INVESTED PROSPECT ALL THE WAY IN SATURDAY FEATURE
Invested Prospect remained undefeated in sprints with an easy 2 ½-length victory over Bonus Spin in the $18,500 feature for older fillies and mares Saturday at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Juan Gutierrez, Invested Prospect opened a six-length lead past mid-stretch and coasted home in 1:09.82 for six furlongs. The odds-on favorite in the field of six, Invested Prospect paid $3.80, $2.60 and $2.20.
A 3-year-old Washington-bred by Abraaj-No Constraints, Invested Prospect earned $10,175 to increase her lifetime earnings to $73,950 for trainer Blaine Wright and owners Gerald and Gail Schneider and John and Janene Maryanski.
Invested Prospect has a 4-0-0 record in five-lifetime starts (4-for-4 in sprints) including gate-to-wire scores in the 2015 Northwest Farms Stakes and 2016 Seattle Stakes. In the Seattle, Invested Prospect led gate-to-wire for a 2 ½-length victory over B C Z Middleton, with the latter returning to defeat older horses in the Washington State Legislators Stakes last month.
Following her victory in the 6 ½-furlong Seattle, Invested Prospect tried two turns in the one-mile Irish Day Stakes, but faded to an eight-place finish and her connections regrouped and found Saturday’s sprint a perfect landing spot.
Hustled to the lead from the No. 4 post-position, Invested Prospect set fractions of :21.57, :44.40 and :56.69, shook off T.J.’s Only on the turn, and had plenty left to hold off Bonus Spin late.
Bonus Spin, ridden by Erick Lopez, rallied from far back for second and $3 and $2.20, while Formal Choice, ridden by Leonel Camacho-Flores, finished third and paid $2.60. Jerre to Carrie, T.J.’s Only and Queen’s Rush completed the order of finish.
NOTES: Trinni ($9.80) prevailed in the $16,600 sub-feature for 3-year-old fillies in 1:10.56 for six furlongs. Erick Lopez rode the winner for trainer David Martinez and owner/breeder Oak Crest Farm LLC. . .In addition to Invested Prospect, Blaine Wright saddled fourth race winner Blame It On Royce ($3.60) and tied Jeff Metz 23-23 atop the trainers’ standings. Frank Lucarelli is a close third with 22 wins. . .Invested Prospect co-owners Gail and Gerald Schneider (Riverbend Stable) also own eighth race winner Say Neigh, gate-to-wire winner of the Saturday nightcap. . .Rocco Bowen and Leslie Mawing each rode two winners and Bowen maintains a 56-44 lead over Mawing in the jockeys’ race. It was Bowen’s second straight two-win day and his 11th of the meet. . .Mike Man’s Gold ($5.60) scored his 11th career win at Emerald Downs in Saturday’s second race, a $15,000 claimer for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. A 6-year-old Washington-bred by Liberty Gold, Mike Man’s Gold ran six furlongs in 1:09.46 with Rocco Bowen up for trainer Joe Toye and owners Greg Conley, Chuck Conley and Terra Firma Farm. . .Mike Man’s Gold—11-for-29 with $208,859 in earnings at Emerald Downs—was claimed for $15,000 Saturday by Metz for Brett Brophy and Kelly Dougan. . .WTBOA 2015 Yearling Sale graduate California Diamond ($15.20) prevailed in Saturday’s $125,000 Santa Anita Juvenile in 1:03.54 for 5 ½ furlongs. By Harbor the Gold-Carrie’s a Jewel, California Diamond sold for $35,000 and is unbeaten in two starts for trainer John Brocklebank. . .Live racing continues Sunday with a 10-race program at 2 p.m.
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