Horse Racing: Emerald Downs Bluegrass Go Go gets the head down for the Saturday Feature Win

8/22/2026

(Auburn, WA) 10 races were on the Saturday card as the 2026 live season is quickly coming to a close. Special thanks to Emerald Downs Media Director Vince Bruun for his track notes and feature race write-up included in this post.

Let’s get to the Saturday racing.

Track Wire

Saturday’s mutuel handle totaled $1,076,976 on a 10-race card. Silvio Amador tripled and Kevin Krigger doubled to lead the jockeys. Through 41 days, Amador tops the standings with 62 wins followed by Krigger with 53 and Adrian Castellanos at 45.

Saturday’s fifth race—Kathy Coffey Memorial Purse—honored the longtime Director of Customer Service at Emerald Downs.

Charles Essex and Joe Crawford scored back-to-back with Dixie’s Delight ($3.98) and Gi Gis Map ($8.98) in the sixth and seventh. Stratojet ($3.76) blazed six furlongs in 1:08.50, scoring his second straight blowout victory for Kevin Orozco and Kay Cooper. The official winning margin was 14 ¼ lengths. . .Owner/trainer Cliff Balcom scored his initial win of 2026, Little Minnie Mo ($8.64) leading all the way in the opener.

9th Race Feature Race

Bluegrass Go Go outfinished both Stretch Run and D K’s Crown in a driving finish, scoring a neck victory in Saturday’s $20,000 W & W Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.

Ridden by Kevin Krigger, Bluegrass Go Go ran six furlongs in 1:09.85, returning $2.62 as a prohibitive betting favorite. Blaine Wright is the trainer and co-owner with Dean Marcic and Shawn Sudo.

The victory was timely. Saturday’s purse, which included an additional $7,000 from an anonymous donor, made Bluegrass Go Go’s winner’s share a healthy $11,400. He has three straight wins at the meet and a 5-4-0 record in 12 career starts at Emerald Downs.

Stretch Run, a 10-year-old ridden by Blake Nunnally, dug in bravely to just miss the victory while D K’s Crown, a 9-year-old ridden by Kevin Orozco, was anothe head back in third place. Rounding out the order of finish were Blazing Peme, Hadlees Honor, and Roll Dem Bones.

Baladi was scratched earlier in the day.

• $1.00 EXACTA 5-4 $4.12
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 5-4-7 $8.70
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 5-4-7-1 $5.88
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 5-5 $2.26
• $0.50 PICK 3 6-5-2,5 $7.88

Race Replay

The rest of Saturday’s race re-caps

1st Race

Silvio Amador broke fast with Little Minnie Mo and went gate to wire and held on by a neck over Carita Linda and Talliyah Timentwa running the 6 furlongs in 1:10.4.0. Belle of Edmonds the 1-1 betting choice with Isaias Enriquez ran 3rd with Stealin Stuff and Kevin Krigger checking in 4th.

Little Minnie Mo gave trainer Cliff Balcom his 1st win of 2026 and handed him the connections trifecta as trainer, owner and breeder. Little Minnie Mo is a Washington bred by Jess Mo out of T J’s Only by Outing.

• $1.00 EXACTA 3-1 $14.57
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 3-1-4 $11.98
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 3-1-4-5 $4.47

Race Replay

2nd Race

A field of 5 went 6 1/2 furlongs and 7-2 Livin Right got a brilliant stalkin ride from Alex Anaya and they made their move at the quarter pole to cruise to a 2 length lead at the top of the stretch and stretcvhed his lead to nearly 3 lengths at the finish line in a final time of 1:16.16. Livin Right races for Baseline Equine and trained by Jorge Rosales.

Whatwerewethinkin under Kevin Krigger ran on well to be a clear 2nd, after setting the early fractions Cozumel and Silvio Amador held 3rd and betting favorite Haka and Frank Alvarado finished 4th.

• $1.00 EXACTA 5-4 $31.31
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 5-4-2 $47.16
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 5-4-2-1 $15.53
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 3-5 $18.46

Race Replay

3rd Race

The best prices of the day showed up in the 3rd with 6-1 Make Mo Mine making her career debut ridden by Frank Alvarado and sitting just off the early speed rolled on by to win by 3 1/2 lengths covering the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.59. Make Mo Mine comes from the leading connections barn this year giving owner George Todaro his 15th win of the year under the direction of trainer Tom Wenzel.

19-1 Parade of Dreams closed well to be 2nd with Isaias Enriquez in the saddle, Saint Inide and Blake Nunnally ran 3rd and odds-on choice Start Dreamin with Alex Cruz was checked hard at the 1/8th pole to lose all chance.

• $1.00 EXACTA 2-5 $89.10
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 2-5-4 $100.22
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 2-5-4-1 $113.93
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 5-2 $20.46
• $0.50 PICK 3 3-5-2 $120.46

Race Replay

4th Race

Goin’ South and Good Focus were in a head and head battle all down the backstretch but it was Silvio Amador who knew what his ride Goin’ South had in the tank. Goin’ South turned away Good Focus and went on to blister the field by 3 lengths with a sizzling 1:08.55 for 3/4 of a mile. Goin’ South is owned by PNW Racing and trained by Blaine Wright.

Jimmy B riddeen by Frank alvarado closed from last to get Good Focus and Allyssa Morales for the place while Conrad Meadows and Alex Anaya completed the superfecta.

• $1.00 EXACTA 2-1 $11.81
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 2-1-3 $10.76
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 2-1-3-6 $4.60
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 2-2 $24.15
• $0.50 PICK 3 5-2-2 $81.07
• $0.50 PICK 4 4 OF 4 3-5-2-2 $639.01

Race Replay

5th Race

Amador and Morales battled on the front end again in the 5th going 1 mile. Amador had Fruit Lutes on the lead while Morales sat just off this time with Prince of Memphis.  Prince of Memphis would take the lead at the quarter pole and extend to a 2 length lead at the top of the stretch but Fruit Lutes wasn’t done and came back on but the Prince held on by a 1/2 length to get the win in 1:36.24. Mo Grey and Kevin Krigger closed for the show and Fix It Quick under Blake Nunnally took 4th.

Prince of Memphis races for Rancho Viejo and Jerry Carmody and trained by Jesse Velasquez.

• $1.00 EXACTA 6-4 $40.24
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 6-4-2 $61.93
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 6-4-2-5 $57.80
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 2-6 $16.98
• $0.50 PICK 3 2-2-6 $147.55

Race Replay

6th Race

Dixie’s Delight went straight to the lead and dominated from start to finish under the urging of Silvio Amador covering the 6 furlongs in 1:10.97 winning by 4 lengths. Dixie’s Delight is owned by Joe Crawford and conditioned by Charlie Essex.

Lotsa Kitty and Alex Cruz chased Dixie the entire race and was no match for the winner but was clearly 2nd best more than 7  lengths in front of 3rd place finisher Run on Om and Blake Nunnaly. Mamarando with Lenny Seecharan finished 4th.

• $1.00 EXACTA 9-5 $6.92
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 9-5-1 $9.65
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 9-5-1-7 $7.62
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 6-9 $13.32
• $0.50 PICK 3 2-6-9 $28.45

Race Replay

7th Race

Another front running effort in this one for odds-on choice Gi Gis Map piloted by Kevin Krigger. Once again the owner Joe Crawford and trainer Charlie Essex struck for back-to-back wins. Gi Gis Map was a clear winner by 1 1/2 lengths and ran the 1 mile in 1:36.81.

Bangie Go has been super consistent hitting the board all season and did it again with Blake Nunnally riding, Exingtonm and Adrian Castellanos ran 3rd and finished 4th was Charmz under Kevin Orozco.

• $1.00 EXACTA 6-1 $11.63
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 6-1-5 $38.78
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 6-1-5-2 $22.26
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 9-6 $11.02
• $0.50 PICK 3 6-9-6 $24.79
• $0.50 PICK 4 4 OF 4 2-6-2,9-6 $73.94

Race Replay

8th Race

Stratojet and Kevin Orozco set the season long win mark by 13+ lengths in their 1st outing a few weeks ago. They added to that on Saturday with a front running demolition of this field winning by nearly 15 lengths all on the front end. Stratojet set fractions of 21.55 and 44.26 before stopping the clock in a blazing 1:08.50 for the 6 furlongs. 12-1 Coastal Journey and Allyssa Morales were a clear 2nd with the show placing going to Fred Mo and Alex Anaya. Placing 4th was Whiskeythenwine ridden by Silvio Amador.

Stratojet races for Michael Pagliarini, Bryson Cooper and William Stenberg and trained by Kay Cooper. Stratojet is a Washington bred by Conveyance out of Belltown Beauty by Speightstown and was bred by Frederick and Debra Pabst.

• $1.00 EXACTA 5-2 $11.95
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 5-2-7 $128.77
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 5-2-7-8 $151.80
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 6-5 $22.64
• $0.50 PICK 3 9-6-5 $11.87

Race Replay

10th Race

In the finale Blake Nunnally placed 2-1 betting choice Upstart Yankee in mid pack of the 1 mile run and took the patient approach. Nunnally asked Upstart Yankee to make his move on the turn and by the time they straightened away they had a 2 1/2 length lead and went on for a 2 length victory holding off a late charge from Dekudylan and Alex Cruz. Toppers at Seaside with Silvio Amador got up for 3rd, Time Ticker and Adrian Castellanos took 4th with Stop and a Tres ridden by Alex Anaya completed the Super High 5.

Upstart Yankee is owned by Irma Esmeralda Angel and trained by Jorge Maravilla and ran the mile in 1:37.38.

• $1.00 EXACTA 2-5 $16.78
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 2-5-3 $40.45
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 2-5-3-4 $39.68
• $0.50 SUPERHIGHFIVE 2-5-3-4-1 $174.20
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 5-2 $4.92
• $0.50 PICK 3 5-2,5-2 $5.48
• $0.50 PICK 4 4 OF 4 6-5-2,5-2,7 $25.46
• $0.50 PICK 5 5 OF 5 2,9-6-5-2,5-2,7 $39.99
• $0.10 PICK 6 6 OF 6 6-2,9-6-5-2,5-2,7 $19.43
• – PICK 6 CarryOver $4,539.93

Race Replay

West42sports.com