Bella Mia (No. 1) holds off Ima Happy Cat in the Kent Stakes

$50,000 IRISH DAY STAKES TESTS 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES

AUBURN, Wash. (June 24, 2018) – It’s route time at Emerald Downs, as 3-year-old fillies race 1 1/16 miles in the $50,000 Irish Day Stakes on Sunday, July 1.

The Irish Day is round three for sophomore fillies, with Ima Happy Cat and Bella Mia heading a list of eight nominations. Those two fillies have dominated the first two events, with Ima Happy Cat scoring by 2 ½ lengths over Bella Mia in the six-furlong Seattle Stakes, and Bella Mia turning the tables with a 2 ¼-length victory over Ima Happy Cat in the 6 ½-furlong Kent Stakes.

Bella Mia (7-5-1-0-$128,548) has four stakes wins at Emerald Downs, but the Harbor the Gold filly has never raced farther than 6 ½ furlongs. The same goes for Ima Happy Cat (5-2-2-1-$63,305), a daughter of Smiling Tiger who progressed rapidly this spring for trainer Dan Markle.

Trainer Blaine Wright, who won the 2017 Irish Day with Top Quality, has four runners nominated to the race: Assemble, Bella Mia, Downwind and Glitter and Gold.

Princessof the Nyl broke her maiden at a mile distance in a $78,000 maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park in March.

Ca Dreamer, a Canadian-bred by Tale of the Cat, scored by seven lengths in a $28,000 maiden special weight earlier this month on the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate.

$50,000 Irish Day Stakes, Sunday, July 1
3-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/16 Miles
Horse. . . . . .Owner. . . . . .Trainer
Assemble (3/KY) Peter Redekop BC Ltd. Blaine Wright
Bella Mia (3/WA) John & Janene Maryanski Blaine Wright
Ca Dreamer (3/ONT) Moger, Neary, Heag & Willoughby Ed Moger
Diamonds R (3/KY) George Todaro Tom Wenzel
Downwind (3/KY) Ten Broeck Farm Blaine Wright
Glitter and Gold (3/KY) Todd & Shawn Hansen Blaine Wright
Ima Happy Cat (3/CA) Sue & Tim Spooner Dan Markle
Princessof the Nyl (3/KY) Muddy Waters Stables LLC Mike Puhich

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