Stryker Phd was handed a tough assignment Sunday in the $60,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic at Emerald Downs.
But once again, the champion would not be denied.
Tested the length of the stretch by Noosito, Stryker Phd showed his mettle with a hard-fought three-quarter length victory in 1:40.75 for 1 1/16 miles. Ridden by Leslie Mawing at 124 lbs—6 pounds more than his four rivals—Stryker Phd paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10.
Noosito, ridden by Juan Gutierrez, took a brief lead while three-deep into the stretch, but was immediately tackled by Stryker Phd and the two Washington-breds locked horns to the wire, with Stryker Phd a tad better. Noosito paid $2.40 and $2.10.
With the victory, Stryker Phd tied Stopshoppingdebbie’s track record of eight straight stakes wins, a streak that began two years ago with a victory in the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic, and includes the last two Longacres Miles.
A 6-year-old gelding by Bertrando-Striking Scholar, Stryker Phd is 9-5-5 in 22 career starts, and earned $30,000 to leapfrog Captain Condo into No. 8 all-time among Washington-breds with $515,651. Larry Ross is the winning trainer for owners Jim and Mona Hour of Bellevue, Wash.
In his last eights starts at Emerald Downs, 8-8-0-0 with $386,180 in earnings.
“He’s a very special horse, no doubt about it,” a tearful Sharon Ross said in the winner’s circle. “(Today’s race) was totally not his style, but he did it.”
Noosito stalked the pace as Until You and Westley led through fractions of :23.76, :46.68 and 1:09.88. Gutierrez pushed the button on the last turn, and Noosito rallied to a slight lead at the quarter-pole. But Stryker Phd, a bit closer than usual, unleashed a four-wide bid under Mawing and collared Noosito at the eighth-pole. It was a match-race from there, and Stryker Phd proved best.
“I’m so familiar with Stryker PhD’s running style, and I know he’s got a kick, especially around the turn, so I wasn’t too concerned,” Mawing said. “I knew Noosito was going to give me a hard time, but once I get the lead, Stryker PhD’s heart just gets bigger and bigger.”
Gutierrez said Noosito, bidding for a third straight Washington Cup victory, lost nothing in defeat.
“I tried to take a little advance at the quarter–pole so that I could run in the middle of the turn because I know that Stryker Phd is a fast closer,” Gutierrez said. “My horse ran his race and he ran well. Stryker Phd is a nice horse.”
MADAME PELE BECOMES TRIPLE WA CUP WINNER
Kama’aina Thoroughbreds’ Madame Pele etched her name in the record book Sunday, becoming the first horse in the 13-year history of the event to win three Washington Cup races.
Bursting to the lead in deep stretch, Madame Pele scored a 2 ¼-length victory over Among the Stars in the $50,000 Comcast SportsNet Stakes for older fillies and mares.
Lady Rosberg, the prohibitive 3-to10 favorite, staged a late rally and edged Citizen Kitty for third place.
Ridden by Juan Gutierrez, Madame Pele ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.69 and paid $10.40, $5.60 and $2.60.
In fact, all of the winning connections are No. 1 in Washington Cup wins—Jim Penney is No. 1 among trainers with nine, Juan Gutierrez is tops among jockeys with 18, and Madame Pele is the only horse with three wins.
A 5-year-old mare by Salt Lake-Striking Scholar—also the dam of Stryker Phd—Madame Pele has notched half of her six career wins in WA Cup. She won the 2013 Comcast SportsNet by 3 ½ lengths, the 2014 Pegasus Training Center Stakes by 2 ½ lengths, and the 2015 Comcast SportsNet Stakes.
Madame Pele’s overall record is 6-4-5 in 29 starts with $196,397 in earnings.
Among the Stars, ridden by Leonel Camacho-Flores, rallied for second and paid $12.80 and $4.
Lady Rosberg, easy winner of the Boeing Handicap and Emerald Distaff, lacked her customary zip but did finish well for third and paid $2.10.
Citizen Kitty opened a long early lead, setting fractions of :21.80 and :43.60, but she weakened in the final furlong and finished fourth. Sunpenny, Finding More, Wickedizaswickeduz and Big Mama’s Talkin rounded out the order if finish.
REDSOLOCUP SPRINGS SURPRISE IN CHINOOK PASS
In the day’s biggest upset, Redsolocup got a rail-skimming ride from Jose Zunino and held off Absolutely Cool for a half-length victory in the $50,000 Chinook Pass Sprint Stakes for 3-year-olds and up.
Redsolocup ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:14.52 and paid $49.40, $13.20 and $6.80. Jeff Metz is the winning trainer for Tim Floyd’s Warlock Stables.
A 4-year-old Demon Warlock gelding, Redsolocup has had an up and down campaign for his connections, winning just one of seven starts prior to Sunday and the victory came in a much softer $12,500 claiming race. He was sharp Sunday, however, rocketing through an opening inside to gain the lead past mid-stretch, and then holding off Absolutely Cool for the victory.
“This is the first time I’ve ridden Redsolocup, but I watch all the replays and he always tries hard,” Zunino said. “When I was at the quarter pole, he saw a hole and he went for it. I saw Absolutely Cool coming up on the outside, and I thought Redsolocup was done, and we would run second or third. But I tapped him a couple of times and he responded for me.”
Absolutely Cool, the 2-to-1 second choice ridden by Rocco Bowen, rallied outside to finish second, returning $3.40 and $3. Trick Or Retreat, a 14-to-1 long shot ridden by Leslie Mawing, finished third and paid $5 for show.
Del Rio Harbor, the 4-to-5 favorite, finished fourth after hooking into a three-horse duel with Mike Man’s Gold and Grinder Sparksaglo.
Redsolocup earned $25,000 to nearly double his career bankroll to $63,764. His overall record is 4-1-5 in 18 starts.
Metz and Zunino have had great success lately, combining for six wins in 15 starts. The meet’s leading trainer with 57 wins, Metz has five career stakes wins at Emerald Downs while Zunino has three.
INVESTED PROSPECT PREVAILS IN NORTHWEST FARMS
Invested Prospect opened a long early lead and held off Cape Grace for a neck victory in the $50,000 Northwest Farms Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Invested Prospect ran six furlongs in 1:10.26 and paid $3.80, $2.80 and $2.20. Blaine Wright is the winning trainer for owners John and Janene Maryanski and Riverbend Farm.
Unbeaten in two starts, Invested Prospect earned $25,000 to increase her bankroll to $36,275. A $25,000 yearling, Invested Prospect is by Abraaj out of No Constraints, the state champion 2-year-old filly of 2007 including a win in the Northwest Farms.
Hustled to the lead, Invested Prospect opened a four-length lead after fast fractions of :21.36, :44.23 and :56.77. She was a bit tired in the final furlong, but held off Cape Grace and My Heart Goes On.
“I think it was a little fast-paced on the backside but Invested Prospect is a nice filly,” Gutierrez said. “It’s the second start in her life, so she was a little tired as she came to the wire. She’s going to be a nice filly.”
Cape Grace, ridden by Julien Couton, paid $4.60 and $3, while My Heart Goes On, ridden by Javier Matias, paid $2.40.
MACH ONE RULES DOMINATES CAPTAIN CONDO STAKES
Running the fastest six furlongs of the meet, Mach One Rules scored a dominating 4 ¾-length victory in the $50,000 Captain Condo Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings
Undefeated in three starts with two stakes wins, Mach One Rules ran six furlongs in 1:08.31—besting the previous season mark of 1:08.33—and paid $5, $3 and $2.20. The winning connections—jockey Leslie Mawing, trainer Frank Lucarelli and owner R.E.V. Racing—also won this race last year with Trackattacker.
By Harbor the Gold-Felice the Cat, Mach One Rules is the fourth straight Captain Condo winner sired by Harbor the Gold, and the eighth Washington Cup winner overall by Harbor the Gold. The $25,000 winner’s share pushed his overall earnings to $68,450.
Taking the lead early, Mach One Rules led through fractions of :21.60, :43.73 and :55.61. Straightening into the lane with a three-length lead, the dark bay or brown gelding shook off Gold Rush Dancer and powered home for the victory.
“He’s just a stone-cold runner,” Mawing said. “As a jockey you get on horses that you can just feel off the bat that they have talent, and this horse has talent. You know, I’ve been doing this for 20-odd years, and I know my horses pretty well. From day one, I was really impressed with Mach One Rules. Compared to past runners, he’s right up there with the best that I’ve ridden.”
Gold Rush Dancer, ridden by Julien Couton, was clearly second and paid $3.40 and $2.40. A Private Gold colt, Gold Rush Dancer is stakes-placed three times in 2015, notching runner-up finishes in the Captain Condo Stakes and Emerald Express, and finishing third in the WTBOA Lads Stakes.
Viewingthegold, the 9-to-5 second choice ridden by Javier Matias, finished third and paid $2.40.
NOTES: Leonel Camacho-Flores rode five winners on the 11-race card, including four straight in races two through five. Camacho-Flores is the second rider to win five in a day this season (Julien Coutonhad five wins September 7) and it’s the 30th time the feat has been accomplished at Emerald Downs. Camacho-Flores, 10th overall with 28 Thoroughbred wins, has won races in bunches this season. He also has a four-win day and three three-win days. . .Itsallabout Jerry ($4.20) and Dare Me Devil ($5.20)—both trained by Rigoberto Velasquez and ridden by Camacho-Flores—became the fourth and fifth horses with four wins at the meet. Itsallabout Jerry rallied from last-to-first in the third, a $21,500 claimer for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, and is 4-2-1 in eight starts at the meet with $52,383 in earnings. Dare Me Devil, last year’s Top Claimer, is 4-1-0 in eight starts at the meet after his 3 ¼-length victory in race four, and is 16-for-49 lifetime with earnings over $160,000. Dare Me Devil’s winning time, 1:14.34, is the second fastest 6 ½ furlong clocking of the meet; Fleet Eagle won the May 17 Governor’s Handicap in 1:14.27. . .Velasquez had a natural hat trick with Itsallabout Jerry in race three, Dare Me Devil in race four, and Hello Brown ($4.20) in race five—all ridden by Camacho-Flores. . . Coach Royal, bidding to become the meet’s first six-time winner, finished fifth to Dare Me Devil in race four and remains tied withAin’t Tellin’ for most wins at the meet with five apiece. Whiskey Prince, Itsallabout Jerry and Dare Me Devil next with four wins each. . .With six days remaining in the 70-day meet, Couton leads Juan Gutierrez 87-74 in the Thoroughbred standings. Mawing leads with eight stakes wins, and is 10-0-2 in 12 stakes mounts the last two seasons for trainer Larry Ross. . .Live racing resumes Friday with an eight-race program at 6:45 p.m.
