Riser headed to Canada for the $150,000 BC Derby
WRIGHT SOARING AT EMERALD DOWNS IN 2017
Blaine Wright without question is enjoying one of the finest seasons in Emerald Downs’ history.
With 47 wins in 130 starts, Wright is clicking at 36.1 percent and has pretty much clinched a second straight training title at Emerald Downs.
But even by Wright’s lofty standards, last week was special. He went 6-1-1 in nine starts with feature race wins Friday and Saturday and set a track record by saddling three stakes winners Sunday in the 2017 Washington Cup.
“When the stars align, they align,” said Wright. “Do I know what it means to win three stakes in day? Heck yeah, I do.
“We were able to spend some time at my father’s place in Yakima on Monday, amd that’s when it kind of hit me. I was in awe.”
In the Juvenile Filly Stakes, John and Janene Maryanski’s Bella Mia won her third stakes of the meet and tied a track record for a 2-year-old with her fourth victory overall.
Wright also won the WA Cup Sophomore Stakes with Pulpits Power and the WA Cup Filly and Mare with Exit Sixty Slew, the latter upsetting 1-5 favorite Citizen Kitty in the process.
Wright’s 10 stakes wins this season are third highest in track history, and his $743,170 in earnings also rank No. 3 all-time. There is only one stakes remaining, the September 24 Gottstein Futurity, so he can’t break the stakes mark, but there are some big races on the horizon. Riser and Top Quality are both headed to Vancouver for the $150,000 BC Derby and $100,000 BC Oaks on Saturday, September 9, and Wright said Aaron Gryder will ride both.
Riser, a double stakes winner this season at Emerald Downs, can earn a $25,000 bonus with a victory in the 1 1/8-mile BC Derby. The gray Ohio-bred already proved he could get nine furlongs in the Emerald Downs Derby, leading gate-to-wire in 1:49.41 and earning an 88 Beyer. Owned by Chappell Alpine Farms, Riser is 4-1-0 in eight overall starts with earnings of $106,095.Ten Broeck Farm’s Top Quality, winner of the Irish Day Stakes, comes off a third vs. older fillies and mares in the Emerald Distaff.
As for the Gottstein, Trump Itz, third in the Washington Cup Colts & Geldings, could put the exclamation point on Wright’s 2017 season.
Blaine Wright
BLAINE WRIGHT’S 2017 STAKES WINS
Alliford Bay-Seattle Stakes
Riser-Coca-Cola Stakes
Top Quality-Irish Day Stakes
Aqua Frio-Seattle Slew Stakes
Bella Mia-Angie C Stakes
Riser-Emerald Downs Derby
Bella Mia-Barbara Shinpoch Stakes
Bella Mia-Washington Cup Juvenile Filly
Pulpits Power-Washington Cup Sophomore
Exit Sixty Slew-Washington Cup Filly & Mare
SINGLE SEASON STAKES WINS
12-Doris Harwood (2009)
12-Doris Harwood (2007)
10-Blaine Wright (2017)
8-Tom Wenzel (2012)
8-Doris Harwood (2010)
8-Bud Klokstad (2002)
SINGLE SEASON EARNINGS
$931,916 Doris Harwood (2009)
$793,760 Jim Penney (2005)
$743,170 Blaine Wright (2017)
$737,810 Jim Penney (2006)
$729,475 Howard Belvoir (2009)
Manuel Osoria-Perez
MANUEL OSORIA-PEREZ FINALIST FOR NATIONAL AWARD
There is some great news at the Chris Stenslie stable this week.
Manuel Osoria-Perez, a 15-year employee at Emerald Downs and currently Stenslie’s top assistant, is one of three finalists to win a major Thoroughbred Industry Employee Award.
Osoria-Perez, 35, is a finalist in the Dedication to Racing category and will be honored October 13 at an awards ceremony luncheon at Keeneland. The winner will receive a prize of $10,000 with an additional $5,000 being awarded to their farm or stable. The two runners-up in those categories will win $2,500 each, with the same amount going to their farm or stable.
Osoria-Perez said Stenslie called him Wednesday with the news, and that he and wife Shannon are excited to make their first trip to Kentucky.
Way to go, Manuel!
RACING THIS WEEK
Friday, September 1
6:30 p.m. (7 races)
Final Fabulous Friday
$0.20 Pick 7 carryover (1-7): $4,374
Saturday, September 2
2 p.m. (9 races)
Sunday, September 3
2 p.m. (9 races)
Italian Day
BEYERS & FAST TIMES
Friday, August 25
Race 1: Midnight Lou-52
Race 2: Regazze Cat-54
Race 3: Kings Court-64*
Race 4: Mr. Takahashi-73
Race 5: Wine At Nine-80
Race 6: Kiss My Lulu-68
Race 7: Fluidity-32
Saturday, August 26
Race 1: La Javier-27
Race 2: Zoombadaboom-46
Race 3: Im Insatiable Too-53+*
Race 4: Betrbegone-88
Race 5: Tribal Waters-72
Race 6: Three Red Sevens-61
Race 7: Party Pooper-69
Race 8: Oh Marvelous Me-77
Race 9: Blushing Ann-61*
Sunday, August 27
Race 1: Aphrodities Kiss-43*
Race 2: R Loren-44
Race 3: Monydontspenitself-71
Race 4: Bella Mia-57+
Race 5: Sippin Fire-71+*
Race 6: Grace Bay-70*
Race 7: Pulpits Power-68*
Race 8: Exit Sixty Slew-74*
Race 9: Mach One Rules-83
Race 10: Image of Truth-74
Race 11: K K’s Wonderwoman-56
* Career-high
# First-time starter
+ 2-year-old
Fastest Times
4 ½ Furlongs :51.45 Rosie’s Reward (2g), June 24
5 Furlongs :56.38 All for Me (4g), April 9
5 ½ Furlongs 1:01.10 Prime Engine (5g), April 22
6 Furlongs 1:07.83 Emmett Park (6g), July 2
6 ½ Furlongs 1:13.94 Mach One Rules (4g), June 18
1 Mile 1:33.85 Gold Rush Dancer (4c), Aug 13
1 1/16 Mile 1:42.55 Mach One Rules (4g), July 16
1 1/8 Mile 1:47.88 Citizen Kitty (5m), Aug 13
300 Yards :15.787 Augie Meyer (5g), June 10
350 Yards :17.958 Cm Boom Shakalaka (2g), Aug 20
440 Yards :22.167 Secretly Fast (4g). Aug 20
870 Yards :45.826 Rare Ed (6g), Aug 20
Wins
7-6-0-1-$24,995 Rockport Birdie (6m)
8-5-1-1-$28,615 Wine At Nine (5g)
6-5-0-1-$58,535 Exit Sixty Slew (4f)
6-4-0-2-$49,840 Oh Marvelous Me (5g)
5-4-0-1-$41,900 Mike Man’s Gold (7g)
5-4-0-0-$91,523 Bella Mia (2f)
5-4-0-0-$36,960 Jerre to Carrie (4f)
5-4-0-0-$17,140 Mr. Takahashi (5g)
3-24 tied
Earnings
$135,250-Mach One Rules (4g)
$114,510-Citizen Kitty (5m)
$110,000-Gold Rush Dancer (4c)
$91,523-Bella Mia (2f)
$88,925-Riser (3c)
$71,725-Little Dancer (3f)
$58,535-Exit Sixty Slew (4f)
$58,050-Barkley (4c)
$56,250-Aqua Frio (3g)
Leading Jockeys
107-Rocco Bowen
54-Kevin Orozco
47-Julien Couton
45-Eswan Flores
37-Juan Gutierrez
35-L. Camacho-Flores
Jockeys Stakes Wins
6-Julien Couton
4-Rocco Bowen
3-Isaias Enriquez
3-Eswan Flores
Leading Trainers
47-Blaine Wright
30-Joe Toye
28-Frank Lucarelli
26-Jeff Metz
26-Charles Essex
Trainers Stakes Wins
10-Blaine Wright
4-Frank Lucarelli
3-Jeff Metz
Leading Owners
16-John E. Parker
12-Conley, Conley & Terra Firma Farm
9-Rick Kessler
7-Peter Redekop BC Ltd
6-John & Janene Maryanski
6-Elwin Gibson & Arturo Arboleda
6-Two Putts for the Win #7
6-Vann Belvoir
Owners Earnings
$279,402-John E. Parker
$168,850-R.E.V. Racing
$152,295-Peter Redekop BC Ltd
$121,915-John & Janene Maryanski
$116,422-Highlander Racing Stables
$91,645-Chappell Alpine Farms
$89,990-Conley, Conley & Terra Firma Farm
$76,074-Darrin L. Paul
Betting Favorites
Last Week: 12-27 (44.4%)
Season: 184-509 (36.1%)
QH Favorites: 3-9 (33.3%)
Largest $2 Win:
Tbred-$103.80 Betting On Dr Bow (June 18)
QH-$123.00 Secretly Fast (Aug 20)
$2 Place: $34.60 Fluidity (Aug 25)
$2 Show: $16.20 Dedicated to You (Aug 13)
Carlos Villa and Mach One Rules
WEEKLY HONORS #21 (Aug 25-27): Valpak Jockey-Rocco Bowen; Las Margaritas Trainer-Blaine Wright; EmD Owners-Below The Rim; Quarter Chute Café Groom-Carlos Villa (Frank Lucarelli); WTBOA Washington-bred-Grace Bay (Ron & Nina Hagen breeders); Exercise Rider of the Week-Chad Koler (Steve Koler).
FINISH LINES: Jockeys Rocco Bowen (9 wins) and Julien Couton (6) combined to win 15 of the 27 races last week at Emerald Downs. Bowen and Couton also won four of the six Washington Cup races. . . .More Power to Him, third in the Emerald Downs Derby, left Thursday for Hastings Racecourse and gets a rematch with Riser in the $150,000 BC Derby on September 9. . .Washington Oaks winner Little Dancer breezed four furlongs in :51 4/5 Thursday and shoots for a $25,000 bonus in the $100,000 BC Oaks on September 9 at Hastings Racecourse. Bowen, who also rides More Power to Him in the Derby, has the riding assignment for trainer Doris Harwood and owner Ron Schmid. . .Fred and Cindy Desimone of Seattle visited the Saratoga winner’s circle Thursday when 2-year-old gelding Ultimateenticement prevailed in a $73,000 maiden special weight for New York-breds. The Desimones purchased the Drosselemyer gelding last year for $12,000.
