Wasserman continued his dream season Sunday at Emerald Downs with a head victory over Hired Hand in the $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic for older Washington-breds.
It was the fourth stakes victory of the season for Wasserman — all in photo finishes —and the 6-year-old gelding is almost certain to be voted Horse of the Meeting, Top Washington-bred, Top Older Horse and Top Sprinter.
With regular rider Jennifer Whitaker aboard at high weight of 124 pounds, Wasserman ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42 on a fast track and paid $3.40, $2.10 and $2.10. Remarkably, it was the first time since July 4, 2005—a span of 35 races—that Wasserman was the betting favorite.
“I took him a little wide on the first turn but had him in the clear,” Whitaker said. “He wanted to run a little in the backstretch and we got up closer to the leaders. At the top of the stretch, he took off.
“Hired Hand came back a little but my horse kept his head in front. I knew we had him at the wire.”
Hired Hand, ridden by Leslie Mawing at 118 pounds, was a game second and returned $2.80 and $2.20. It was 3¾-lengths back to Scalding Passion, Gallyn Mitchell riding, and a $2.80 show payoff. Schoolin You, Wild Cycle and Fleethawk completed the order of finish.
Owned, bred and trained by Howard Belvoir of Kent, Wasserman earned $26,178 to push his career bankroll to $442,149. Nearly all of that total—$422,412— has been earned at Emerald Downs and makes him the leading earner in tack history. This season alone, Wasserman has five wins from eight starts and with $245,478 in purses.
Washington Cup VI featured seven stakes races worth an aggregate $350,000 in purses and Wasserman, coming off his thrilling victory in last month’s Longacres Mile, rated the marquee. As usual, the 6-year-old by Cahill Road did not disappoint.
Wasserman (39-9-9-5) was closer to the pace than usual, however, as Whitaker had the big gelding lumbering along in third place on the backstretch, as Hired hand and Scalding Passion dueled through fractions of :23 2/5, :47 and 1:10 4/5.
Hired Hand led by a head over Scalding Passion into the stretch, but Wasserman was only two lengths back and staged his usual outside rally under Whitaker.
Hired Hand finally shook off Scalding Passion in mid-stretch, but he couldn’t resist Wasserman, who pushed passed Hired Hand in the final yards.
“It doesn’t seem like (Wasserman) wants to get there too soon,” Belvoir joked in the winner’s circle. “It was a lot of pressure on this horse today. Jen laid him up closer than I thought she would.”
Whitaker said the plan is always the same on Wasserman, to let the horse relax and to keep him out of trouble. But she said she was worried she might have had him too close early.
“He wanted to run a little in the backstretch and we got up closer to the leaders,” Whitaker said. “At the top of the stretch, he took off. Hired Hand came back a little but my horse kept his head in front. I knew we had them at the wire.”
By winning the Longacres Mile, Wasserman automatically qualified for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 25, but Belvoir would have to pay a $90,000 supplemental nomination fee and is leaning against running Wasserman.
In other Washington Cup races:
• In the $50,000 Chinook Pass Sprint for older speedsters, Bound to Be M V P returned from a four-month layoff with a 1 ¼-length victory over defending champion Chickasaw Park in 1:09 1/5 for six furlongs. Ridden by Ricky Frazier for record-setting trainer Tim McCanna and owner Brad Case of Yakima, Bound to Be M V P paid $5.60 as the second choice in the wagering. The 5-year-old Washington-bred by Snowbound has won six of 17 starts with earnings of $116,457, including $26,178 Sunday.
• In the $50,000 Diane Kem stakes for 2-year-old fillies, Ladyledue stamped herself as a gal with a future with a resounding 4-¾ -length score over Mimis Road Warrior. The Washington-bred daughter of Slewdledo ran six furlongs in 1:09 3/5—just two ticks slower than older males ran 30 minutes earlier in the Chinook Pass. Ridden by Ricky Frazier for trainer Bonnie Jenne, Ladyledue paid $2.80 as the odds-on choice. Owned by Jon Sather of Mansion, Wash, Layledue is unbeaten in two starts—both stakes—with earnings of $50,261.
• In the $50,000 John & Kitty Fletcher Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, Sweetheart Deal caught Enumclaw Girl in the final strides for a head victory over the 2-5 wagering favorite. With Seth Martinez up for trainer Dan Markle and owners DKM Stables, Sweetheart Deal ran one mile in 1:36 3/5 and paid $10.60. Although she had placed in two recent stakes at Emerald Downs, it was only the second win in 15 starts for Sweetheart Deal. The Washington-bred by Tribunal earned $27,027 to increase her earnings to $74,270
• Trainer Doris Harwood continued her mastery of 2-year-olds in the $50,000 Captain Condo Stakes for juvenile colts and geldings. Noosa Beach—owned by Jeff Harwood and trained by Doris Harwood—mowed down favored Siberian Cocktail for a 5-¼-length victory in 1:09 1/5 for six furlongs. Ridden by Martinez, Noosa Beach paid $6.60 as the second choice. It was the 14th win for a 2-year-old Harwood trainee at the meet, far and away the tops by any conditioner.
• In the $50,000 Trooper Seven Stakes for 3-year-olds, Emancipated surged past Margo’s Gift in mid-stretch and edged clear for a three-length triumph in 1:35 4/5 for one mile. Emancipated, at least third in 12 of 13 career starts, paid $11.20 to win while Margo’s Gift became the third straight odds-on favorite to go down on the card. Leslie Mawing rode Emancipated for trainer Robbie Baze and owners Betty and the Boys.
• In the $50,000 Belle Roberts for fillies and mares, Gadget Queen, ridden by Frazier, wore down Firetrail late for a 1-¼-length victory in 1:42 1/5 for 1 1/16 miles. Gadget Queen, trained by Blaine Wright for owners Todd and Shawn Hansen, paid $6.80 as the second choice. Firetrail, the even-money favorite was easily second best.
NOTES: Frazier rode three Washington Cup winners to tie the record set by Juan Gutierrez in 2003 … Luis Torres rode three winners—all three non-stakes races….Robbie Baze saddled three winners including Emancipated in the Trooper Seven Stakes…With two weeks left in the 2008 meeting, Seth Martinez leads Ricky Frazier 109-105 in the jockeys’ standings … Racing resumes Thursday with first post at 6 p.m.
