Edge Forward put it all together Saturday at Emerald Downs and posted a one-length triumph over Tough Road Ahead in the $18,900 feature race for 3-year-olds.
With Leslie Mawing riding, Edge Forward ran one of the meet’s fastest 6-½ furlongs, 1:14.27, and paid $4.20, $2.80 and $2.60. Doris Harwood is the trainer for owners/breeders Jack and Ivor Jones of Seattle.
A Kentucky-bred by Honour and Glory out of Stevies Lil’wonder, Edge Forward had faced much tougher company recently, running in three straight stakes around two turns. Saturday, the drop in class and shorter distance worked wonders as Edge Forward swept past Tough Road Ahead and I Keep Saying to open a 1-½-length lead into the lane and held sway to the wire.
The fractions were extremely fast*:21.87, :43.76 and 1:07.77*but Edge Forward and Tough Road Ahead refused to yield to the closers, as the runner-up was 5-½ lengths clear of third-place finisher Run Leyton Run.
Tough Road Ahead, ridden by apprentice Eliska Kubinova, battled back after being headed into the stretch, but settled for second place. Tough Road Ahead paid $5.40 and $2.80.
Run Leyton Run, ridden by Rocco Bowen, finished third, paid $2.60, and was followed by First Last Chance, Brady’s Kat and I Keep Saying.
Edge Forward is 2-1-1 in six career starts with earnings of $34,395 including $10,395 for Saturday’s victory.
Brady’s Kat was claimed for $25,000 by trainer Tim McCanna for owner Gordy Jarnig of Seattle. A 3-year-old Katowice gelding, Brady’s Kat won the 2011 Dennis Dodge Stakes and is stakes-placed twice this year at Emerald Downs.
Juan Gutierrez was the lone rider with two wins and extended his lead to 91-77 over Mawing with 14 days left in the meet. Gutierrez has posted 19 two wins days, five three-win days and three four-win days.
CARIBOO ROAD ALL THE WAY IN WTBOA ALLOWANCE
In the $20,375 WTBOA Sales Incentive Program Allowance, the promising Cariboo Road scored a popular 3-¼-length victory in 1:09.84 for six furlongs. Ridden by Debbie Hoonan and trained by Dan Markle, Cariboo Road finished third to Mike Man’s Gold and Finallygotabentley in the $50,000 Premio Esmeralda Stakes last month, and they finished first and second again in the WTBOA Lads Stakes last week.
A 2-year-old colt by Cahill Road out of Courtroom Charmer, Cariboo Road is 1-1-1 in three starts with earnings of $20,395 for owners Glyn Kelly and Anne Maclellan of Vancouver, B.C.
Master’s Bluff, winner of the NWSS Slewdledo Stakes, rallied to finish second and long shot Private Password was third.
NOTES: Owners John & Janene Maryanski appear to have a bright prospect as 4-year-old filly Meant to Be Mia ($4.20) dusted the boys in 1:08.96 for six furlongs. Blaine Wright trains the Kentucky-bred daughter of War Chant out of Silver Sprout*Apprentice jockey Eliska Kubinova is six-for-nine this season when riding for trainer Bonifacio Rayas including a victory Saturday by iron horse Fiesty Lass ($12.60). The 4-year-old Washington-bred filly leads the meet with 13 starts, compiling 2-2-5 record while competing mainly in $2,500 claiming races*Eight different trainers saddled one winner apiece and Frank Lucarelli still leads Tim McCanna 40-35 in the trainers’ standings*Emerald Downs’ shipper Appealing Resume ($23.20) prevailed in Saturday’s ninth race at Del Mar and is nine-for-16 on synthetic tracks*Live racing continues Sunday with first post 2 p.m. *There is a $0.50 Pick 5 carryover of $4,351 on races six through 10*Simulcast action is topped by Del Mar’s $1,000,000 TVG Pacific Classic at 5:18 p.m. Del Mar also has a Pick Six carryover of $570,012 beginning on race six.
