MT. RAINIER STAKES
3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
21st RUNNING, JULY 17, 2016
1-1/16 MILES IN 1:41.05
JOCKEY JOSE ZUNINO, O B HARBOR, WINNER: “He’s a nice horse. He’s more determined this year and more focused, so he’s a better horse. He could always run, but this year he is a lot better. I can’t believe that he can keep his speed going. He went too fast early. Most of the horses stopped, but he kept going. He’s got a big heart and he’s a nice horse. He was definitely tired because he ran so fast.”
JOCKEY LESLIE MAWING, STRYKER PHD, FOURTH: “No excuses, we broke well, same scenario as before. Usually this horse grabs a hold at the three-eighths pole. I don’t know if the humidity played against him. But the way the track was set up, it wasn’t his day. O B Harbor ran a fantastic race. It wasn’t Stryker’s day today.”
NOTES: O B Harbor (11-6-1-2-$133,191; at EmD in 2016: 4-4-0-0-$94,050). . .Jose Zunino has four stakes wins this season and seven all-time at EmD. . .O B Harbor and Barkley are tied for most stakes wins at the meet with three apiece and rank No. 1 and 2 in earnings with $94,050 and $93,775. . .In four starts at the meet O B Harbor has posted meet-fastest times at 5 ½ furlongs, 6 ½ furlongs, 1 mile and 1 1/16 mile. . .Chris Stenslie has three stakes wins this season and 10 all-time at Emerald Downs. . .Trainer David Martinez finished runner-up with 24-1 Dedicated to You and earlier on the card won the Angie C Stakes with Karula ($65.20), the Boeing Stakes with Guinevere’s Finale ($48.20), and finished second with first-time starter Mixo at 10-1 in the Emerald Express. . .Stryker Phd finished fourth, his first off-the-board finish in 18 career starts at Emerald Downs—8 wins, 4 seconds, 5 thirds and 1 fourth. . .The 81st Longacres Mile (G3) is Sunday, August 14. Nominations close Sunday, July 31.
BOEING STAKES
3-YEAR-OLDS & UP, FILLIES AND MARES
21st RUNNING, JULY 17, 2016
ONE MILE IN 1:36.06
JOCKEY JAVIER MATIAS, GUINEVERE’S FINALE, WINNER: “In this race, she surprised me. She ran really good for me this time, because it was a tough race going against fillies that have run in California and everywhere else. When you have a good day, you just say keep going, and everything has gone really well so far. So, I’m happy for that. The feeling is so great to win two stakes races in one day.”
NOTES: Guinevere’s Finale (16-6-1-2-$116,656). . .Oak Crest Farm LLC (Jack & Theresa Hodge), trainer David Martinez and jockey Javier Matias win back-to-back stakes races on Mile Preview Day with Karula at 31.60-to-1 and Guinevere’s Finale at 23.10-to-1. . .Matias has five stakes wins at the meet and is now No. 5 all-time with 27 stakes wins at Emerald Downs. . .Martinez has two wins and a second in three stakes today at odds of 31-1, 23-1 and 10-1. Martinez has eight career stakes wins at Emerald Downs.
EMERALD EXPRESS
2-YEAR-OLDS
21tst RUNNING, JULY 17, 2016
6 FURLONGS IN 1:03.16
JOCKEY ROCCO BOWEN, SO LUCKY, WINNER: “His talent and his abilities make So Lucky a strong horse. He is resilient just like Barkley. I don’t know where Howard (Belvoir) and Vicki (Potter) find these resilient horses, but I hope they keep finding them. I just want to give a little kudos to my friend Javier Matias. It was all his work that got me on this horse. He had to ride another one and he helped me get this mount.”
JOCKEY JOE STEINER, THE CHILLI MAN, DID NOT FINISH: “He didn’t come out of the gates well, and he didn’t feel good to me down the backside. When he took a bad step, I knew I had to pull him up. It just breaks my heart when that kind of stuff happens.”
NOTES: So Lucky (2-2-0-0-$34,925). . .Howard Belvoir is No. 1 in stakes wins at the meet with four and has won a record six runnings of the Emerald Express. . .Belvoir is tied with Frank Lucarelli for No. 4 all-time with 37 stakes victories at Emerald Downs. . .Rocco Bowen has 17 stakes wins at Emerald Downs, tied for No. 10 all-time with Jennifer Whitaker. . .The Chilli Man, pulled up at 2-5 odds, accounted for $142,622 of $166,376 in the show pool. . .Runner-up finisher Mixo paid a meet-high $24 to show while third-place finisher Don’tbeshywillie paid $22.20 to show.
ANGIE C STAKES
2-YEAR-OLD FILLIES
21st RUNNING, JULY 17, 2016
6 FURLONGS IN 1:02.72
JOCKEY JAVIER MATIAS, KARULA, WINNER: “I was worried a little bit because it was a first time starter. There were 11 fillies right there. In the beginning she showed me a lot of speed, and a lot of class. I was waiting up until a couple weeks back for Karula to be entered but it wasn’t happening. And then I told the trainer, ‘Let’s go for it, because she’s a special filly. I think she’s going to make it,’ and she made it. I like this one too much. I think this filly is going to just get better and better. She’s so special to me so far.
NOTES: Karula (1-1-0-0-$25,384). . .Karula is the first debutante to win the Angie C and the first maiden to win the race since Judicature in 2006. The $65.20 win mutuel broke the stakes record of $43.40 set by Judicature and is eighth highest in Emerald Downs history. . .The 11-length winning margin broke Carrabelle Harbor’s stakes record of 9 ¼ lengths. . .Javier Matias as four stakes wins at the meet and is tied with Gary Baze for No. 5 all-time with 26 EmD stakes wins. . .David Martinez finished first and second with first-time starters in today’s 2-year-old stakes—Karula finishing first in the Angie C and Mixo runner-up in the Emerald Express. . .Martinez has seven career stakes wins at Emerald Downs.
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