HUYA SMOKES IN MUCKLESHOOT CASINO PURSE
Huya remained razor-sharp with a powerful eight-length victory Saturday in the $20,500 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.
Notching his third win of the meeting, Huya ran 6 ½ furlongs in a brisk 1:15.06 and paid $5.20, $2.80 and $2.40. Juan Gutierrez rode the winner for trainer Candi Tollett and owners Jamie Baker and John Parry.
Breaking sharply from post-position seven, Huya led through fractions of :22.58, :44.77 and 1:08.72, opening a five-length cushion past mid-stretch, and drew off to his fourth win in 11 career starts. Saturday’s victory, worth $11,275, pushed his career bankroll to $54,203.
Including a maiden victory last year, Huya is four-for-six at Emerald Downs and also is nominated to the $75,000 Emerald Downs Derby at 1 1/8 miles in two weeks.
Noble Nick, a slight favorite in the wagering, rallied to snatch second in the final jump and paid $2.80 and $2.80. Face Valued, longest price on the board at 18-1, finished third and paid $4.60, while John Paul’s Bet, On Fire and Party for One rounded out the order of finish. Valid Keiki was scratched earlier in the day.
NOTES: Buddy Dave rallied for a $22.60 upset in race five and now ranks No. 1 among all active runners with 17 career wins at Emerald Downs, and is tied with Olympic Lights for second place all-time. A 9-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding, Buddy Dave broke his maiden here on April 25, 2010 and has at least one victory every subsequent season including a six-win campaign in 2011. Trained by Vince Gibson throughout his 75-race career, Isaias Enriquez rode Buddy Dave for the first time Saturday. . .Trainer Manny Ortiz enjoyed a two-win night with Deputy’s Command ($8.80) in race two and Bellali ($7) in race four. . .Jeff Metz also had a two-win night, his fourth double of the season, and moved into a 26-24 lead over Frank Lucarelli in the trainers’ race. . .2-year-old filly Stormin’ Promise ($12.20) became the first New Mexico-bred winner at the meet, romping by 7 ¼ lengths in :52.13 for 4 ½ furlongs under Eswan Flores for Metz and owner/breeder Jane Wiggins. . .Rocco Bowen rode two more winners and now leads Leslie Mawing 62-46 in the jockeys’ standings. Bowen has at least one win on 10 straight cards. . .Juan Gutierrez also rode two winners Saturday. . .At Sacramento, Allaboutaction ($4.80) edged Arrom Bear by a neck in the $28,000 allowance race for 3-year-olds and up. A Candy Ride 3-year-old owned by Mark Dedomenico and Jerry Hollendorfer, Allaboutaction ran six furlongs in 1:10.56, holding off Arrom Bear in what turned into a virtual gate-to-wire match race. Allaboutaction is one of 13 3-year-olds nominated to the $75,000 Emerald Downs Derby on Sunday, July 31. . .Live racing continues Sunday with a stakes quadruple-header including Stryker Phd gunning for his third straight win in the $50,000 Mt. Rainier Stakes and the blazingly-fast The Chilli Man in the $50,000 Emerald Express for 2-year-old colts or gelding. First post is 2 p.m. Emerald Downs is offering a special $0.50 “All Stakes Pick 4″ on Races 5 thru 8 and, the $0.20 Pick 7 includes a $6,357 carryover on races 4 thru 10.
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