Prime Engine showed up with his A-Game Sunday at Emerald Downs.
Racing with blinkers for the first time, Prime Engine overtook Betrbegone into the stretch and romped to a sixth-length victory in the $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby for 3-year-old colts and gelding.
Ridden by Joe Steiner at 122 lbs, Prime Engine ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.54 and paid $3.60, $2.80 and $2.60. Mike Puhich is the winning trainer for owner Dr. Mark Dedomenico of Redmond, Wash.
Prime Engine’s winning time was .57 seconds faster than Belle Hill’s time in Saturday’s Washington Oaks for 3-year-old fillies. He also is only the third betting favorite and the first since Gallon in 2008 to win the Emerald Downs Derby.
Betrbegone, ridden by Leonel Camacho-Flores at 122 lbs, held second and paid $3.80 and $3.40. Winner of last month’s Seattle Slew Handicap, Betrbegone led through fractions of :23.11, :46.51 and 1:10.22, and led into the last turn before yielding command to Prime Engine.
Percy Fawcett, ridden by Gallyn Mitchell at 122 lbs, rallied from last to finish third and paid $4.40.
Thetrailerguy, Raspberry Road, Fire the Trainer, Senna and Dedicated to You completed the order of finish.
After tough runner-up finishes in the Coca Cola and Seattle Slew Handicaps, Puhich added blinkers and changed jockeys to Steiner. Things worked to perfection as Prime Engine stalked Betrbegone before pouncing.
“I was really looking forward to riding this horse,” Steiner said. “I finally got the opportunity, and he’s wonderful.
“I was playing the race as it came up,” Steiner added. “If I had been on the lead easy myself, I would’ve done that. If he were content sitting off a horse like he did today, that’d was fine too. He has so much talent and class.”
A Kentucky-bred colt by Northern Afleet-Gravy Train’s Song , Prime Engine is 3-2-0 in seven career starts with earnings of $110,961 including $35,750 for Sunday’s victory. Both Emerald Downs stakes wins were the top events in his division—the Emerald Downs Derby and the 2014 Gottstein Futurity for 2-year-olds.
NOTES: Dare Me Devil ($4.40) ran the meet’s fastest six furlongs, 1:08.33, while defeating $10,000 claimers under Steiner in Sunday’s sixth race. Trained by Rigoberto Velasquez and co-owned by Rancho Viejo and Jerry Carmody, Dare Me Devil was Claimer of the Meet in 2014. . .Trainer Howard Belvoir moved to within one win of 2,000 for his career when Perfect Night ($17) rallied to victory in Sunday’s second race. Belvoir will have three chances for the milestone when racing resumes Friday. . .Trainer Allen Gideon notched his first win of the meet asSilly Streak rallied from last under Jake Barton for a $69.40 upset in Sunday’s 10th race. . .Steiner was the only jockey with two wins Sunday. . .Jeff Metz led the trainers with two wins and leads Frank Lucarelli and Blaine Wright 41-22 atop the trainers’ standings. . .Stryker Phd capped his major preparation for next Sunday’s $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3), working five-furlongs (handily) in :58.40 for trainer Larry Ross. Other Mile works Sunday: Del Rio Harbor, four furlongs (handily) in a bullet :46; Noosito, five furlongs (breezing) in :59.40, and Scat Daddybaby, six furlongs (handily) in a bullet 1:12.40. . .Lady Rosberg, probable favorite for the $65,000 Emerald Distaff, worked five furlongs (handily) in :59.80 for trainer Tom Wenzel. . .Entries for The Mile and Emerald Distaff will be drawnWednesday morning. . .Longacres Mile nominee Atomic Rule ($18.80) won a $50,000 claiming race on the turfSunday at Del Mar. A 4-year-old California-bred co-owned by Tim McCanna, Gordy Jarnig and Dunn Bar Ranch, Atomic Rule has won three straight and is four-for-six in 2015. . .Ross has won with seven of his last nine starters, including a victory by Wickedizaswickeduz ($7.80) in Sunday’s $21,500 allowance for 3-year-old fillies. . . Live racing resumes Friday with first post 6:45 p.m.xa
