Lotta Attitude appears to have a bright future at Emerald Downs.
The rapidly improving sophomore shook off Belladiva in the stretch and scored a 1 ¼-length victory in Saturday’s $18,900 feature race for 3-year-old fillies.
Ridden by Juan Gutierrez, Lotta Attitude ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.61 on a fast track and paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10. Blaine Wright trains Lotta Attitude for co-owners John & Janene Maryanski and Riverbend Farm (Gerald & Gail Schneider).
Already a two-time winner at the meet, Lotta Attitude, a Kentucky-bred by Sharp Humor, has a 2-2-1 record in five lifetime starts and earnings of $34,253. Wright said the $50,000 Seattle Handicap on Sunday, June 1, as a possible next race for Lotta Attitude.
Belladiva, ridden by Ronald Richard, slipped through inside to take the lead entering the lane, as Lotta Attiude drifted out slightly, but was out finished and settled for second place. Belladiva paid, $5.20 and $3.20.
Sunpenny, ridden by Isaias Enriquez, rallied for third place and paid $3.20 to show. Lexie Arleen, Charismata, KK’s Wonderwoman and Knight Club rounded out the order of finish.
Breaking alertly from the No. 1 post, Lotta Attitude led through fractions of :22.21, :45.09 and :57.24, drifted out approaching the stretch, but recovered quickly and drew clear for the victory.
NOTES: Just a Love ($8.40) scored an impressive debut victory in race three for maiden special weight fillies and mares, covering six furlongs in 1:10.73 under Gutierrez for trainer Jim Penney and owners Just Lovin Life (KOMO-4 news anchor Dan Lewis). A 3-year-old bay filly by Nationhood-Just an Angel, Just a Love is a half-sister to Emerald Downs stakes winners Have’n a Wild Time and Kooky Saluki. . .Surfliner paid a meet-high $49.60 to win in race seven, as trainer Steve Koler improved to 3-1-0 in six starts. Also in the seventh, 7-to-5 betting favorite Camp Granada was disqualified from fourth and placed fifth for interfering with Storming Kentucky in the stretch run. . .Rocco Bowen and Jeff Metz are a combined 16-for-29 this meet including wins Saturday by Cha Cha Latte ($3.40) in race two and Jerry’s Fever ($3.40) in race five. . .Gutierrez, Bowen, Isaias Enriquez and Ronald Richard all rode two winners on the nine-race card. . .Metz’ two wins stretched his trainers’ lead to 22-12 over Frank Lucarelli. . .Cha Cha Latte joined stable mate Vegas Burn as the meet’s only three-time winners. A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred, Cha Cha Latte has won five straight overall for Metz including two wins last December at Turf Paradise. . .Live racing continues Sunday with the 19th running of the $50,000 Hastings Handicap for older fillies and mares. First post is 2:15 p.m.
