The speedy Italian Boy capped a big day for trainer Tim McCanna with a 7-½-length romp in the $18,000 Coca-Cola Purse for 3-year-olds Saturday at Emerald Downs.
With William Antongeorgi riding, Italian Boy ran 5-½ furlongs in a very fast 1:01.59 and paid $4.80, $3 and $2.10. It was the third win on the card for Antongeorgi and the second in three days for owners Luigi and Diana DiPietro, whose 4-year-old gelding Hayjax blitzed a good field of older horses last Sunday.
Italian Boy led all the way Saturday, setting fractions of :22.03, :44.57 and :55.75, and coasting home under a hand ride. For the Washington-bred son of Tizbud, it was his second win and first start since a 9-¼-length maiden victory last July. The $9,900 winner’s share bumped his earnings to $21,830.
Harbor Wind, ridden by Jorge Rosales, held second place and paid $3 and $2.10, and First Last Chance rallied for third and paid $2.20. Don’t Be Coy Roy and Faster Than Duke completed the order of finish.
The leading trainer in 11 of Emerald Downs’ 16 seasons, McCanna saddled three winners on the nine-race card and jumped into a tie for third place with Charles Essex at nine wins each.
First all-time with 817 wins at Emerald Downs, McCanna also won the second race with Miss Top Nite ($6.20) and the third with Zander ($13.80).
NOTES: Sue & Tim Spooner’s Malibu Rum ($4.20) continued on a roll with a head victory over Untilifindyou in the seventh race. It was the fourth win in five starts and fifth in nine races overall for the 5-year-old Kela gelding, whose winning time was 1:08.53 for six furlongs with Debbie Hoonan riding for Dan Markle*With victories aboard Miss Top Nite ($6.20) and Clemens Brook ($6.40), jockey Rocco Bowen notched his first two-win day at Emerald Downs*Juan Gutierrez rode one winner and moved ahead of Joe Crispin 21-20 atop the jockeys’ standings. Crispin was in Idaho to ride in a Quarter Horse stakes Saturday night at Les Bois Park*Marvin’s Magic ($3.60) snapped an 11-race losing streak with a 9-¾-length victory in the nightcap, and was claimed for $7,500 by owner Rick Beal for trainer Larry Ross*Upperline, co-owned by Emerald Downs’ Vice President Jack Hodge, rolled to a four-length victory in the $150,000 Arlington Matron Stakes (G3) at Arlington Park. It was the second straight graded win for the 5-year-old Maria’s Mon mare, now 8-for-20 lifetime for trainer Michael Stidham*Live racing continues Sunday with first post 2:15 p.m. Talk to My Lawyer is the 5-to-2 morning line favorite in the $50,000 Seattle Handicap for 3-year-old fillies.