MT. RAINIER HANDICAP
17th RUNNING, JULY 22, 2012
1-1/16 MILES IN 1: 40.77 :23.71 :47.04 110.26 1:34.50
JOCKEY FRANK ALVARADO, HUDSON LANDING, WINNER: “I talked to Blaine (Wright), and he told me just to play it by ear. We knew there would be plenty of speed in the race, so we figured to sit off the pace and save ground. I felt I had good position on the rail, but I had to move a little early to keep my position. I wanted to keep him close to (Winning Machine) because my horse is very competitive. He’s a fighter. I heard Mario (Gutierrez) coming late, but I knew the wire would come first.”
JOCKEY MARIO GUTIERREZ, ST LIAMS HALO, SECOND: “My horse ran very good. I have no excuses we had the perfect trip. I thought we were going to win.”
NOTES: Hudson Landing (32-11-6-3-$413,188)…Hudson Landing since claimed for $50,000, Feb 25, 2012: 6-4-0-1-$176,500…Blaine Wright in 2012 stakes @ EmD: 5-2-2-0 wins by D’honorable One (dead-heat) Auburn Handicap, Hudson Landing, Mt. Rainier Handicap… Wright has seven career stakes wins at EmD…Jockey Frank Alvarado lifetime @ EmD: 28-4-6-7-$104,302…This is Alvarado’s first stakes win at EmD. Thiscatsgotcgharm and Alvarado finished first in the 2008 Emerald Derby, but were disqualified and placed second behind Gallon for interference in the stretch.
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