For the Reporter

Arrom Bear and Awesome Indian threw it down Saturday at Emerald Downs, racing stride for stride throughout the $21,400 Redhook Brewery Purse for 3-year-olds.

In the end, Arrom Bear was a neck better than Awesome Indian, sizzling though six furlongs in 1:08.99 and paying $4.60, $3 and $2.60. Joe Steiner rode the winner for Frank Lucarelli and owners Center Point Racing Stables.

Arrom Bear, racing on the outside, dueled with Awesome Indian through lightning fast splits of:21.77, :44.20 and :56.25, with Arrom Bear proving a tad better in what amounted to a six-furlong match race.

A 3-year-old Washington-bred by Nationhood, Arrom Bear now has two sub 1:09 clockings at the meet. On May 23 he ran six furlongs in 1:08.92, rolling to a six-length win vs. $25,000 claimers. His overall record is 5-0-1 in 10 starts with earnings of $50,992, including $11,550 for Saturday’s win.

Awesome Indian, ridden by Rocco Bowen, did everything but win the race. The Kentucky-bred son of Indian Charlie rocketed from the gate, showed great speed to duel with Arrom Bear, and then was resilient through the lane to just miss. It was similar to his previous sprint, when he led to deep stretch only to be tagged by Thetrailerguy, subsequent winner of the Coca-Cola Handicap.

Awesome Indian paid $3.20 and $2.60.

It was 4½ lengths back to Hornfel, Javier Matias riding, and a $4 show payoff. Cash N Dash, It’s Little Richie, That’s No Bull and Old Fashioned Grit completed the order of finish.

Charlie Thomas prevails for Emerald Racing Club

Charlie Thomas would not be denied Saturday at Emerald Downs.

The pride of the 188-member Emerald Racing Club, Charlie Thomas poured it on late and notched a half-length victory over 6-to-5 favorite Rocky’s Quest in the eighth race, a $15,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds and up.

Under a perfectly timed ride by Leslie Mawing, Charlie Thomas tagged Rocky’s Quest in the final yards, running one mile in 1:37.71, and paying $10.80 to win. It was a remarkable victory, considering Charlie Thomas lagged far behind early and was still last as the field straightened into the stretch.

Re-claimed by Emerald Racing Club for $15,000 last month, Charlie Thomas earned $8,195 of the $14,900 purse. A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred by Seeking the Dia, Charlie Thomas is 4-5-4 in 25 career starts with earnings of $78,742.

Notes

Rocco Bowen posted his first three-win day of the season, upping his meet total to 23 wins. … Trainer Tom Wenzel has had an interesting season at Emerald Downs. Going into Saturday he had just five wins, an unusually low total for him at the midway point of the meeting. He’s had some great moments, however, sweeping the first three stakes for older fillies and mares with Kikisoblu and Lady Rosberg, and Saturday he saddled Princess Kennedy and Jerre to Carrie to a one-two finish in the $20,500 maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies. A Kentucky-bred by Sun King, Princess Kennedy ($5.60) ran 5½ furlongs in 1:04.07 to get the money for jockey Gallyn Mitchell and owner David Thorner. … Kikisoblu, 1:08.69 in the May 10 Hastings Handicap, has the fastest six furlongs at the 36-day-old meeting. … The first Quarter Horse dead heat for win in Emerald Downs’ history occurred in Saturday’s first race as Ojango ($3.20) and Cousin Wheelz ($3.80) both hit the wire in :18.36 for 350 yards. … Jockey Osvaldo Gonzalez had his first two-win day at Emerald Downs, scoring on Cousin Wheelz in the Quarter Horse race and on Cheeky Stone ($8) in race five for $2,500 claiming fillies and mares. … Former trainer Dave Bennett was at Emerald Downs Saturday to watch Dallon’s Gold ($8) score a 1¼-length victory in race four for older $5,000 claimers at five furlongs. Owned by Bennett and Dixie Hitchcock and trained by Howard Belvoir, Dallon’s Gold is 4-for-6 at Emerald Downs including a win in the 2013 Cahill Road Stakes. Bennett, who retired from training two years ago and now loves in Arizona, is No. 18 all-time with 222 wins at EmD. … Handfull ($3.20) improved to 14-for-30 lifetime with a gate-to-wire victory in the $50,000 California Governor’s Cup Handicap for older fillies and mares at Sacramento. For the 6-year-old Comic Strip mare, it was only her third race on dirt and perhaps trainer Jerry Hollendorfer would consider the $65,000 Emerald Distaff on August 16 for her next race. … Live racing continues Sunday with the $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap for 3-year-old colts and geldings. First post is 1:50 p.m., and festivities include the annual Star 101.5 Wiener Dog Races.