Brudda Clyde made a looping move to the lead and drew off late for a 4-¼-length victory Friday in the $18,900 Finlandia Vodka Purse for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Gallyn Mitchell, Brudda Clyde ran 6-½ furlongs in 1:15.27 and paid $8.20, $3 and $2.40. Frank Lucarelli is the trainer for owners David Taylor Jr. and Shawn Taylor.
Run Leyton Run, the 2-to-1 betting favorite ridden by Rocco Bowen, gamely held second and paid $3.80 and $3.20. It was a neck back to Tough Road Ahead, Eliska Kubinova riding, and a $3.20 show payoff.
Faster Than Duke, I Keep Saying and War Wizard completed the order of finish.
A Virginia-bred by Political Force, Brudda Clyde has been vastly improved this year, finishing first in three of four starts, although he did lose one of the wins via disqualification for interference. His overall record is 2-1-1 in nine starts with earnings of $27,154.
Friday, Brudda Clyde waited in fifth place behind a four-horse battle for the lead, as I Keep Saying, War Wizard, Tough Road Ahead and Run Leyton Run dueled through fractions of :22.15 and :44.20. The winner circled to the lead into the stretch and drew off to win with complete authority.
NOTES: Leslie Mawing continued red-hot with four more wins and pulled within two victories of Juan Gutierrez, 62-60, in the jockeys’ standings. Mawing has 1,994 career victories and has ridden at least one winner on 17 straight cards, a streak that began Saturday, June 23*Zippin E ($5.20) rallied for a 5-¼-length victory in race five and joined Go With Gusto as the only horse with four wins at the 50-day-old meeting. A 5-year-old City Zip mare, Zippin E is trained by Charles Essex and owned by Carlos Cerna, Bill Trabold and Ramsey Rutt*Trainer Neil Knapp has won with 10 of 23 starters since June 23, including a win by Restless Gold ($12.80) in Friday’s opener*Frank Lucarelli and Tim McCanna each had one winner Friday and Lucarelli maintained a three-win lead, 31-28, in the trainers’ standings*Bob Meeking saddled back-to-back winners in the third and fourth races, Popular Trick ($4.40) and Sharper Knight ($6.80), and is 13-for-37 (35 percent) at the meet*David Carlson of Port Orchard was the runaway winner in last Sunday’s first annual Emerald Ed Handicapping Tournament. Carlson nailed the early $0.50 Pick 4 that returned $987.20 and finished with a whopping $1,074.50*Live racing continues Saturday with first post 2 p.m.
