Bella Mia clear in Barbara Shinpoch
BELLA MIA COAST-TO-COAST IN BARBARA SHINPOCH
AUBURN, Wash. (August 5, 2017) – Bella Mia sprinted clear early and rolled to a 4 ¾-length victory over Philly Baby in the $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes for 2-year-old fillies Saturday at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Julien Couton at 119 lbs—his fourth win Saturday—Bella Mia ran six furlongs in 1:10.65 and paid $4, $2.60 and $2.10. Blaine Wright, saddling his seventh stakes winner of the meet, is the winning trainer for John and Janene Maryanski of Auburn, Wash.
Breaking alertly from the No. 5 post, Bella Mia set fractions of :22.07 for the quarter-mile and :45.28 for the half-mile, shook off Curious Rumor on the turn, and was well clear to the wire.
A Washington-bred by Harbor the Gold-Bella Campana, Bella Mia has reeled off three straight victories, including gate-to-wire wins in the Angie C and Barbara Shinpoch Stakes. Saturday’s win was worth $27,225, boosting her overall total to $66,013.
“She’s improving, and she broke so sharply today,” Couton said. “She was very manageable today.”
Bella Mia joined Citizen Kitty, Mach One Rules and Riser as double stakes winners at the meeting. And Wright, who also conditions Riser, has an outside chance to threaten Doris Harwood’s single-season record of 12 stakes wins et in 2007 and 2009.
Philly Baby, second choice at 3-1, rallied for second place and paid $3.80 and $2.80. Jose Zunino rode the runner-up at 119 lbs.
Curious Rumor, ridden by Isaias Enriquez at 119 lbs, was seven lengths back in third and paid $3.40 to show, while Faith Flys Again, Manny’s Way, Diamonds R, Sea N Redd and Runmissnatalia completed the order of finish.
The stewards opened an inquiry into the start of the race but made no change in the order of finish.
NOTES: Trainer Joe Toye turned in a sensational performance Saturday at Emerald Downs—going 4-for-4– including another resounding victory by 7-year-old gelding Mike Man’s Gold. Now 4-for-4 this season, Mike Man’s Gold ($5.20) ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.13, and ranks No. 1 among active horses with 16 career wins at Emerald Downs. . .Ravizzone ($7.60), Blackford ($6.20) and The Gold Monkey ($8.60) also scored wins Saturday for Toye. . .Toye is 24-for-67 at the meet (35.8 Percent) and already has surpassed his previous Emerald Downs’ season-high of 18 wins in 2005 and 2014. . .Jeff Metz (2014), Tim McCanna (2010), Doris Harwood (2009) and the late Jim Penney (1998) all had five-win days at Emerald Downs. . .Toye is the 14th trainer to win four races in a day at Emerald Downs. . .Stryker Phd, Kevin Orozco up, worked a half-mile in :47 4/5 Saturday morning in a tune-up for the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) on Sunday, August 13. . .Couton’s four-bagger Saturday was the second by a jockey this season at Emerald Downs. Rocco Bowen had four wins June 4. . .Bowen settled for two wins Saturday, stretching his lead to 87-47 over Orozco in the jockeys’ standings. . .Sunday is Orozco’s final day as an apprentice. . .93-year-old Arturo Arboleda saddled his second straight nightcap winner, and once again it was the day’s biggest payoff. Regazze Cat produced a $20.20 payout in the Friday’s finale, and Cat N Bird led gate-to-wire for a $14.60 score in Saturday’s ninth race. . . Live racing continues Sunday with the $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes for 2-year-old colts & geldings. First post is 2 p.m.
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