THE RETURN OF WEEKLY NEWS & NOTES!
Each week we analyze the week’s biggest races and highlight everything else happening over the Emerald Downs’ one-mile oval, including Beyer Speed Figures, biggest payouts and much more!
RACING THIS WEEK
Wednesday, May 26
6 p.m. (8 races)
$0.20 Jackpot Pick 6 Carryover: $3,239
$0:50 Pentefecta Carryover: $4,917
Thursday, May 27
6 p.m. (9 races)
WEEK 2 FEATURE RACES
Wine At Nine
Wednesday, May 26, Race 7 (8:47 p.m.) $10,000 starter/$15,000 claiming, 3YO & Up, 5 ½ furlongs: Two of the track’s most endearing horses are seeing early-season action at Emerald Downs. Mike Man’s Gold surprised many with a $16.60 victory last Thursday, the record 24th Emerald Downs’ victory for the 11-year-old Washington-bred warrior. Wednesday, Wine At Nine gets a chance to shine as the morning line favorite in the evening’s featured race at 5 1/2 furlongs. He carries a 17 for 46 career mark at Emerald Downs into the contest, including 5 for 11 at the distance. The 9-year-old gelding won his last two starts in Phoenix and was reclaimed by his old connections. Trainer Robert Bean sends out Candy Zip, a comebacking 6-year-old son of Sidney’s Candy with some eye catching local drills on his worktab. Maius is 5 for 9 lifetime with over $125,000 in earnings including a pair of restricted stakes victories in Colorado. His trainer popped with a $29 winner opening week. Silver Fury and All American Hero add fuel to the early pace while Legitimate Cause will be picking them off late. The latter had a tough-luck 2020 campaign, losing heartbreakers to tough veterans Buckley Bay and La Waun. Race 3 features Wednesday’s biggest purse with 3-year-old allowance runners racing 5 ½ panels for a $20,900 pot. Big Endeavor ships in from Arizona after winning three of his last four starts at Turf Paradise, and faces John’s On Point, Coastal Jazz, Gordon Anthony and One Keene Kat. Dutton is ineligible for this race but continues training forwardly with recent bullet drills at four and five furlongs. The $50,000 Auburn Stakes on June 20 is the first stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings.
Find Your Spot
Thursday, May 27, Race 8, (9:01 p.m.) $23,650 allowance/optional claiming, 3YO fillies, 5 ½ furlongs: Four of the six fillies are coming off maiden victories including La Una and Tothemoonandback. La Una hasn’t raced since overcoming early trouble to defeat $25,000 maiden claimers last July, a race that looks even better in retrospect. Third-place finisher Time for Gold easily won her subsequent starts–both stakes–by a combined 20 lengths. La Una worked a dazzling five furlongs from the gate in a bullet :58 2/5 kast week for trainer Blaine Wright. Tothemoonandback, second foal out of stakes winner Find Your Spot, debuted with an impressive victory last October and also shows several strong works. Patricia L was overshadowed by Time for Gold last year in the Frank Lucarelli barn but showed ability in both outs. Frisco Frills wheels back eight days after earning a 71 Beyer in a convincing maiden score. Zippin Sevenz caught fire late last year with back to back scores by 3 1/2 and 6 1/4 lengths. She is the lone multiple winner in the race. Race 6, a $20,350 maiden special weight for 3-year-olds, might be the night’s most interesting contest. Trainer Kay Cooper entered three runners including first-time starters Nationheart and Northwest Rain. The latter is the first foal out of the stakes winner Dance With Effie, who is the older sister of 2016 Longacres Mile winner Gold Rush Dancer.
Mike Man’s Gold
EMERALD DOWNS ALL-TIME WINS
24-Mike Man’s Gold* (59-24-5-6)
21-West Seattle Boy (88-21-12-5)
17– Wine At Nine* (46-17-7-8)
17-Olympic Lights (44-17-9-5)
17-Buddy Dave (70-17-9-14)
16-Market Master (34-16-8-2)
16-Bob Stories (72-16-16-11)
15-Fleet Pacific (28-15-4-2)
15-Seattle Game (36-15-8-4)
15-Chaching Pete (46-15-10-7)
15-Polish Dollar (47-15-6-7)
14-Toobusytoocall (48-14-7-6)
14-Kimos Friend (53-14-5-7)
14-Buds a Flyin (55-14-10-10)
*Active in 2021
BEYERS & FAST TIMES
Muncey
Wednesday, May 19
Race 1: Madigan Squeeze-61*
Race 2: Frisco Frills-71*
Race 3: Jupiter S.-47
Race 4: Playing Through-52
Race 5: Zatter-71
Race 6: Mister McLean-68
Race 7: Muncey-61
Race 8: Queen Breezy-50*
Daffodil Sweet
Thursday, May 20
Race 1: Rocket Power-52
Race 2: Kerralia-41
Race 3: Float On-57
Race 4: Big Tony-31
Race 5: Bodeeman-43
Race 6: Mike Man’s Gold-68
Race 7: Bella’s Back-67
Race 8: Daffodil Sweet-71
Race 9: Devils Workshop-41
* Career-high
# First-time starter
+2-Year-Old
Fast Times
5 Furlongs :57.79 Madigan Squeeze (3f) May 19
5 ½ Furlongs 1:03.42 Zatter (6g) May 19; 1:03.42 Frisco Frills (3f) May 19
6 Furlongs 1:09.01 Daffodil Sweet (4f) May 20
Betting Favorites
Last Week: 8-17 (47.1%)
Season: 8-17 (47.1%)
Largest $2 Win: $29, Big Tony (May 20)
$2 Place: $21.60, Starzan (May 19)
$2 Show: $9.60, Halo of Life (May 19)
Julien Couton
Jockey Wins
6-Julien Couton
2-Franklin Ceballos
2-Alex Cruz
2-Javier Matias
1-Alex Anaya
1-Juan Gutierrez
1-Kevin Radke
1-Jennifer Whitaker
1-Jose Zunino
Joe Toye
Trainer Wins
2-Ari Herbertson
2-Joe Toye
1-Cliff Balcom
1-Howard Belvoir
1-Alan Bozell
1-Charles Essex
1-Steve Koler
1-Frank Lucarelli
1-David Martinez
1-O.A. Martinez
1-Tim McCanna
1-Greg Moore
1-Jose Raudales
1-Chris Stenslie
1-Blaine Wright
Jared & Amy Chappell
Owner Wins
2-Greg and Chuck Conley or Terra Firma Farm
1-Cliff Balcom
1-Alan Bozell
1-Chappell Alpine Farms LLC
1-Joe Crawford and Joe Burke
1-Fred & Cindy Desimone
1-Randy Hahn and Jose Raudales
1-Scott Herbertson
1-Steve Koler
1-Frank Lucarelli & Dennis Snowden
1-Kurt Luscombe
1-One Horse Will Do Corporation and Steve Shimizu
1-Rising Star VII
1-Johnny Taboada
1-Swag Stables and Gregg Kingma
1-Anne Wisdom
Mike Man’s Gold
Horse Wins
1-Bella’s Back
1-Big Tony
1-Bodeeman
1-Daffodil Sweet
1-Devils Workshop
1-Float On
1-Frisco Frills
1-Jupiter S.
1-Kerralia
1-Madigan Squeeze
1-Mike Man’s Gold
1-Mister McLean
1-Muncey
1-Playing Through
1-Queen Breezy
1-Rocket Power
1-Zatter
Winner Bred
6-Washington (35.3%)
4-Kentucky (23.5%)
3-California (17.6%)
2-New York (11.8%)
1-Arizona (5.9%)
1-Virginia (5.9%)
Claims Report
Claimed horses: 4
Total $: $17,500
Largest: $10,000, Reelfoot (5g) May 19
Ari Herbertson
WEEKLY HONORS #1 (May 19-20): Jockey: Julien Couton (17-6-4-3); Trainer: Ari Herbertson (3-2-1-0); Owner: Greg Conley, Chuck Conley and Terra Firma Farm (2-2-0-0); WTBOA Washington-Bred: Madigan Squeeze (Breeder Keith and Jan Swagerty).
NOTES: Apprentice Bryson Butterfly is named to ride two horses Thursday at Emerald Downs—Jadey At the Bar in the first race and Baltimore Beecho in the third. Butterfly began his professional career two weeks ago at Grants Pass Downs and scored a quarter horse victory aboard First Moon Cat on May 11 and notched his first stake win Monday night aboard L Bar D Classic Trip in the $15,000 Redwood Handicap for older quarter horses. . .Thursday’s fifth race marks the first two-turn event of the meet, with 3-year-olds and up racing one mile for a $3,500 tag. Coming off a strong opening week at Emerald Downs, trainer Ari Herbertson (3-2-1-0) sends out 7 to 5 morning line choice Pioneerofthestorm for owner Johnny Taboada. . .6-year-old Washington-bred mare Uno Trouble is 9 for 18 lifetime at Santa Anita, including an easy victory for a $10,000 claiming tag Sunday.
