My Heart Goes On took the early lead and held off Princess Kennedy late for a head victory in the $50,000 Angie C Stakes for 2-year-old fillies Sunday at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 119 pounds, My Heart Goes On led gate-to-wire in 1:11.25 for six furlongs, and paid $8.40, $4.60 and $2.20. David Martinez is the winning trainer for owner/breeder Coal Creek Farm of Bellevue.
A Washington-bred by Albertus Maximus-My Untamed Heart, My Heart Goes On is two-for-two with earnings of $36,025, including $24,750 for Sunday’s win.
Princess Kennedy, ridden by Gallyn Mitchell at 119 lbs, overcame a slow break to nearly win the race. Spotting the field some six lengths on the backstretch, Princess Kennedy kicked into high gear in the final furlong and came up a head short, returning $4.20 and $2.60 for place and show.
Kiss My Lulu, ridden by Javier Matias at 119 lbs, was two lengths back in third and paid $2.10. The 1-to-2 betting favorite, Kiss My Lulu challenged My Heart Goes On at the head of the stretch, but was out finished through the lane.
Gutierrez, No.3 all-time with 56 stakes wins at Emerald Downs, said My Heart Goes On broke alertly from the No. 2 post-position.
“David (Martinez) told me to just break and let her run; whatever she’s comfortable with is OK,” Gutierrez said. “I thought it would be a little more competitive on the backside, but she showed a lot of speed. I asked her at the quarter pole and she ran pretty good.”
NOTES: Botch ($4.60) continues to have a great season for owners Luigi and Diana DiPietro, scoring a five-length victory over Remembertobreathe in Sunday’s $24,000 allowance for 3-year-olds and up. A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred by Brother Derek, Botch ran one mile in 1:36.05 and is 3-2-0 in five starts at the meet for trainerBlaine Wright. . .Our Little Hen ($7.40) rallied to win the $25,500 allowance sub-feature for older fillies and mares, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.34. A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred by Henny Hughes, Our Little Hen was making her first start for trainer Doris Harwood, and is 10-7-2 in 25 career starts with earnings of $128,070. . .Julien Couton rode four winners Sunday—including Botch and Our Little Hen—and leads Juan Gutierrez 62-51 in the jockeys’ standings. It was Couton’s first four-bagger at Emerald Downs and his 19th multiple win day this season. . .Jazz Queen ($9.40) scored her second straight win in race seven and Jeff Metz increased his lead to 35-21 overFrank Lucarelli in the trainers’ standings. . .Trainer Ken Person notched his first Emerald Downs victory whenDuchess Debbie ($3.20) rolled to an easy gate-to-wire victory under Natasha Coddington in race five. . .TrainerPablo Madrigal swept the Quarter Horse daily double with Divil ($4.40) and Diva B Gone ($15.20), and tops the QH standings with six wins. . .Luis Gonzalez rode Diva B Gone and leads all Quarter Horse jockeys with four wins. . . Live racing resumes Friday with an eight-race card at 6:45 p.m. . .Simulcast wagering includes a mammoth $562,755 Pick 6 carryover Wednesday at Del Mar.
