Mister Breeze
MISTER BREEZE ALL THE WAY IN FRIDAY FEATURE
AUBURN, Wash. (April 21, 2017) – Mister Breeze continued his winning ways Friday at Emerald Downs, fighting off Solemnly Swear for a half-length victory in the $11,200 Valpak Purse for 3-year-olds and up.
Ridden by Juan Gutierrez, Mister Breeze ran six furlongs in 1:09.29 and paid $21.80, $8.40 and $5.40. Alan Bozell is the winning trainer for owners Kimberly and Dalton Stecker. A 6-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Hampton Bay-Skylar May, Mister Breeze is 9-4-1 in 28 starts with earnings of $71,460, including $6,160 for Friday’s victory.
Solemnly Swear, ridden by Javier Matias, chased the winner home but settled for second place and paid $5.40 and $3.60. Matias lodged an objection against the winner, alleging interference at the three-eighths pole, but the stewards disallowed the claim.
Doctor Bruce S. ridden by Leonel Camacho-Flores, rallied inside for third place and paid $6.80. Roman Boos, Perfect Night, Delineator Express, He’s Cagey and Tribal Waters completed the order of finish.
He’s Cagey, last year’s claimer of the meet, finished seventh as the 2-to-1 betting favorite in his 2017 debut.
Mister Breeze, a multiple winner the last three years at Emerald Downs, set fractions of :22.16, :44.66 and :56.63 en route to victory.
NOTES: Jockey Leonel Camacho-Flores rode two winners Friday to reach 500 wins for his career. A 32-year-old native of Zacatecas, Mexico, Camacho-Flores notched win No. 500 aboard Calculated Chaos ($9) in race four for trainer Sil Juarez. Camacho-Flores notched his maiden victory September 5, 2009 aboard Flexible Loyalties at Walla Walla. . .Rocco Bowen rode three winners for his second triple of the meet and leads Gutierrez, Javier Matias and Eliska Kubinova 9-4 atop the riders’ standings. . .Juan Gutierrez also had two wins as three jockeys—Bowen, Camacho-Flores and Gutierrez—combined to sweep the seven-race card. . .Gutierrez is up to 1,287 career wins at Emerald Downs and closing in on Gallyn Mitchell’s track record 1,419 wins. . .Barasso ($32.20) outfinished even-money favorite Sweet Swindler in the Friday opener to give trainer Tom Wenzel his 350th career victory at Emerald Downs. . .Arturo Arboleda became the second 93-year-old trainer to win in five days as Regazze Cat ($12) prevailed in race two. Don Munger, also 93, had two wins last Sunday at Emerald Downs. . .Trainer Roy Lumm made it 22 straight seasons with at least one Emerald Downs victory as Dynamo Dixie ($8.80) came back to edge Drink Til You Drop in Friday’s third race. . . Aithon Stable’s Belle Hill is 8-1 in a $77,000 allowance race on turf Saturday at Keeneland. Emerald Downs’ champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, the 5-year-old Sky Mesa mare makes her first start for trainer Grant Forster. . .Live racing continues Saturday with first post 2 p.m. Barkley makes his 2017 debut in the $21,500 allowance feature for 3-year-olds and up. . .There is a $10,332 carryover in Saturday’s $.20 Pick 7.
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