For the Reporter
One of the track’s top 2-year-olds of 2015 made a triumphant return to action Sunday at Emerald Downs.
Barkley, last seen capturing the Emerald Express over Gold Rush Dancer in July, remained unbeaten with a two-length victory over On Fire in the featured $20,500 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-old colts and geldings.
Ridden by Javier Matias at 119 pounds, Barkley ran six furlongs in 1:08.81 and returned $5.20, $3.40 and $2.20 as second choice in the wagering.
Barkley is now three-for-three with earnings of $49,275, including $11,275 for Sunday’s victory. Howard Belvoir is the winning trainer and co-owner with Rising Star Stable III, a multiple-person syndicate led by Vicki Potter of Auburn.
On Fire, ridden by Leslie Mawing at 118 pounds, nosed out Viewingthegold for second place and paid $5.80 and $3.60. Viewingthegold, the 6-5 favorite ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 118, finished third and paid $2.20.Valid Keiki,
Wando Cat and Ryan Walt completed the order of finish.
Barkley sat just off the leaders as Viewingthegold and On Fire dueled for the lead, setting fractions of :22.77 for the quarter-mile and :45.44 for the half, moved up three-wide into the stretch, and gradually wore down the leaders to win going away.
Barkley’s victory sets up a possible showdown with Mach One Rules in the $50,000 Auburn Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on Sunday, May 15. Also unbeaten, Mach One Rules was four-for-four last year and was voted track and state champion 2-year-old.
Notes
Sunday’s $0.20 Pick 7 paid $1,329 to seven winning tickets; congratulations to the successful handicappers on becoming the first in track history to take down the track’s newest exotic wager, which went un-hit the first three days. … Pete’s Slew ($11.60), a double winner here last year, defeated a good field of older $15,000 claimers in Sunday’s eighth race, zipping six furlongs in 1:08.85 with Isaias Enriquez aboard for trainer Frank Lucarelli and owners Michael Pollowitz and Jeff Wilson. … Also in race eight, sixth-place finisher Dare Me Devil was claimed for $15,000 by trainer Candi Tollett for owner John Parker. An 8-year-old Devil On Ice gelding, Dare Me Devil won four races each of the last two years at Emerald Downs. … Lucarelli, Belvoir and Jeff Metz all had two wins on the 10-race card and are tied with Blaine Wright and Len Kasmerski atop the trainers’ standings at three wins apiece. … Metz book-ended the card with wins by first-time starter Hope’n for a Storm ($7.80) and Analysis Paralysis (7.20). … Rocco Bowen rode there more wins Sunday and tops the jockeys’ standings with nine wins. Bowen also is the only rider with wins on all four cards to date. … Enriquez and Joe Steiner each rode a pair of winners Sunday. … Washington Hall of Fame trainer Jim Penney, No. 4 all-time with 652 wins at Emerald Downs, scored his first win of 2016 as Sweet Tashi ($4.40) debuted with a victory in Sunday’s fourth race. A 3-year-old Nationhood filly owned by Debbie Pabst and Anne Bustion, Sweet Tashi is the sixth winning foal out of 2006 Sunland Park Oaks winner Sweet Fourty. … Chaching Pete ($8.60) notched his 14th career win at Emerald Downs in Sunday’s sixth race and was claimed for $2,500 by trainer Vince Gibson. … Racing for the first time since his 10th in the 2015 Longacres Mile, Modern ($4.70) held off Highway Angel to win the $50,000 Swift Thoroughbreds Inaugural on opening day at Hastings Racecourse. A 6-year-old Tiznow gelding, Modern is trained by Dino Condilenios for owner Swift Thoroughbreds. … Live racing resumes Friday with first post 6:30 p.m. The first 5,000 fans receive free Fabulous Friday T-shirts, which are good for free admission all remaining Fridays in the 2016 season.
