Quatre Cat out finished Caliente Gold in a stirring stretch run for a head victory in the $25,000 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-old fillies Sunday at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Julien Couton, Quatre Cat ran 6 ½ furlongs on a fast track in 1:15.58 and paid $4.20, $2.40 and $2.10. Sylvea Gregory—saddling her first winner at Emerald Downs—is the winning trainer for owner David Gregory.
One of the top sophomore fillies in Vancouver, B.C., Quatre Cat is a triple stakes winner this year at Hastings Racecourse, and her lifetime mark is 6-3-1 in 11 starts with earnings of $161,159. The British Columbia-bred filly earned $13,750 for Sunday’s triumph.
Caliente Gold, ridden by Rocco Bowen, rallied in tandem with Quatre Cat and just missed the win in another sharp effort. The runner-up paid $2.60 and $2.10.
Seeking the Light, ridden by Juan Gutierrez, held third after an early speed duel and paid $2.20. Sneaking a Kiss and Dance With Effie completed the order of finish.
NOTES: Even with the near miss on Caliente Gold, Bowen had his first four-win day at Emerald Downs, scoring wins on Mr. Takahashi ($7.40), Dr. Dr. Kate ($6.40), Raspberry Ala Mode ($11.40) and Jill’s Joy ($8.20). A 26-year-old native of Barbados, Bowen is fourth overall with 58 wins—his fourth straight 50-win season at Emerald Downs. Bowen has 11 three-win days at Emerald Downs. . .Couton rode two winners Sunday and has wrapped up the title with a 96-76 lead over Juan Gutierrez in the jockeys’ standings. Defending champion Leslie Mawing is third with 73 wins and leads in stakes wins with nine. . .Couton rode nine winners this week—five Saturday and two Friday and Sunday. . .Jeff Metz had no wins Sunday but has locked up his third straight training title with a 62-32 lead over Blaine Wright. Metz needs five wins in the final three days to break the single-season mark of 66 wins held by Tim McCanna. . .McCanna thwarted the record march as Zenyandthejet ($6.40) shipped in from Golden Gate to edge the Metz-trained Inflationary in race five. . .Trainer Junior Coffey was two-for-twoSunday with maiden wins by 2-year-olds Coastal Diva ($7.40) and John Paul’s Bet ($18.60). The latter, a first-time starter by He’s Tops-Castle Bet, is owned and bred by Richard Pasko and edged odds-on Noble Nick by a head for the victory. . .Javier Matias, the winning rider on John Paul’s Bet, is 11-for-32 on 2-year-olds this season and is two wins away from 1,000 for his career. . .Matias also was fined $500 for failing to maintain a straight course aboard My Chief, second-place finisher in Saturday’sfeature race won by Tim Tim Tim. . .Trainer Steve Koler posted a one-two finish in race seven with winner Raspberry Ala Mode ($11.40) and runner-up Surfliner. A 6-year-old Siler Train gelding owned by Jack Zaborac, Surfliner has finished in the money in 17 of 22 starts at Emerald Downs, including wins at odds of 23-1, 16-1 and 13-1. . .Trainer Larry Pierce broke into the win column as Dr. Dr. Kateprevailed in race six. . .The final week of live racing begins Friday with first post 6:45 p.m.
