No Flies On Doodle turned aside all challengers — including the previously undefeated Ladyledue — and held on for a 2 ¼-length victory Sunday in the $50,000 Washington’s Lottery Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at Emerald Downs.
With Gallyn Mitchell riding at 116 pounds, No Flies On Doodle ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43 4/5 on a fast track and paid $17.20, $6.40 and $5.40. Vann Belvoir is the trainer for Swag Stables — which is the nom de course for Keith Swagerty of Enumclaw, Wash.
Point of Reference, a newcomer to the Northwest, rallied in the stretch and appeared to have dead aim on the winner, but No Flies On Doodle was resilient through the lane for the victory. Ridden by Saul Arias at 117 pounds, Point of Reference paid $3.20 and $4.20.
Crocodile Tuff. A 26-1 longshot ridden by Seth Martinez, closed ground from last place to finish third and returned $7.20 to show. Seeking Ema, Super Dixie and Ladyledue completed the order of finish.
Ladyledue, the 9-10 betting favorite, bobbled at the break, pressed the pace to midway on the second turn, and then gave way in the stretch run. The Washington-bred filly had won her previous five career starts, all in stakes, on the front end.
“She stumbled a little bit out of the gate, but I was comfortable where I was at in the race,” jockey Ricky Frazier said of Ladyledue. “When I needed a little horse, she didn’t have any, and I knew I was out of horse at about the half-mile pole.
“She didn’t bring her A-game today, but she’ll come back.”
No Flies On Doodle brought her best game and the homebred daughter of Storm Blast earned $27,500 to increase her bankroll to $49,975. The Washington-bred has three wins and two seconds from five starts, although the previous four were all in sprints.
Breaking alertly form the number five post-position, No Flies On Doodle set fractional times of :22 4/5, :46 1/5 and 1:10 3/5 while maintaining a clear lead over Ladyledue. No Flies On Doodle straightened into the lane with a 1 1/2-length lead, and she then held Point of Reference safe to the wire.
“She finished up great for me today, just a bang-up race,” said Mitchell, who is again tied with Frazier for first place with 57 stakes wins at Emerald Downs.
It was the first Emerald Downs stakes victory as a trainer for Vann Belvoir, red-hot all week with six wins in nine starts. And it also was the first stakes win for Swag Stables—the meet’s leading owners with 18 wins.
Forener still perfect
Swag Stables, Belvoir and Mitchell struck again in the ninth race with Forener, a 2-year-old monster who trounced allowance runners by nine lengths in 1:03 flat for 5 1/2 furlongs—three ticks faster than Hollywood Harbor’s winning time Saturday in the Strong Ruler Stakes. A Kentucky-bred by Lost Soldier, Forener is unbeaten in two starts with earnings of $19,800.
NOTES: Congratulations to veteran trainer Margo Lloyd for saddling her first winner of the meet—C.R. Sawyer ($26.80)—a Liberty Gold gelding that rallied from last under Deborah Hoonan-Trujillo to prevail in the second race…Last Thoughts ($11.20) won her 20th career race with a gate-to-wire score under Seth Martinez in the eighth race. The British Columbia-bred 7-year-old is tied for second among fillies and mares with 12 career victories at Emerald Downs…Defending Longacres Mile champion Wasserman worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:11 4/5 and is nominated to the $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap on Sunday, July 19…Emerald Downs is dark Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Racing resumes Thursday with first post at 6 p.m…The track will be open for simulcast wagering Wednesday including opening day of Del Mar’s 37-day meeting. First post where the turf meets the surf is 2 p.m.
