Finding More unleashed a powerful stretch run and scored a three-quarter-length victory over Raised On Robbery in Saturday’s $18,800 feature race for older fillies and mares at Emerald Downs.
The state champion 2-year-old filly of 2012, Finding More was winless in six previous starts here but returned to form Saturday. Rallying from the back of the pack, she swept past the leaders in mid-stretch and then out finished Raised On Robbery for the victory.
Ridden by Eliska Kubinova, Finding More ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.07 and paid $19.40, $9.40 and $5.20. Washington Hall of Famer Jim Penney is the trainer for Doug Stenberg and Blue Ribbon Racing #12.
Raised On Robbery, an 11-to-1 outsider ridden by Joe Steiner, rallied in tandem with the winner and just missed the victory. The runner-up paid $9.20 and $5.
Sunpenny, with Leslie Mawing riding, rallied for third and paid $5 to show. Liberty Lake, K K’s Wonderwoman, Society Girl, Hetty and Stephanie Plum completed the order of finish,
Hetty, the 2-to-1 betting favorite, led through fractions of :22.13, :44.87, relinquished command to Liberty Lake into the lane, and gave way in the stretch.
A 5-year-old Washington-bred by Tricky Trevor-Greenmountain Girl, Finding More is 5-0-2 in 19 career starts with earnings of $159,246, including $10,340 for Saturday’s triumph.
CHARLIE THOMAS CLAIMED IN ERC DEBUT
In his first race in the green and white silks of Emerald Racing Club, Charlie Thomas rallied to finish fifth in Race 8 won by Pete’s Slew at 7-to-1.
The big news, however, came afterward when a red tag was placed on Charlie Thomas, signifying a $15,000 claim by trainer Frank Lucarelli and owner Sabers Drawn Racing.
That’s a $5,000 profit for Emerald Racing Club, which claimed the 4-year-old gelding last month for $10,000 at Golden Gate Fields. The $15,000 can now be reinvested in more horses, and Emerald Racing Club also owns the 4-year-old gelding Tribal Waters.
NOTES: Trainer F.C. Frazier notched his first Emerald Downs win when Cup of Soup ($25.20) rallied from last to win the fourth under Jake Barton. Frazier has a pair of sophomore fillies—Hip Ninety Three and S U M Racer—in Sunday’s $50,000 Seattle Handicap. . .Surprise Sale ($4) improved to 9-for-21 lifetime with an easy victory for leading trainer Jeff Metz in race six. . . Metz also prevailed in the seventh as Rio Hondo ($7) won his second straight one-mile test. Metz leads Blaine Wright 16-10 in the trainers’ standings. . .Tim McCanna shook out of an early-season slump with two wins Saturday,Pete’s Slew ($17.40) and Ididn’taskforthis ($7.20). John Lindley, proprietor of the Parker’s Picks tip sheet, owns the latter gelding. . .Leslie Mawing rode two winners and pulled within three wins ofJulien Couton in the riders’ standings. . .Couton, who leads with 24 wins, rode a winner in a Quarter Horse race Saturday. Separate standings are kept for Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse races. . .Live racing continues Sunday with the $50,000 Seattle Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs. Bay Area invader Deb’s Wildcard with jockey Ricardo Gonzalez are 3-to-1 morning line favorites.
