Calculated Chaos powered home an easy 5 ¾-length winner Sunday in the $11,900 Budweiser Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
A prohibitive 1-to-5 favorite in the wagering, Calculated Chaos ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.62, and paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10. Juan Gutierrez rode the winner while Blaine Wright, assisted by Mark Rheinford, is the winning trainer and co-owner with John Maryanski and Dallas Becker.
A Kentucky-bred by Notional, Calculated Chaos shook off Africa Star and Debauch into the stretch, opened a four-length lead at the eighth pole, and extended the margin to the wire. The Kentucky-bred gelding has a 2-2-3 record in 16 lifetime starts with earnings of $38.135, and has a 2-2-2 mark in nine starts at Emerald Downs.
Square Jimmer, ridden by Francisco Duran, rallied to finish second and paid $3 and $2.40. It was a neck back to Kendini, ridden by Luis Gonzalez, and a $3.20 show payoff.
River District, Debauch and Africa Star completed the order of finish.
NOTES: Congratulations to apprentice jockey Cerapio Figueroa for his first career victory aboard Wedding Kake ($3.20) in Sunday’s ninth race. . .Bird In Love ($4.20) prevailed in Sunday’s fifth race and gave jockey Alexis Batista and trainer Mike L. Pierce their first wins at Emerald Downs. . .Simply Sharp ($5.40) re-rallied to win race seven under Joe Steineras Roy Lumm became the seventh trainer to win 400 races at Emerald Downs. . .Juan Gutierrez posted a second straight two-win day and owns a 6-4 lead over both Julien Couton and Joe Steiner atop the jockeys’ standings. . .In the trainers’ standings, Jeff Metz owns a 6-3 lead over Howard Belvoir, Chris Stenslie and Rigoberto Velasquez. . .Swift Thoroughbreds and trainer Dino Condilenios swept Sunday’s stakes double-header at Hastings Racecourse, as Modern ($16.20) captured the $50,000 George Royal for 3-year-olds and up and Rather Beautiful ($11.80) took the $50,000 Brighouse Belles for older fillies and mares. Herbie D, in his first race since the 2013 Longacres Mile, finished seventh as the 9-to-5 favorite in the George Royal. . .My Chief ($2.60) breezed to an easy victory in the opening day feature at Sun Downs in Kennewick. A 4-year-old Harbor the Gold gelding, My Chief won his first two career starts at Emerald Downs last year, earning Beyers of 70 and 72 in the process. . .Live racing resumes Friday at 6:45 p.m. with all paid admissions receiving free Fabulous Friday T-shirts. . .Saturday is Kentucky Derby day with special first post 1 p.m.
