Stephanie Plum one of the track’s most consistent older fillies or mares*would not be denied a victory Sunday at Emerald Downs.
With regular rider Leonel Camacho-Flores aboard, Stephanie Plum out finished Tabled With Gold for a tenacious head victory in the featured $17,950 Carl’s Jr. Purse.
Stephanie Plum ran six furlongs on 1:10.23 on a sloppy track and paid $11.40, $4.80 and $2.80.
Tabled With Gold, ridden by Gallyn Mitchell, battled gamely from flag fall to finish, setting fractions of :22.06, :44.79 and :57.29, but was edged out by Stephanie Plum for the victory. Tabled With Gold paid $3.80 and $2.10.
Miss Communication, with Rocco Bowen riding, finished third and paid $3.20. Smokin’ Grey, Perfect Pie and Lasting Rose completed the order of finish.
River of Aces, the 5 to 2 morning line favorite, was scratched earlier in the day.
A 6-year-old Washington-bred by Memo-Almost Skint, Stephanie Plum won four races here last year and was a top contender for the meet’s Top Claimer, an honor that eventually went to Kind of Naughty. For her career, Stephanie Plum is 6-4-2 in 17 starts with earnings of $62,722.
Trainer H.R. Pat Mullens, who co-owns Stephanie Plum with owners Swede Larson and Ed Zenker, said he admires the mare’s toughness.
“She’s a lot of fun to train and lead over,” he said. “I think she likes the wet track, too, she ran well over it today.”
Camacho-Flores said the race played out as planned, with Stephanie Plum tracking Lasting Rose, Tabled With Gold and Perfect Pie.
“I know her very well,” Camacho-Flores said. “She broke on top, but I knew I couldn’t go with the speed. Pat (Mullens) told me just to sit back and make one run.”
NOTES: 2009 Longacres Mile winner Assessment ($19.40) rallied to defeat Edge Forward in the eighth race and snapped a 19-race losing streak that dated back nearly four years. Although he’s been competitive against mid-level claimers, the now 10-year-old gelding last won September 19, 2010, when he defeated Taif in a $21,500 allowance race at one mile. Sunday, with Gallyn Mitchell riding for trainer Howard Belvoir, Assessment ran six furlongs in 1:10.23 on a sloppy track to score a one-length victory vs. $15,000 claimers. Assessment, 10-for-53 lifetime, ranks third all-time in Emerald Downs earnings with $450,680. . .Mitchell, the track’s all-time leading jockey, has 1,350 wins at Emerald Downs. . .Isaias Enriquez, the 2013 champion, rode three winners and trimmed Rocco Bowen’s lead to 14-10 atop the jockeys’ standings. . . Camacho-Flores, with two wins, was the other jockey with multiple wins Sunday. . . Jeff Metz and Frank Lucarelli each saddled one winner and Metz leads Lucarelli 14-9 in the trainers’ race. . .Mebossman ($5.40) became the 11th Emerald Downs winner produced by broodmare Peaceful Wings with a triumph over Trick Or Retreat in Sunday’s fifth race, a $17,850 maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up. A 3-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Petionville, Mebossman was stakes-placed here three times last year, finishing second in both the Gottstein Futurity and WTBOA Lads, and third in the Daily Racing Form Dennis Dodge Stakes. . .Trainer Vince Gibson saddled Our Marshall Cahill to a $25.40 upset in race six and has won at least one race at all 19 Emerald Downs’ meetings dating to 1996. Gibson, who celebrates his 55th birthday Tuesday, is No. 16 all-time with 240 wins at Emerald Downs. . .Seattle Game ($4) won the fourth race by a nose and is now tied with Polish Dollar and Buddy Dave for most victories by an active Emerald Downs horse at 13 wins apiece. . .Live racing resumes Friday with first post 6:45 p.m. The first 5,000 fans receive a free “I Bet On the 12” T-shirt with paid admissions.
