So Lucky gave Howard Belvoir his record sixth Emerald Express
$50,000 EMERALD EXPRESS
2-YEAR-OLD COLTS & GELDINGS, 5 ½ FURLONGS
22nd RUNNING, SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017
Track Record: 1:00.87-Hollywood Harbor, April 22, 2012
Stakes Record: Previously run at 6 Furlongs, 1996 & 1998-2015; 6 ½ Furlongs, 1997
Most Wins
Trainer: 6, Howard Belvoir (Sundance Circle, 2003; Seattles Best Joe, 2004; Tusko T, 2005; Immigration, 2006; Barkley, 2015, So Lucky, 2016)
Jockey: tie-2,Javier Matias (Mike Man’s Gold, 2012; Barkley, 2015) Ricky Frazier (Knightsbridge Road, 2002; Margo’s Gift, 2007) Jennifer Whitaker (Sundance Circle, 2003; Immigration, 2006) Kevin Krigger (Seattles Best Joe, 2004; Winter Warlock, 2010) Leslie Mawing (Gallant Son, 2008; Trackattacker, 2014) Rocco Bowen (Del Rio Harbor, 2013; So Lucky, 2016)
Owner: 2, Howard Belvoir, Dan Corby & Harley Hoppe (Seattles Best Joe, 2004; Immigration, 2006)
Winner Bred: Washington 17, Kentucky 4
Track: Fast all 21 years
Largest Win Margin: 11 lengths, Trackattacker, 2014
Smallest Win Margin: head, Knightsbridge Road, 2002; Gallon (DQ), 2007
Largest $2 Win: $51.60, Wa Dancer, 2000
Smallest $2 Win: $2.10, Trackattacker, 2014
Betting Favorite: 6-for-21 Odds-On: 4-for-9
Owners Hometowns
1: Elliott Bay (10) Rising Star Stable II (Vicki Potter, Auburn, WA)
2: Rosie’s Reward (7/2) Art McFadden, Portland, ORE
3: Brown Tiger (3) Art McFadden, Portland, ORE
4: He’s Not Grey (6) John Parker, Lake Bay, WA
5: Sippin Fire (5/2) How We Roll #4 (David Israel, Enumclaw; Joe Withee, Auburn; Al Adams, Seattle; Charlie Clark, Seattle; Angela Wilson, Auburn; Steve Pilgrim, Kent)
6: Vicente’s Shadow (4) Gordon Twilegar,Boise, ID; Steven Twilegar, Melba, ID
7: Bullet Drill (12) Billy Speed Racing Stable (William Greenstein, Ashland, ORE)
EmD 2YO COLTS & GELDINGS SERIES
July 16: $50,000 Emerald Express, 5 ½ F
Aug. 6: $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes, 6F
Aug. 27: $50,000 WA Cup Juvenile Colt & Geldings Stakes (WA-Bred), 6F
Sept. 24: $65,000 Gottstein Futurity, 1 1/16 Mile
NOTES:.Rosie’s Reward is a $5,000 supplemental entry. . .Owner Art McFadden (Rosie’s Reward and Brown Tiger) bids for his first Emerald Downs’ stakes win since Cherokee Echo’s 8-1 upset in the 2008 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes. . .He’s Not Grey would become the first debut winner of the Emerald Express; Illumination Road finished 2nd in 2013, Mixo was second in 2016, and Horatio debuted with a 3rd in the 2001 Emerald Express. . .In addition to winning the race with Barkley in 2015 and So Lucky in 2016, trainer Howard Belvoir won this race four straight years from 2003 to 2006 with Sundance Circle, Seattles Best Joe, Tusko T and Immigration. Belvoir goes for No. 7 this year with Elliott Bay, who also would give Rising Star Stable its third straight win in the race. . .Brown Tiger is the first foal out of 2011 Belle Roberts winner Sweet Nellie Brown. . .5-2 morning line favorite Sippin Fire (Harbor the Gold-Bahati) is a full brother to 2010 and 2013 state 2-year-old champions Couldabenthewhisky and Del Rio Harbor. . .Del Rio Harbor won the 2013 Emerald Express at odds of 15.40-to-1.
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