7/12/2026

(Auburn, WA) Sunday was T-Rex World Championship day at Emerald Downs with 8 live races. Another great crowd on hand a lot of T-Rex racers.

T-Rex Mania!

There were 3 heats for each the women and mens divisions with the top qualifiers advancing to the finals. There were additional single heats set up for kids, boys and girls heats, one teen heat for both boys and girls and a race for 55 and older women and men’s.

The T-Rex races were being taped by ESPN for a show later this summer. Our full coverage will be up on a separate post. When we publish it we will provide a link here.

The Track Wire

Saddle View

Alex Cruz finished the week with 5 wins, his best week this season. The former 5 time in a row jockey champ has been struggling the past few years to get back in that Championship groove. Cruz was feeling positive after the week and doesn’t know if can get into the race with Silvio Amador or defending Champ Kevin Krigger but he’s going to keep going one day at a time.

There was another double winner on Sunday, Adrian Castellanos opened with a win in the 1st and followed that up with A win in the 2nd to sweep the opening daily double.

Other winners included leading rider Silvio Amador, Allyssa Morales and Kevin Orozco.

There was one other winner, Blake Nunnally who was close to a 3 win even 4 win day but settled for winning the feature race on a wire-to-wire run with Miss Dynamic. Nunnally added 3 place finishes on the day. Below is the feature race interview with Joe Withee from the winners circle.

Blake Nunnally and Jessie Velasquez winning rider and trainer of Miss Dynamic with Joe Withee

Barn Notes

There was one trainer who doubled on Sunday, Shelly Crowe won twice and doubled her season win total. Crowe took the 5th race on Afjan and the finale with Come Home.

Scott Tubbs won the 6th with Nephele for his 3rd win of the week. Tubbs now has 6 wins for the year. Other winning trainers included Jorge Rosales, Tom Wenzel, Kay Cooper and Jessie Velasquez won the feature with Miss Dynamic. Velasquez was interviewed by Joe Withee after the feature race win and you can see that interview just above.

Betting Window

The days races were hit and miss for good pays but a few stood out. The Pick 5 paid a nice $1,300. There were multiple winners in the 10-cent pick 6 but still paid a healthy $581 and a carryover to next Friday of $11,785.

The top pick 4 payout was the final one at $376. The Super High Five returned $332.

Let’s get to the Sunday Races

7th Race Feature Race The Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse

By Vince Bruun

Miss Dynamic resumed her winning ways Sunday at Emerald Downs, leading gate to wire for a 2 ½-length victory in the $23,000 Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse for older fillies and mares.

Ridden by Blake Nunnally, Miss Dynamic ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.88, returning $7.48 for a $2 win ticket. Rigoberto Jesse Velasquez is the winning trainer for owner/breeder Antonio Mendoza of Hermiston, Ore.

A 6-year-old Washington-bred by Dynamic Impact, Miss Dynamic has won at least once at Emerald Downs every year since 2022 and has an overall mark of 8-4-3 in 20 starts with earnings of $157,403. She was Washington’s champion 2-year-old filly in 2022 and 3-year-old filly in 2023.

Breaking from the No. 3 post, Miss Dynamic set fractions of :22.24 and :44.54 while opening four lengths on I’m Telling Mom around the turn, remained well clear past mid-stretch and held sway to the wire.

Maximum Sparkle, bidding for a third straight win, rallied from fifth to finish second while I’m Telling Mom, the 3 to 2 betting favorite, held third. Rounding out the order of finish were Jersey Sunset, Swift Caro, Above Average, and Coiffeur.

• $1.00 EXACTA 3-7 $14.32
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 3-7-1 $15.98
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 3-7-1-5 $27.17
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 6-3 $29.43
• $0.50 PICK 3 2-6-3 $93.34

Race Replay

The rest of Sunday’s Re-Caps

1st Race

6 went a mile in Sunday’s opener and Toppers at Seaside went to the lead under the urging of Alex Cruz and set the fractions of 23.57 and 46.81. Adrian Castellanos positioned 2-1 betting choice just off of Topper as they hit the quarter pole in 1:11.33. Bert’s Prospect then drew even and slowly edged away to get the win by a half length in a final time of 1:37.92. Bert’s Prospect races for Gene Heredia, Eliesid Flores Sandoval and Eliana Thompson and trained by Jorge Rosales.

Toppers at Seaside held on well for 2nd and a late closing Om Fire under Alex Anaya got up for 3rd while Gordy’s Boy and Kiaman McGregor finished 4th.

• $1.00 EXACTA 3-5 $18.30
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 3-5-1 $25.40
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 3-5-1-4 $17.82

Race Replay

2nd Race

Adrian Castellanos won from a stalking position in race 1 and in race 2 came from the clouds on Adiaos Nicanor to catch Prince of Memphis in the final strides. Adios Nicanor races for Salvador Estrada and trained by Tom Wenzel.

Frank Alvarado thought he had made the winning move at the top of the stretch but just missed to claim 2nd, Regarding Harry and Allyssa Morales made a bid as well but flattened out for 3rd and Hatagasal with Kevin Krigger took 4th.

• $1.00 EXACTA 1-4 $16.77
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 1-4-3 $20.64
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 1-4-3-2 $15.84
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 3-1 $13.68

Race Replay

3rd Race

After a late scratch a field of 5 went 5 1/2 furlongs and Company Girl with Kiaman McGregor and longshot Whiskeywithatwist piloted by Blake Nunnally set the early pace with fractions of 21.43 and 44.45. Sitting to the outside waiting patiently was 6-5 favorite Mimi Kai who quickly engaged Company Girl as they separated from Whisky and Mimi cruised to the win. Company Girl was 2nd Tiger Lady and Isaias Enriquez ran on for 3rd with Whiskeywithatwist finishing 4th.

Mimi Kai races for Pat Crow, William Douglas Stenberg and Bryson Cooper and trained by Kay Cooper. The final time was 1:03.22. Mimi Kai is a Washington bred by Conveyance out of Deja Views by Forest Camp and was bred by Frederick and Debra Pabst.

• $1.00 EXACTA 4-3 $5.86
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 4-3-5 $3.94
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 4-3-5-1 $2.13
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 1-4 $10.03
• $0.50 PICK 3 3-1-2,4 $15.55

Race Replay

4th Race

6 went 6 furlongs in the 4th race and 6-1 A View From Above with Silvio Amador ground out the front end times going 22.38 and 44.57 but 2nd choice Good Focus with Allyssa Morales had the race measured the whole time and pulled away from View to win in a final tab of 1:09.07. Good Focus is owned by Sue Gilmour and trained by Jim Gilmore.

A View From Above actually swung to the outside of Good Focus and ran on for a clear 2nd, odds-on choice Golden River ridden by Frank Alvarado was a well beaten 3rd and Real Good Magic Isaias Enriquez completed the superfecta.

• $1.00 EXACTA 6-3 $18.02
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 6-3-2 $17.21
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 6-3-2-4 $12.11
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 4-6 $13.88
• $0.50 PICK 3 1-2,4-6 $28.20
• $0.50 PICK 4 4 OF 4 3-1-2,4-6 $74.56

Race Replay

5th Race

Six $15k claimers went the mile and 9-1 Wood Ceiling sat just off the early speed of longshot Let’s Go Champ as they carved out times of 23.51 and 46.83. Blake Nunnally then put away Champ and let Wood Ceiling take the lead. Inside the 1/8th pole 4-5 odds on Afjan found an open slot on the rail and Silvio Amador said go. Those two would be joined late by Baie Longue with Frank Alvarado and the 3 hit wire with no more than a 1/2 length between them. Afjan got the nose win over Wood Ceiling with Baie Longue 3rd and Dirt Road Red with Kevin Krigger 4th.

Afjan races for Joseph Budinich and trained by Shelly Crowe.

• $1.00 EXACTA 2-6 $9.42
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 2-6-4 $15.64
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 2-6-4-5 $4.48
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 6-2 $10.07
• $0.50 PICK 3 2,4-6-2 $14.04

Race Replay

6th Race

After a late scratch at the gate 5 went the 8 furlongs and 5-1 Nephele got a brilliant ride from Alex Cruz as he sat patiently and ran down all the pacesetters for the win covering the mile in 1:37.95. Nephele races for Ed Laney and is trained by Scott Tubbs.

7-5 Bangie Go with Blake Nunnally fell just short with a solid 2nd place run, Vulin and Silvio Amador got up for 3rd and Chatty Leroybrown under Frank Albvarado finished 4th.

The Stewards called an inquiry in the stretch run on the winner Nephele along with Vulin and Chatty Leroybrown but ruled no change as Nephele was clear when a crowding issue occured in mid-stretch so no change was ruled.

• $1.00 EXACTA 6-3 $17.11
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 6-3-4 $19.60
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 6-3-4-5 $10.73
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 2-1 $1.83
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 2-6 $16.17
• $0.50 PICK 3 6-2-6 $72.48
• $0.50 PICK 4 4 OF 4 2,4-6-2-6 $204.28

Race Replay

8th Race

In the get-away race Alex Cruz capped off his best week of the season with his 5th win and 2nd of the day. Cruz rallied Come Home from just off the front pace to get the win in a final time of 1:13 flat for 6 furlongs. Come Home is owned and trained by Shelly Crowe.

Glory Sunday and Blake Nunnally ran hard to get 2nd, Vegas Run Away with Talliyah Timentwa ran a solid 3rd, Hillybilly Hot Rod under Alex Anaya took 4th and Immaciata with Lenny Seecharan completed the Super Hi 5.

• $1.00 EXACTA 5-6 $15.53
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 5-6-2 $54.41
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 5-6-2-3 $36.48
• $0.50 SUPERHIGHFIVE 5-6-2-3-1 $332.02
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 3-5 $16.81
• $0.50 PICK 3 6-3-5 $88.27
• $0.50 PICK 4 4 OF 4 2-6-3-5 $376.81
• $0.50 PICK 5 5 OF 5 6-2-6-3-5 $1,300.95
• – PICK 6 CarryOver $11,785.02
• $0.10 PICK 6 6 OF 6 2,4-6-2-6-3-5 $581.20

Race Replay

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