Martin W. Bach and Jack B. Owens shipped their unbeaten three-year-old filly City by the Bay north from her Golden Gate Fields base and the Kentucky-bred miss came away with her third victory in the $50,000 Seattle Handicap on June 1. Unraced since winning the $100,000 Barretts Debutante Stakes by 8 1/2 lengths last September, City by the Bay was ridden by Juan Hernandez, who has been aboard the runner in each of her victories.

A field of eight went to the post for the 6 1/2-panel Seattle Handicap, the first race in the 2014 Washington Oaks series. Michael and Amy Feuerborn’s homebred 2013 Washington champion Chu and You (You and I-Bronze Charmer) led through the first half-mile and “responded when challenged by the winner,” giving “way grudgingly to that rival in the drive” and dropping the win by only a half-length. Bill and Betty Stiles and Valerie Maria Johnson’s Mylast Sweet Pea, a Washington-bred daughter of Grindstone-Secret Game, finished three lengths further back in third in the race run in 1:1.76. Robbie Baze conditions both Chu and You and Mylast Sweet Pea.

“I thought she could win this race, but I didn’t think it would be easy,” said Hernandez, who currently ranks second to Russell Baze among those riding at Golden Gate this spring. “She responded really well. I was worried that we might finish second because the filly on the inside (Chu and You, ridden by Juan Gutierrez) looked like she was never going to give up, but my horse didn’t quit.”

City by the Bay, a daughter of City Zip-Glitter Time, by Glitterman, who is trained by William Morey – in both his and rider Hernandez’s first Emerald appearances – has earned $97,670.