It’s a Family Affair
It’s a Family Affair
Quite the afternoon for one equine family, as full-brothers BABY GRAND and SLOOP JOHN B both won, while the half-brother YOU DON’T OWN ME finished second.
HIGHLIGHTS
The highlight of the day definitely goes to outrider Caterina Dimond, who bravely caught JUVEE TOO after he got loose on the track and was running the wrong way in race two. Caterina safely secured the horse on the backstretch before the field got there and a “No Contest" race was called
Trainer Dave Milburn saddled two winners
The breeding-ownership combo of the Minnaloushe Stables and Dave Milburn had two visits to the winners circle, as well as a second. Both winners are full-brothers by CLUBHOUSE RIDE and all three are out of the mare, INCLUDE THE GRAND
Jockey Learie Seecharan partnered both Milburn winners
The handle was $442,748.
Another gorgeous early summer afternoon with plenty of sunshine and a mild breeze to prevent patrons from overheating. The track was fast throughout with all bar two races going to horses on the front end.
RACE 1.
The first on the Sunday card saw John and Katherine Anderson’s PENALTY TO RANGERS ($6.60) make her 2023 debut a winning one, leading throughout to earn the win. The Keith Pedersen pupil was keen early and tugged Antonio Reyes to the lead, setting leisurely splits of 22.80 and 47.43 and never looked back, breezing to victory in 1:18.49. Darryl Hammond, Kristy Hammond, Bill Dobbie and John Snow's TEXAS LEGACY was content to sit second early and stayed there the entire trip, finishing a clear runner-up. The Dreamtime Stable’s LENT ME TWENTY was relaxed in third early, made a three wide move on the backside but couldn't stay with the top two and ended up third.
RACE 2.
The second went to Minnaloushe Stables and Dave Milburn's BABY GRAND ($17.10) who, as expected, set a slow tempo (23.41, 47.59) and had plenty left in reserve for rider Learie Seecharan. They cruised home impressive winners in 1:18.12 for trainer Dave Milburn. BFA Holdings’ WISE MARKET ran another good one, chasing the sensible fractions and ran-on well late but could not get to the winner. Hammer Racing Stables’ FOOT SOLDIER was tucked in on the rail behind the speed and lacked room on the final turn and never did get clear, ending up a tough-luck third.
RACE 3.
The third race went to the WYN Racing Stables’ GORKY PARK ($5.00). After enduring an eventful trip stuck on the inside, he was finally able to get to daylight in the stretch under Kimal Santo and ran on for the victory in 1:46.16 for trainer Larry Grieve. The Minnaloushe Stables and Dave Milburn's YOU DON'T OWN ME was positioned nicely on the pace by Learie Seecharan, tracking fractions of 24.38, 47.71 and six panels in 1:12.65, then started to sneak away on the turn and just got reeled in late. The Wil-a-Way Farm’s CALAMAZEUS showed good speed, set the pace on the rail and seemed to be going well before losing ground approaching the far turn. He stayed on gamely to be third.
RACE 4.
The fourth race on the afternoon was the start of the Pick 4 sequence and kicking it off was Rob and Sheena Maybin's ARIKARA ($5.50), who used her blazing speed to her advantage, battling through quick and contested splits (22.13, 45.54). She showed good courage, opening up on the field on the final bend and cruising home an easy winner in 1:18.02. The Hastings Racing Club's RACINO was ready to roll at first asking by trainer Pat Jarvis and she checked a solid second under Kerron Khelawan in her first start of 2023. The Canmor Farms, Maureen Goss and Adrian Trombley’s ANAAMY was sitting in a perfect spot early but couldn’t close the needed ground and ended up a distant third.
RACE 5.
The fifth went to the Minnaloushe Stables and Dave Milburn's SLOOP JOHN B ($4.80), who set a controlled tempo of 25.20, 49.36 and 1:14.09. He remained tenacious in the closing stages to win in 1:46.01 under Learie Seecharan for trainer Dave Milburn. Lance Giesbrecht and Gord Christoff’s ERLICH was wide throughout and was an unlucky loser in his first start of the season. Harold and Sandra Barroby's ONE FIFTY ONE turned in a huge effort at long odds, battling on the head-end the entire trip. He never gave in and took home third money.
RACE 6.
The sixth was won by Don Tetaranko's JUST JIMMY ($8.10), who was prominent early, racing on a relaxed pace of 24.44, 48.42 and 1:12.95, then proved to be a bit better than the rest as he inched away for the win under Fraser Aebly in 1:44.40 for conditioner Craig MacPherson. The Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds’ STAY FANTASTIC ran another good one under Antonio Reyes as they had the rail and the lead but were simply outrun by a better horse today and had to settle for second. WYN Racing Stables’ FAMILY BIZ was summoned to the back of the pack early and did well to rescue the third spot considering the slow pace that was being set in front of him.
RACE 7.
The last on the Sunday card went to Helen Klimes, Jo-Anne McDonald and Sharon Pring's THERE GOES MY HERO ($12.80), who raced wide throughout but kept grinding along and got the win under Kerron Khelawan for in-form trainer Steve Henson in 1:19.69. The Shamrock Racing Stables SILARONE encountered traffic troubles on the stretch turn and got going too late under Silvino Morales and finished a fast-closing second. Charlene Miller‘s ATOMIC HAZE stayed out of trouble but had to race very wide and looked to be a winner at the top of the stretch, but was a little tired late, ending up third.
Arrival Departs with a Third
Peter Redekop’s AQUITANIA ARRIVAL flew the Hastings’ flag at Emerald Downs on Sunday afternoon, running a fine third in the $50,000 Budweiser Stakes for trainer Barbara Heads and jockey Amadeo Perez.
Below is a full race report, courtesy of Emerald Downs.
BRIDLEUPTOEBAR PREVAILS IN $50,000 BUDWEISER STAKES
AUBURN, Wash. (June 25, 2023) – Bridleuptothebar used his dazzling speed for a one-length victory Sunday in the $50,000 Budweiser Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
In winning the first stop on the road to Longacres Mile, Bridleuptothebar sizzled six furlongs in a stakes record 1:07.57—besting a 1:07.71 clocking by Papa’s Golden Boy last year—and paid $9.40 as second choice in a full field of 12 older horses. Niccolo Troiani, saddling his first Emerald Downs stakes winner, is the trainer for owner/breeder Holly Rydman of Olympia, Wash.
Ridden by Isaias Enriquez at 122 lbs., Bridleuptothebar controlled the pace while setting fractions of :21.40 and :43.61 for the quarter and half-mile, repelled a strong bid from Canadian invader Aquitania Arrival in the stretch, and proved best to the wire.
A 4-year-old gray by Fullbridled bred in California, Bridleuptothebar improved to 5-1-0 in nine career starts with earnings of $91,189—including $27,500 for the Budweiser triumph. Bridleuptothebar had encountered traffic problems in his Emerald Downs four weeks ago, finishing second to Smiling Goodbye in a fast 1:02.45 for 5 ½ furlongs.
In his 2023 debut, Slew’s Tiz Whiz rallied from the clouds to snatch second by a nose over Aquitania Arrival. The 2022 Emerald Downs Horse of the Meeting and Washington Horse of the Year earned $10,000 and is now 6-3-2 in 16 career starts with earnings of $195,357. Ridden by Jose Zunino at 120 lbs., the defending Longacres Mile champion was a slight favorite in the wagering at odds of 7 to 2.
Aquitania Arrival, a 21 to 1 long shot ridden by Amadeo Perez, ran a smasher in his Emerald Downs debut to finish third. An allowance winner last month at Hastings Racecourse, Aquitania Arrival reached even terms with the winner past mid-stretch and just missed holding off Slew’s Tiz Whiz for second place.
Zestful, the leading earner in the field with $697,780, rallied belatedly to finish fourth and was followed by Coastal Kid, Itsallabouttheride, Smiing Goodbye, Miussed the Boat, A Man’s Man, Prayer of Jabez, You’re the Cause, and Coastal Jazz.
The $50,000 Governor’s Stakes is next for 3-year-olds and up on Sunday, July 23, followed by the $150,000 Longacres Mile on Sunday, August 13.
Bloodhorse Daily Headlines - Monday, June 26
Equinox Continues to Amaze
Another extraordinary performance from Japan’s wonder-horse, EQUINOX. Currently the most highly-rated horse in the world, the four-year-old made a winning comeback with a wide, fast-finishing run to land the G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin on Sunday.
Sent off the 30-100 favourite, Equinox was making his first start since humbling a high-class field in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March.
Confidently allowed to lope along near the rear of the field by regular rider Christophe Lemaire, Equinox enjoyed the best of the rain-softened turf, finishing fast and late down the centre of the track without Lemaire once needing to go to the whip.
*All photographs by Michael Bye unless stated
Racing resumes on Canada Day Saturday, July 1st with a seven-race program, featuring the $50,000 Lieutenant Governors for three-year-olds and up going a mile and a sixteenth, as well as the $50,000 Monashee for fillies and mares at the same distance. The action gets underway at 2:00 p.m.