Tribal Waters scores splash victory for Emerald Racing Club
Published 9:11 am Sunday, August 2, 2015
For the Reporter
Tribal Waters surged late and scored a three-length victory Saturday in the $13,600 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds and up.
The pride of the 187-member Emerald Racing Club, Tribal Waters ran 6½ furlongs in 1:15.98 and paid $11.20, $4.40 and $2.60. Leslie Mawing rode the winner for trainers Larry and Sharon Ross.
That makes four wins for Emerald Racing Club in just two seasons – Dancing Yodeler won twice last year, and Charlie Thomas and Tribal Waters each have a victory this year. In fact, Dancing Yodeler, the 7-year-old gelding that thrilled ERC with two come-from-behind victories last year, was given a special retirement ceremony between races Saturday.
Mawing, who has ridden all four ERC winners, said the strategy Saturday was to lay behind speedsters St Nicholas Becky and Tribal Waters.
“The plan was just to lay off the two speed horses and make one big move,” Mawing said. “It worked out perfectly.”
Tribal Waters made his move in mid-stretch, overtaking St Nicholas Becky and Cinematic Cat, then holding off Raspberry Ala Mode for the victory.
A 4-year-old California-bred colt by Tribal Rule, Tribal Waters was acquired privately in Northern California, having been scouted by Larry Ross at Golden Gate Fields. Saturday marked Tribal Waters’ third start at Emerald Downs, with the win upping his lifetime mark to 3-1-1 in 13 starts and the $7,480 winner’s share boosting his earnings to $48,153.
Raspberry Ala Mode, ridden by Diego Sanchez, closed ground to finish second and paid $4.80 and $2.80.
St Nicholas Becky, ridden by Gallyn Mitchell, held third and paid $2.40. Zoomzoomania and Cinematic Cat completed the order of finish; Fable Haven was a late scratch.
Notes
There were no winning tickets in Saturday’s $0.50 Pick 5, the carryover to Sunday is $8,365. … There were four double-digit winners in the sequence topped by Add Some Alcohol’s $36.80 triumph in race six. … The meet’s leading rider, Julien Couton, and the meet’s leading trainer, Jeff Metz, had two wins apiece on the 10-race card. Couton leads Juan Gutierrez 67-54 in the jockeys’ standings and Metz leads Frank Lucarelli 38-22 in the trainers’ standings. … Kendini rallied for a $22 upset under Jake Barton in race eight, giving trainer Sil Juarez his first Emerald Downs victory since 2001. … Cape Grace ($28.40) overcame a slow start to win the $20,500 maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies in 1:04.85 for 5½ furlongs. A Washington-bred owned and bred by Oak Crest Farm LLC, Cape Grace was ridden by Javier Matias for trainer David Martinez. … Martinez is 14-for-61 (23 percent) at the meet with a $16.60 average $2 win payoff. … He’s Zuberrific ($9) out finished the mighty Power Fleet in a strong stretch run to win race four in :57.56 for five furlongs. The winner, a 4-year-old Washington-bred gelding owned by Ron Maus and trained by Terry Gillihan, is 4-4-6 in 22 starts at Emerald Downs. … Nominations close Sunday for the 80th running of the $200,000 Longacres Mile (Grade 3) on Sunday, Aug. 16. … Defending Mile champion Stryker Phd worked five furlongs in :59.60 Saturday, fastest of 13 works at the distance. … Live racing continues Sunday with a 10-race card at 2 p.m.
