For the Reporter
Star of the Dia rallied from last and scored a head victory over Perfect Night in Friday’s $18,800 Blue Rodeo Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Leslie Mawing, Star of the Dia ran six furlongs in 1:08.58 and paid $5, $3.20 and $2.10. Frank Lucarelli is the winning trainer for owners Chris Randall and Nick Rossi.
Last on the backstretch – as Betsy’s Gold led through fractions of :21.94 and :44.23 – Star of the Dia angled out into the lane, rallied to the lead past mid-stretch, and held off Perfect Night in a driving finish.
A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Seeking the Dia, Star of the Dia has been a picture of consistency at Emerald Downs, recording 16 top-three finishes in 21 starts here, including 2-2-2 record in seven starts this year. His overall mark is 6-10-7 in 31 starts with earnings of $95,664 including $10,340 for Friday’s victory.
Perfect Night, ridden by Jennifer Whitaker, also finished strongly to just miss the victory. The 6-year-old Cahill Road gelding paid $3.40 and $2.40.
Gross Misconduct, ridden by Juan Gutierrez, rallied late for third and paid $2.40 to show. Betsy’s Gold, Orito and Daytona Beach completed the order of finish.
Notes
Mawing and Rocco Bowen rode two winners apiece on the seven-race program, and Bowen now has wins on 11 straight cards and is fourth overall with 51 wins. … With eight days remaining, Julien Couton leads the standings with 85 wins, followed by Juan Gutierrez with 70 and Mawing with 69. … Jeff Metz leads Lucarelli 55-29 in the trainers’ standings. … Jockey Natasha Coddington is finishing the season well. She has wins on five of the last seven cards, including Carson’s Start ($3.80) in Friday’s fifth race, and is the meet’s leading female rider with 14 wins. … To honor 9/11, flags were flown at half-mast Friday and the Emerald Downs’ jockeys joined the Federal Way Chorale in a chorus of God Bless America between the second and third races in the winner’s circle. … Lucarelli and Randall & Rossi will participate in British Columbia’s biggest race of the season Sunday. Percy Fawcett, third in the Emerald Downs Derby, is 6-to-1 in the 70th running of $250,000 BC Derby (Grade 2) at 1 1/8 miles. … Saturday, Emerald Downs Derby winner Prime Engine is 9-2 in the $400,000 Super Derby (G2) at Louisiana Downs, and Barbara Shinpoch Stakes winner Princess Kennedy is 12-1 in the $200,000 Pocohontas Stakes (G2) for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs. … Live racing continues Saturday with first post 2 p.m.
