$50,000 AUBURN STAKES TESTS 3-YEAR-OLDS
AUBURN, Wash. (May 12, 2019) – The road to the Muckleshoot Derby begins Sunday, May 19, with the $50,000 Auburn Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings at six furlongs.
The Auburn drew 12 nominations, led by Emerald Downs and Washington champion 2-year-old Baja Sur, a Smiling Tiger gelding that dominated foes by a combined 15 ¾ in two 2018 victories. Baja Sur (right) raced to a 10 ½-length victory in the King County Express, running 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.13 and earning a 70 Beyer.
Stakes winners Fuzzy Dolphin (left) and Dr John H, both sons of Harbor the Gold, also are nominated to the Auburn. Fuzzy Dolphin had a strong 2-year-old campaign that featured a gate to wire victory in the Washington Cup Juvenile Colts and Geldings and a third in the Gottstein Futurity. Dr John H, a full brother to 2017 Emerald Downs’ Horse of the Meeting Mach One Rules, already has stakes wins at Turf Paradise and Hastings Racecourse.
In addition to Baja Sur, trainer Blaine Wright nominated Perfect Dude, a Majesticperfection colt that defeated maiden allowance foes April 27, and Rally Cat, a take Charge Indy gelding that ran three good races as a 2-year-old including a sixth in the one-mile Gold Rush Stakes at Golden Gate.
This Great Nation delivered a 48 to 1 upset in the 2018 WTBOA Lads Stakes, while Todo Es Toros defeated Arizona-breds in the Gene Fleming Breeders’ Derby at Turf Paradise. Lansky and My Grandpa are both maiden special weight winners at Emerald Downs, and Frolic and Detour was unleashing a strong rally before clipping heels and losing the rider in the 2018 Gottstein Futurity.
The 3-year-old colts & geldings series also features the June 16 Coca-Cola Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs, July 14 Seattle Slew Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, and August 11 Muckleshoot Derby at 1 1/8 miles.
Nominations include eight Washington-breds, one Kentucky-bred, one New York-bred, one Arizona-bred, and one Virginia-bred.
$50,000 Auburn Stakes, Sunday, May 19
3-Year-Old Colts & Geldings, 6 Furlongs
Horse. . . . . . . . . .Owner. . . . . . . . . .Trainer
Baja Sur (3WA) John & Janene Maryanski & Riverbend Farm Blaine Wright
Dr John H (3WA) North American Thoroughbred Racing Co. Sandi Gann
Emily’s Gold (3WA) R.E.V. Racing LLC Frank Lucarelli
Frolic and Detour (3VA) George Todaro Tom Wenzel
Fuzzy Dolphin (3WA) Michael Pollowitz and Vince Bruun G.D. Khalsa
Lansky (3WA) Casa Loma Stable Kay Cooper
My Grandpa (3WA) Ron Crockett Inc. Tom Wenzel
Perfect Dude (3WA) Todd & Shawn Hansen Blaine Wright
Rally Cat (3KY) Fleur De Lis Stables Blaine Wright
Runningwscissors (3NY) Tim Bankers Manny Ortiz
This Great Nation (3WA) Art McFadden Jorge Rosales
Todo Es Toro (3AZ) Tawnja Elison Jack McCartney
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