Stryker Phd three-peats in Muckleshoot Tribal Classic | Emerald Downs
Published 11:50 pm Sunday, August 28, 2016
For the Reporter
Jim and Mona Hour’s Stryker Phd provided the exclamation point to a memorable Sunday for trainers Larry and Sharon Ross.
Inducted into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame before the 10-race Washington Cup card, the Ross’s superstar 7-year-old gelding Stryker Phd overpowered six foes for a 5¾-length victory in the $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic for 3-year-olds and up.
The Muckleshoot Tribal Classic was the final of six stakes races Sunday as Washington Cup presented by Xpressbet featured stakes in all six divisions.
The star of the show, however, was Stryker Phd. Finally hitting pay dirt in 2016, the 7-year-old Bertrando gelding swept to the lead past the three-eighths pole and cruised home in a very fast 1:41.30 for 1 1/16 miles. Stryker Phd paid $3.60, $2.80 and $2.10.
For Stryker Phd, it was his third victory in the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic and tied him with Madame Pele as the only three-time Washington Cup winners. Stryker Phd and Madame Pele are both out of the same dam, Striking Scholar, and Char Clark Thoroughbreds bred both.
“It was a bit of a class drop for (Stryker Phd) today,” Larry Ross aid. “He’s a year older, but he’s still running good and training good. It was a tremendous honor to (be inducted) in the Hall of Fame.”
Stryker Phd earned $25,510 to boost his career total to $559,841, No. 7 all-time among Washington-breds. And his $511,236 earned at Emerald Downs is second only to Wasserman. His overall record is 10-5-6 in 26 starts and includes nine stakes wins at Emerald Downs.
Coming off a fifth in the Longacres Mile two weeks ago, Stryker Phd showed no ill effects of the relatively quick turnaround. Sweeping past Hoody and Westley into the lane, Stryker Phd notched his first win in four starts as a 7-year-old.
“It’s one more good win on his record, and my record too, of course,” Mawing said. “Winning this race just eclipses his season at Emerald Downs, because we did have a rough beginning.
“It was great coming back into the winner’s circle, but Larry and Sharon (Ross), they’re great horsemen. They look after the horse first, and they made sure he was 100 percent before they took him into this race. I’m really happy for that. “
Grinder Sparksaglo, the longest shot on the board at 45-1, rallied to finish second and paid $16.80 and $8, while Westley, the 2-1 second choice, held third and paid $2.60.
Absolutely Cool, Hoody, Trick Or Retreat and Snowball’s Chance completed the order of finish.
So Lucky romps in Redhook ESL, remains unbeaten
The prohibitive 1-5 favorite, So Lucky was never headed and scored a decisive nine-length victory in the $50,000 WA Cup Two-Year-Old Colts & Gelding Stakes presented by Redhook ESL.
The first 2-year-old with four wins this year in America, So Lucky zipped six furlongs in 1:09.02 and paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10. Rocco Bowen rode the winner at 120 lbs for trainer Howard Belvoir and owners Pegasus Too and Rising Star Stables.
A Washington-bred colt by Coast Guard-Miss Pixie, So Lucky is 4-for-4 lifetime with earnings of $87,335 including a $27,025 check for Sunday’s triumph. He accounted for $124,250 of $141,825 wagered to show.
So Lucky now has wins by 4½, 3, 5½ and 9 lengths, including victories in the Emerald Express Stakes, WTBOA Lads and Washington Cup.
Breaking sharply from the No. 5 post-position, So Lucky led through fractions of :22, :44.69 and :56.63 seconds en route to the overwhelming victory.
“He broke a lot better today,” Bowen said. “Howard (Belvoir) told me not to be overconfident. I knew it was kind of an easier bunch, and I wanted to let the horses get a little closer and see what would be his reaction. And you guys saw what the reaction was.”
Keller’s Gold, ridden by Jose Zunino, finished second and paid $5.60 and $3.20, while Don’tbeshywillie, ridden by Jennifer Whitaker and also trained by Belvoir, finished third and paid $3.80.
Canadian shipper Satellite Storm finished fourth and Mixo was last. Distortedatthebar was scratched earlier in the day.
Mixo, the 4-1 second choice, had en equipment mishap and struggled to make it safely around the course.
So Lucky joined O B Harbor and Barkley as triple stakes winners this season at Emerald Downs.
Risque’s Legacy prevails in Comcast SportsNet
Risque’s Legacy overpowered six foes and cruised to a three-length victory over No Talking Back in the $50,000 WA Cup Two-Year-Old Filly Stakes presented by Comcast SportsNet.
Ridden by Rocco Bowen at 119 pounds, Risque’s Legacy led gate-to-wire in 1:11.33 for six furlongs and paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10. Tom Wenzel is the winning trainer for owner/breeder Karl Krieg of Oak Harbor.
A Washington-bred by Atta Boy Roy-Risque Humor, Risque’s Legacy is the first stakes winner for his sire and is unbeaten in two starts with earnings of $35,685, including $25,510 for Sunday’s victory.
Breaking like a rocket from the No. 6 post-position, Risque’s Legacy set fractions of :22.36, :45.60 and :58.08, and had plenty in the tank to hold off the closers.
“She’s just a nice horse, a natural,” Bowen said. “She’s got a lot of natural speed. You just got to let this kind of horse do its thing. You have to stay out of their way.
“She actually fought me a little bit today. She was fighting me a little bit in the turn, but I just relaxed her and let her do her thing.”
Risque’s Legacy, like So Lucky, was an overwhelming 1-5 betting favorite and accounted for $93,128 of $106,528 in the show pool, and the $1 daily double from So Lucky to Risque’s Legacy paid a record low $1.20.
No Talking Back, with Leonel Camacho-Flores riding, finished second and paid $4.80 and $2.80, while San Juan Star, with Leslie Mawing riding, finished third and paid $6 to show. Grace Bay, Olivia Snowbound, Goldazura and Frostingonthecake completed the order of finish.
Ethan’s Baby all the way in Xpressbet
Ethan’s Baby became the third straight odds-on winner Sunday, rolling to a 2¾- length front-running victory in the $50,000 WA Cup Filly & Mare Stakes presented by Xpressbet.
Nicely handled by Leslie Mawing at 119 pounds, Ethan’s Baby ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.80 and paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10. Blaine Wright is the winning trainer for owners/breeders Todd and Shawn Hansen of Tenino.
A Washington state champion at ages 2 and 3, Ethan’s Baby had finished second in four stakes at Emerald Downs the last two seasons, but would not be denied Sunday. Shaking off 3-1 second choice Dance With Effie into the lane, Ethan’s Baby had plenty left to hold off a belated bid from Maggie’s Special for the victory.
“I’m sure the company was a little easier today,” Mawing said. “The only one we had to overcome was Dance With Effie having been the only speed in there. I knew we were going to have one or two instructions to send or take back, which of course I was hoping for the latter which actually did happen.
“So, I was able to dictate the pace up front and just have it my way all the way. Blaine’s a fantastic trainer. He gets his horses fit, and he knows where to put his horses. So that’s another plus in my favor.”
A 4-year-old Washington-bred filly by Offlee Wild-Hope and Vow, Ethan’s Baby is 4-6-1 in 15 lifetime starts with earnings of $124,926.
Maggie’s Special, an 9-year-old mare ridden by Rocco Bowen, rallied from the clouds to finish second and paid $4.20 and $3.20. Maggie’s Special—owned, bred and trained by Allen Gideon – earned $8,930 and also eclipsed $100,000 in career earnings.
Knight Club, with Erick Lopez riding, finished third and paid $3.20 to show, while Dreamer S., Sadie’s Snowflake, Dance With Effie and Sugarseeker completed the order of finish.
The Press nips hard-luck Mach One Rules
In the WA Cup Three-Year-Old Stakes presented by Pegasus Training and Equine Rehabilitation Center Stakes, The Press nailed Mach One Rules in the final strides for a neck victory in 1:36.03 for one mile.
Ridden by Javier Matias at 119 pounds for owner/trainer Howard Belvoir, The Press paid $7.60, $3.20 and $2.80. It was the third win of the meet for the rapidly improving gelding, and his first in three tries around two turns. The $25,000 first place check increased his earnings to $53,993.
The victory also continued Belvoir’s season-long hex over Mach One Rules, who dropped his fourth photo finish in a stakes race this year – Barkley, trained by Belvoir, administered the first three of those defeats before The Press delivered Sunday.
Mach One Rules, the 7-10 favorite ridden by Leslie Mawing, did not get a favorable trip, missing the break and making an early four-wide move into contention.
Dueling with Face Valued into the stretch, Mach One Rules finally gained the upper hand inside the eighth pole, but was unable to fend off The Press, who rallied from fourth place for the victory.
“He surprised me today, because if you look back at the race, he (The Press) ran huge,” Matias said. “I wasn’t ready for the horse to win this race. It surprised me, you know?
“Mach One Rules was so wide,” Matias added.” With that kind of horse you need to send them and try to save a little ground. It’s true- I beat him a couple of times with Barkley, and now I beat him again. So I think maybe I’m lucky.”
Mach One Rules, also by Harbor the Gold, paid $2.60 and $2.10, while Face Valued, a 35-1 long shot ridden by Eswan Flores, gamely held third and paid $7.40. Face Valued also is a son of Harbor the Gold and gave the sire a sweep of the top three placings.
Huya, Togrammashousewego, Ryan Walt, Rally Cap Rudy, Party for One and Guardingthemoney completed the order of finish.
My Heart Goes On turns back Three Forks Gold
In the $50,000 WA Cup Three-Year-Old Filly Stakes presented by Freight NW, My Heart Goes On would not be denied the victory.
Turning back Three Forks Gold past mid-stretch, the chestnut filly responded gamely with a one-length victory in 1:35.99 for one mile.
Ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 118 pounds, My Heart Goes On paid $3.60 , $2.60 and $2.20. David Martinez is the winning trainer for owner/breeder Barbara Ratcliff (Coal Creek Farm) of Bellevue.
Similar to Ethan’s Baby, My Heart Goes On had a string of good stakes efforts but was winless at the meeting until Sunday. Hustled to the lead, she set fractions of :23.51, :46.93, 1:11.29 and 1:23.57, and met the challenge when Three Forks Gold came calling in the stretch.
“David told me to take the lead and take it easy to the quarter-pole,” said Gutierrez, No. 1 all-time with 19 Washington Cup wins. “Down the stretch, she was waiting for (Three Forks Gold), and she made her re-break. Today was a little bit of an easier group, but she’s a nice filly.”
A Washington-bred by Albertus Maximus-My Untamed Heart, My Heart Goes On was state champion 2-year-old filly of 2015, and her overall mark is 3-2-3 in 11 starts with $112,395 in earnings. She has two stakes wins – the 2015 Angie C Stakes and 2016 Washington Cup, and also finished second to Gold Rush Dancer in last year’s Gottstein Futurity.
Three Forks Gold, ridden by Javier Matias, nearly overcame the No. 11 post-position for the victory. In second place throughout, the Rosie Simkins-trained filly drew even with the winner in the final furlong, but was out finished in the final yards and paid $3.80 and $3 for place and show.
Trinni, ridden by Rocco Bowen, was 5½ lengths back in third and paid $3.40 to show, and was followed by Fly Far Away, Cat Camille, Gotta Be Diet C, Arlington Lady, Oh Baby Oh, Listo, Web of Demons and Copy Begone.
Notes
Other Washington Hall of Fame inductees Sunday were Jack Leonard (jockey), Robert L. Edwards (breeder), Loto Canada (male horse) and Flamme (filly or mare). … Leslie Mawing had his second straight three-win day and is second in the standings with 68 wins. … Rocco Bowen’s two wins pushed his season total to 98, and with only seven days remaining the 27-year-old is a cinch to win his first Emerald Downs title. … Eswan Flores also had a big day with three wins, including the early daily double on Analysis Paralysis ($21) and Thanksforasking ($17.80). … Howard Belvoir’s two stakes win Sunday upped his meet-leading total to seven. … Javier Matias’ victory on The Press in the WA Cup Three-Year-Old Stakes was his 43rd of the season and moved him into 10th place all-time with 418 wins at Emerald Downs, one ahead of Nathan Chaves. … A pair of 2016 Emerald Downs stakes winners battled it out Sunday in a $29,000 allowance race at Golden Gate Fields, with Seattle Stakes winner Invested Prospect ($4.60) edging Washington State Legislators Stakes winner B C Z Middleton by a head in 1:11.68 for six furlongs on the synthetic surface. Undefeated in four career sprints and five-for-six overall, Invested Prospect is a 3-year-old Washington-bred filly owned by John & Janene Maryanski and Gerald Schneider and trained by Blaine Wright. … Wright also had a win at Emerald Downs with Ethan’s Baby in the WA Cup Filly & Mare Stakes and moved into a 35-34 lead over Jeff Metz atop the trainers’ standings. … Live racing resumes Friday with first post 6:30 p.m., followed by 2 p.m. post times on Saturday, Sunday and Labor Day Monday.
