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Seven races won by seven separate trainers and seven different riders, as an enthusiastic Father's Day crowd is treated to an action-packed afternoon

Jun 20, 2022

A bumper Father’s Day crowd gathers by the paddock rail — photo Patti Tubbs

HIGHLIGHTS:

In a funny twist, the late Pick 4 required female trainers (Patty Leaney, Barbara Heads, Tara Neigel and Julie Wicks) to get the sequence on, of all days, Father’s Day which returned $205.65 for $1 wager.
Kimai Santo rode first winner.
Seven races won by seven different riders and seven different trainers.
The Pick 5 carryover is at $26,171 and the Pick 6 is up to $19,296.
The handle was $493,123.

Father’s Day brought a good-sized crowd of enthusiastic race fans and they enjoyed some very competitive racing. It was again chillier than we might expect for the time of year but the rain, bar the odd drop, relented. The track remained fast all afternoon.

**Kimal Santo gets the traditional soaking after BABY GRAND provided him with his first winner on North American soil - photo Patti Tubbs**

Race 1.

The first on Father’s Day went to the Sunrise Stables DAKATI ($7.10) who broke alertly and settled comfortably in third position early off of the dueling leaders SIR BARCLAY and RING OF KERRY who set lively splits of 22.43 and 45.53 which played out perfectly for DAKATI who swept by entering the lane to grab the win in 1:18.62. Bob Leffler, Bryan Killins and Gord McCormick’s EUROPEAN made a sharp four wide move on the stretch turn but couldn’t quite get to the eventual winner. The Ironside Stables RING OF KERRY battled through quick early fractions and stayed on gamely to be third.

DAKATI (Silvino Morales) - photo Michael Bye

Race 2.

The second of the afternoon went to the Minnaloushe Stables and Dave Milburn's BABY GRAND ($6.20) who showed keen interest early and was well rated by impressive apprentice Kimal Santo through fractions of 22.81 and 46.82 and when called upon on the final turn he showed his best in the lane to win in a sharp 1:18.34. The Hawaiian Shirt Guys FOOT SOLDIER elected to change running styles and sat back off the pace today and it proved to be a good move as he was travelling well at the end to be a solid second. The High Stakes Thoroughbreds and John Snow's JUVEE TOO was unusually far back early and came on in the late stages to snare third money.

BABY GRAND (Kimal Santo) - photo Patti Tubbs

The third race was won in wire-to-wire fashion by the Willow Creek Farms ALL LIQUORD UP ($9.50) who led through moderate interior fractions of 23.91, 48.36 and 1:13.60 for rider Cerapio Figueroa and finished strongly to get the victory for trainer Steve Henson in 1:46.24. The Foundation Stables homebred GREYTOGO turned in a big effort under Amadeo Perez tracking the speed and looked to be a danger in the stretch but had to settle for second. Warren Wilson, June Sutherland, Neil Stajkowski, Charlene Miller , Barry Hickman and Lesley Small's WISELY PLAYED was came rolling late to grab the third spot.

ALL LIQUORD UP (Cerapio Figueroa) - photo Patti Tubbs

Race 4.

The fourth of the day saw another impressive performance from Joe and Gloria Russo's FORT LANGLEY ($4.30) who after breaking a little slow was hustled by Efrain Hernandez to go up and challenge for the lead which was very comfortable and when the serious running started he drew off to get the win in a solid 1:43.89 for trainer Patty Leaney. The Ironside Stables PARKER POINT flew out of the gate and asserted his position on the head end and led the field through splits of 24.35, 48.75 and 1:13.32 and was sprinting home at the end but was simply outrun by a better opponent today and wound up second. Doug Corsan, Len Houwelling and Mel Snow's SLEW'S DA BOSS was held up behind the slow pace and with his usual late kick was easily able to secure the third spot.

FORT LANGLEY (Efrain Hernandez) - photo Patti Tubbs

Race 5.

The fifth race was another tight finish that went to Bryan and Carol Anderson's AT ATTENTION ($8.20) who bided his time in last place early watching a speed duel percolate then when Antonio Reyes asked him for more nearing the quarter pole he delivered with a lethal late run that got him the win in a seasons best time of 1:43.36 for trainer Barbara Heads. The Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds STAY FANTASTIC also watched the speed duel up front and then breezed by the leaders at the eighth pole earning the top spot but was narrowly outrun at the wire. The Ironside Stables EXPLODE chased the very fast BOLD ARCH through demanding early pace 23.71 47.10 and 1:10.96 and put that rival away but couldn’t hold off the top two.

AT ATTENTION (Antonio Reyes) - photo Patti Tubbs

Race 6.

The sixth event went to the D & E Racing’s BILLS SMOKN BULLET ($9.20) who seized the lead early and set comfortable splits of 22.90 and 46.36 under Scott Williams and he made no mistakes winning by a neck in a good time of 1:17.80 for trainer Tara Neigel. Frank Iaci and Julie Wicks’ KHAIKY'S COMMAND decided to relax early at sit just off the pacesetter and ran gamely all the way to the finish and ended up an impressive runner-up. The Willow Creek Farms LAUGH WITH ME was bottled up on the inside and shook loose late and was running best at the wire but he had to settle for third.

BILLS SMOKN BULLET (Scott Williams) - photo Patti Tubbs

Race 7.

The seventh and final went to Rob Thacker's QUAGMIRE ($8.50) who set an easy early pace (23.12 and 46.53) under Amadeo Perez and had plenty left to secure the victory in 1:18.11 for trainer Julie Wicks. The Willow Creek Farms and Fabio Chiesa’s TIZ MEOW was hurt by the slow pace but was showed good courage rallying to be a menacing runner-up under Cerapio Figueroa. Rob and Sheena Maybin's APPELLANT who was also compromised by the lack of early speed and could only sneak up the inside to be third.

CLAIM: QUAGMIRE was claimed by owners Lorie Henson, Helen Klimes and Sharon Pring and trainer Steve Henson.