’s lead is 8.
Kiaman McGregor, Kevin Orozco and Francisco Duran all got the other wins. It was Duran’s 8th win of the season and only 6th since taking 2 wins on opening day back in April.
Both McGregor and Orozco are having terrific years compared to last season. McGregor now has 12 wins, 7 more than all of last year. Orozco tabbed #22 in the finale, 4 more than last year’s 18 wins.
One other note, jockey Blake Nunnally got his 1st top 3 finish last night after recently joining the Emerald jock’s room with a 2nd place finish in the 7th race on Dominte. It was just Nunnally’s 7th ride of the season at Emerald.
From the Barn
Long time conditioner Robbie Baze doesn’t have a huge barn but he had not been able to find a win with 6 places and 3 shows going into Friday night from 30 starts. #31 was the one as the part owned and trained Nephele closed late to get up for the win in the 1st race. He would collect the $5,700 winners share but also lost Nephele by claim for $8,000.
The trainer’s race remains nip and tuck and the leader Justin Evans didn’t have a starter. The only one in the mix to gain ground was Blaine Wright who picked up win #22 tying Jorge Rosales for 2nd. Evans still leads with 24, then comes Wright and Rosales at 22. Frank Lucarelli is looking for #20 this weekend as he sits in 4th place with 19.
Meantime, some other trainers got their shot to pick up some much needed wins. Rosie Simkins glot her 3rd victory, Shelly Crowe also got #3. Vince Gibson, like Baze has had a big case of 2nd-itis coming into the night with a 5-9-5 record only to place 2nd in the 3rd and 4th races. Gibson then got his pictute taken in the 5th for his 6th win of the year.
And trainer Simon Hobson won the feature race for his 4th win of the year from just 12 starts. Better yet for Hobson he won the race for his wife Amy who owns Crypto Ride. The Hobson’s are a true family operation as Simon’s 4-0-2 record from 12 starts is the same record as Amy’s as an owner. The Hobson’s are firing at a 33% win rate so beware when they are entered, they’re serious about winning.
The Betting Window
There was a chance to win money on Friday with some decent pays mixed in with some pretty average pays. The pick 4’s paid between $104 and $144 so not gonna get rich but pretty hitable bets.
The best $2 bet of the night was Candy’s Wildcat in the 4th to place returning $19.52. That also keyed the top superfecta pay of $104.35 for the dime bet or $1,043.50 on the $1 wager.
Thje pick 5 paid a wobbly $274.53 but with a scratch in the 7th if you had included Don’t Doubt Declan then you were rewarded with the win as the betting favorite Tiz Grazen easily won.
And the Pick 6 paid are really decent $301.73 but with multiple winners there is a carryover of aboput $3,000 heading into Saturday.
Let’s get to the Friday Races!
6th Race and Feature Race Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse
Returning from an 11-month layoff, Crypto Ride powered to a 3 ¼-length victory in Friday’s featured Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse at Emerald Downs.
With Kevin Krigger at the controls, Crypto Ride covered a mile in 1:37.61 and paid $6.56 as the public choice in a field of eight. Simon Hobson, 4 for 11 at the meet, is the winning trainer for wife Amy Hobson.
Stakes placed at Los Alamitos as a 2-year-old, the now 5-year-old Crypto Ride had been away since last August but had trained forwardly for his 2025 bow.
Shaking off No Ordinary Tiger on the last turn, Crytpto Tiger turned aside a challenge by Red Leader into the lane, spurted four lengths clear past mid-stretch, and proved much the best.
A California-bred by Clubhouse Ride, Crypto Ride improved to 2-2-2 in 16 lifetime starts with earnings of $83,450.
Pure Cane Sugar, ridden by Manuel Americano, closed strongly to finish second while Red Leader, Kiaman McGregor aboard, finished third.
Pay-Outs
5 Crypto Ride (Krigger) $6.52 $5.60 $3.50
1 Pure Cane Sugar (Americano) $8.56 $4.38
8 Red Leader (McGregor) $6.42
$1 Ex 5-1 $26.32
$1 Tri 5-1-8 $175.86
$1 Super 5-1-8-6 $700.80
$1 DD 4-5 $20.35
50-cent Pick (3) 2-4-5 $50.48
Race Replay
The rest of the Saturday’s races.
1st Race
A field of 7 went a mile in the Friday night opener and Nephele with Manny Americano made an eye catching move to engage Bella Ciao Ciao and Alex Cruz at the 1/8th pole and those two went to the wire with Nephele edging away for the 1/2 length win in a final time of 1:39.36. Coconut Dreams and Francisco Duran got up for 3rd and Mappemonde and Julien Couton finished 4th. Nephele races for Robbie Baze and Shannon Fadden and was trained by Baze.
Claimed: Nephele was claimed by Ed Laney for $8,000 and will be trained by Scott Tubbs.
Pay-Outs
5 Nephele (Americano) $7.12 $3.28 $2.72
3 Bella Ciao Ciao (Cruz) $2.62 $2.94
7 Coconut Dreams (Duran) $4.56
$1 Ex 5-3 $10.50
$1 Tri 5-3-7 $59.24
$1 Super 5-3-7-6 $177.20
Race Replay
2nd Race
A field of 8 went 6-furlongs and was done with some controversy. 5-1 Lucky’s Loaded went to the lead and then held off 5-2 Empire Warrior and Manny Americano by a nose. But the inquiry sign went up and Lucky’s Loaded was DQ’s and placed 2nd. The stewards ruled Lucky’s Loaded drifted out and interfered with Empire Warrior. 5-2 favorite Towhee with Frank Alvarado got up for 3rd over 9-1 Reach Higher and Isaias Enriquez.
Empire Warrior is owned by Alex and Vincent Ortega and trained by Scott Tubbs and ran the 6-furlongs in 1:11.60.
Pay-Outs
6 Empire Warrior (Americano) $7.56 n$4.72 $2.90
8 Lucky’s Loaded (Amador) $5.90 $3.26
1 Towhee (Alvarado) $2.48
$1 Ex 6-8 $12.09
$1 Tri 6-8-1 $51.24
$1 Super 6-8-1-7 $126.00
$1 DD 5-6 $10.85
Race Replay
3rd Race
Front speed Yeti Lute broke well for Kiaman McGregor and that was all they needed quickly putting space on the field and rolling to a nearly 4 length win over the 5 1/2-furlong sprint in a time of 1:03.60. The 7-5 favorite races for Breezin’ Bayou Stables, Barking Dogs and Dean Warns and trained by Rosie Simkins. Yeti Lute is a Washington bred by Lutes Gift out of Sensible by Street Sense and was bred by Horse Haven Creek Farm.
2nd place chasing Yeti Lute the entire trip was I’m a Dude To with David Haldar up and held 2nd by a neck over 4-1 Whiskeythenwine and Silvio Amador. Atmospheric River completed the superfecta.
Pay-Outs
6 Yeti Lute (McGregor) $4.80 $3.22 $2.38
1 I’m a Dude To (Haldar) $3.58 $2.96
4 Whiskeythenwine (Amador) $2.84
$1 Ex 6-1 $9.27
$1 Tri 6-1-4 $10.14
$1 Super 6-1-4-3 $64.50
$1 DD 6-6 $14.54
50-cent Pick (3) 5-6-6 $29.62
Race Replay
4th Race
Manny Americano recorded his 3rd win of the night when he closed strongly along the rail to get up in the final strides with Mashad Flats catching upset minded 21-1 Candy’s Wildcat and David Haldar to win by a neck. 2-1 favorite Royal Halo and Carlos Montalvo were closing from the clouds and missed 2nd place by a head. Happy Does under Adrian Castellanos was a clear 4th.
Mashad Flats ran the 1-mile in 1:37.30 and is trained by Shelly Crowe. The 6-year-old gelding is owned by Joseph Budinich and Paula Meta Woods.
Pay-Outs
2 Mashad Flats (Americano) $8.98 $4.74 $2.82
3 Candy’s Wildcat (Haldar) $19.52 $5.92
1 Royal Halo (Montalvo) $2.50
$1 Ex 2-3 $71.51
$1 Tri 2-3-1 $272.30
$1 Super 2-3-1-6 $1,043.50
$1 DD 6-2 $13.08
50-cent Pick (3) 6-6-2 $28.02
50-cent Pick (4) 5-6-6-2 $104.38
Race Replay
5th Race
Despite being a clear 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place finisher with no photo finishes it was a bit of a calvary charge down the stretch. My Little Lady and Francisco Duran stayed patient on the rail with pace setter Luna Linda on the lead. Linda eventually tired inside the 1/8th pole and lugged in opening a hole 2 off the rail and Duran pounced and got the jump on a closing Hot Betty with Silvio Amador and pulled off a 3/4 length win in a final time of 1:12.44 forf 6-furlongs. My Little Lady races for HX3 Incorporated and trained by Vince Gibson.
Meantime Hot Betty was singled out for an inquiry review by the stewards and a claim of foul from Ethan’s Girl rider Kevin Krigger. Hot Betty did come in at the 1/8th pole and Krigger had to check Ethan’s Girl and eventually finished 4th getting passed just before the wire by Shesayshello and Alex Cruz. The stewards ruled no change ruling the incident didn’t cost Ethan’s Girl a placing position. Despite getting passed in the final strides for 3rd and after checking at the 1/8th pole.
Pay-Outs
4 My Little Lady (Duran) $10.56 $6.46 $5.80
8 Hot Betty (Amador) $6.88 $5.82
2 Shesayshello (Cruz) $7.84
$1 Ex 4-8 $38.39
$1 Tri 4-8-2 $176.74
$1 Super 4-8-2-7 $478.20
$1 DD 2-4 $20.63
50-cent Pick (3) 6-2-4 $30.84
Race Replay
7th Race
No surprises in the finale as 1-1 betting choice Tiz Grazen poured it on in the stretch under Kevin Orozco for an easy 7 3/4 length victory in a final time of 1:10.90 for the 6-furlongs. Tiz Grazen races for Gate2Wire LLC and trained by Blaine Wright. Tiz Grazen is a Washington bred by Grazen out of Tizarae by Tiznow and was bred by Mr and Mrs William T Griffin.
4-1 Dominate with Blake Nunnally ran 2nd, Fly By John and Carlos Montalvo took 3rd, finishing 4th was Let Me Help You and Silvio Amador and completing the Super High 5 was Colonel Horton with Chel-c Bailey.
Pay-Outs
5 Tiz Grazen (Orozco) $4.34 $3.16 $2.16
7 Dominate (Nunnally) $3.92 $2.52
2 Fly By John (Montalvo) $2.56
$1 Ex 5-7 $6.46
$1 Tri 5-7-2 $13.72
$1 Super 5-7-2-8 $72.90
50-cent Super High Five 5-7-2-8-6 $154.83
$1 DD 5-5 $11.40
50-cent Pick (3) 4-5-3/5 $28.52
50-cent Pick (4) 2-4-5-3/5 $144.18
50-cent Pick (5) 6-2-4-5-3/5 $274.53
20-cent Pick (6) 6-6-2-4-5-3/5 $301.73 Carryover $2,575
Race Replay
