LIVE LIKE MIKE GATE-TO-WIRE IN FRIDAY FEATURE, BIG PICK 7 CARRYOVER TO SATURDAY’S RACES
Live Like Mike—developing into a mile specialist at Emerald Downs—turned aside Knight Club in the lane and scored a 1 ½-length victory Friday in the $8,600 BetAmerica Purse for older fillies and mares.
Ridden by Jose Zunino, Live Like Mike ran one mile in 1:36.33 and paid $5.40, $2.40 and $2.20. Roddina Barrett is the winning trainer for Tim Floyd’s Warlock Stables and Michael Roche.
Live Like Mike has a 6-for-24 career record including a 4-for-8 mark at one mile. Rated on the lead by Zunino, Live Like Mike set fractions of :23.51, :46.40, 1:11.01 and 1:23.43 and held Knight Club safe to the wire.
Knight Club, ridden by Leonel Camacho-Flores, moved up to challenge Live Like Mike in the lane, but was unable to catch the leader. Knight Club, the 11-10 favorite, paid $2.40 and $2.20.
Raja’s Rose finished third, paid $4.20 to show, and was followed by Pillow, Happy Hattie and Distinctive Run. Call Me Cinderella and Lizzy Lass were scratched earlier in the day.
In the $0.20 Pick 7, there were no tickets with seven winners and the carryover to Saturday is $12,949.
NOTES: Demon Warlock and Parkers Storm Cat are now tied for second place in the sire standings with 11 wins apiece at the 2016 meet. Harbor the Gold leads with 16 wins. . .Floyd also co-owns Kaabraaj, the track record-holder at six furlongs and one of 10 challengers for Stryker Phd in Sunday’s $50,000 Budweiser Stakes. . . Congratulations to owner/trainer Ira Rhodes on his first Emerald Downs victory with 40-1 Some Storm Cat in Friday’s third race. The third race trifecta of Some Storm Cat, Thermal Wave and 55-1 Badrock Canyon produced a meet-high $2,765.80 for a $0.50 wager. . .Eswan Flores notched the victory on Some Storm Cat and also scored aboard Rome New York ($9.60) in the nightcap. . .Rocco Bowen also rode two winners and leads Leslie Mawing 39-36 in the jockeys’ standings. . .Speed horses dominated Friday with the first six winners leading gate-to-wire. . .Original Avenue at $92.20 on April 9 is the biggest win price thru the opening 30 days. . .Live racing continues Saturday with first post 2 p.m., followed by Sunday’s $50,000 Budweiser Stakes and Monday’s special 20th-anniversary program featuring the $50,000 Washington State Legislators Stakes.
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