Sippin Fire and Rocco Bowen dominated the Coca-Cola Stakes

SIPPIN FIRE HEADS NINE IN $50,000 SEATTLE SLEW

A Washington-bred colt or gelding by Harbor the Gold out of Bahati. Those are among the most potent bloodlines in Emerald Downs’ history, producing champions Couldabenthewhisky and Del Rio Harbor.

As good as those two were, however, they both finished second in the Seattle Slew Stakes, with Couldabenthewhisky runner-up to Zayda in 2011 and Del Rio Harbor runner-up to stable mate Noosito in 2014.

Sippin Fire—the latest stakes winner produced by Harbor the Gold-Bahati—is the horse to beat Sunday in the 42nd renewal of the $50,000 Seattle Slew, a 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-old colts and geldings. Trained by Steve Bullock for How We Roll #4, the white-faced gelding comes off a devastating 3 ½-length score over Freiburg in the $50,000 Coca-Cola Stakes last month.

Ridden by Rocco Bowen, Sippin Fire covered 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.41 and earned a career-high 74 Beyer. The Slew marks his first route test, but his older brothers handled two turns fine, and Sippin Fire worked a bullet six furlongs in 1:11 1/5 on June 29.

Whawasithinking, winner of the six-furlong Auburn Stakes, and Elliott Bay, a stakes winner last year at 1 1/16 miles, are top contenders in a deep field.

Trump Itz, runner-up to Elliott Bay in the 2017 Gottstein Futurity and a recent allowance winner, is another top contender, as is the rapidly-improving Freiburg, whose rail draw complements his sharp speed.

Boundary Bay, third in both the Auburn and Coca-Cola, gets the riding services of Aaron Gryder, while Schoenhardt is a new shooter with route experience in Arkansas. Golden Cowboy, fifth in the Coca-Cola, must overcome the outside post-position.

• Through nine stakes, average field size is 7.3 horses and average $2 win payoff $11.80.
• Long shots have won the last two stakes: Dedicated to You ($24.20) in the Governor’s Stakes and Diamonds R ($28.20) in the Irish Day Stakes.
• Washington-breds have won four of the first nine stakes this season; Boundary Bay, Elliott Bay, Sippin Fire, Trump Itz and Golden Cowboy are Washington-breds in this year’s Seattle Slew.
• Karen and Mickey Taylor, owners of Seattle Slew, will again serve as honorary stewards for the race named in honor of their 1977 Triple Crown champion.

The field for Sundays 42nd running of the $50,000 Seattle Slew Stakes, 3-year-old colts & geldings, 1 1/16 miles, Race 8, 5:39 p.m.: 1-Freiburg, Eswan Flores, 118 lbs; 2-Whatwasithinking, Kevin Orozco, 124; 3-Boundary Bay, Aaron Gryder, 118; 4-Smoothee Lee, Austin Solis, 118; 5-Elliott Bay, Jennifer Whitaker, 120; 6-Schoenhardt, Javier Matias, 118; 7-Sippin Fire, Rocco Bowen, 124; 8-Trump Itz, Julien Couton, 118; 9-Golden Cowboy, David Martin, 118.

RACING THIS WEEK

Friday, July 6
6:30 p.m. (7 races)
Brewer’s Night

Saturday, July 7
5 p.m. (8 races)
Twilight Saturday (thru Sept. 22)
Ladies Night
Breakfast at the Wire (thru Aug. 25)

Wiener Dogs!

Sunday, July 8
2 p.m. (9 races)
$50,000 Seattle Slew Stakes
Wiener Dog & Wannabe Races

BEYERS & FAST TIMES

Friday, June 29
Race 1: Will Not-51
Race 2: Lord Walton-65
Race 3: Calex-74
Race 4: Tizzy Dean-31
Race 5: True Ranger-52
Race 6: Oldtimers Vision-70
Race 7: Marymoor Park-33

Saturday, June 30
Race 1: Josie Treasure-39
Race 2: Tuscan Warrior-63
Race 3: Money In the Starrs-54*+
Race 4: Cats Gulch-57
Race 5: How’s My Hero-67*
Race 6: Mister Breeze-67
Race 7: Buckley Bay-72*
Race 8: Atta Girl Misty-43*

Sunday, July 1
Race 1: Conquest Nitro-69
Race 2: Lorelie G-35
Race 3: Serbian Syclone-78
Race 4: My Grandpa-50#+
Race 5: Instinctual Kash-46
Race 6: Diamonds R-70*
Race 7: Mike Man’s Gold-81
Race 8: Jerre to Carrie-74
Race 9: Attercop-36

Freedom Hill

Tuesday, July 3
Race 1: Bye Bye Sal-38
Race 2: Per La Bella-24
Race 3: Papa Mambo-61
Race 4: Fats Dominus-61*
Race 5: Better in Leather-67*
Race 6: Outa Here-58
Race 7: Kota Copy-69*
Race 8: Freedom Hill-80
Race 9: Blackford-71
* Career-high
# First-time starter
+2YO

Fastest Times
4 ½ Furlongs :51.87 Sunshine Emily (2yof) June 16
5 Furlongs :56.52 Das Bear (3yog) May 5
5 ½ Furlongs 1:02.94 Barkley (5yoh) May 13
6 Furlongs 1:08.09 Daytona Beach (6yog) June 17
6 ½ Furlongs 1:14.86 Alliford Bay (4yof) June 16
1 Mile 1:34.60 Huya (5yog) June 16
1 1/16 Mile 1:42.56 Oldtimers Vision (7yog) June 29

Betting Favorites
Last Week: 11-33 (33.3%)
Season: 87-258 (33.7%)
Largest $2 Win: $66 Pretty Miss Vanna (May 26)
$2 Place: $31 Colour of Money (May 11)
$2 Show: $16.20 Vintastic (May 13)

Leading Jockeys
49-Rocco Bowen
35-Julien Couton
34-Kevin Orozco
24-Eswan Flores
22-Gary Wales
15-Anne Sanguinetti
12-Austin Solis
11-Jose Zunino
10-Erick Lopez
10-Javier Matias
9-Leonel Camacho-Flores

Leading Trainers
27-Jeff Metz
22-Frank Lucarelli
20-Blaine Wright
12-Joe Toye
10-Vince Gibson
9-Manny Ortiz
8-Robbie Baze
8-Howard Belvoir
7-Chris Stenslie
7-Candi Tollett
7-Mike Puhich
7-David Martinez
7-Bob Meeking

Leading Owners
11-Saratoga West
6-Rick Kessler or Terra Firma Farm
6-Kenneth Elison or Vicky Jo Elison
6-Tawnja Elison
6-Tim Bankers
5-Randall and Rossi or Lucarelli Racing
4-John E. Parker
4-Allaire Farms
4-Brett Brophy
4-Luigi DiPietro or Diana DiPietro

Horses Wins
3-Daytona Beach
3-Rojo Bou Peep
3-Curious Rumor
3-Will Not
2-Hill Croome
2-Guardian One
2-Golden Cowboy
2-Wine At Nine
2-Zanab
2-Dudley Studley
2-Ryan Walt
2-Mintenized
2-Mitch and John E
2-No Talking Back
2-Bet the Harbor
2-Grand Palais
2-Fernet Me Not
2-Please Be Me
2-Awesome Return
2-She Got Away
2-Briana Jean
2-Outdidya
2-Regazze Cat
2-Iron Rob
2-Double A. Prospect
2-Blame It On Royce
2-Cold Hard Luck
2-Ask Not
2-Endangered
2-Choreography
2-Tesla
2-Calex
2-Outa Here
2-Bye Bye Sal
2-Mister Breeze
2-Oldtimers Vision
2-Diamonds R
2-Tizzy Dean
2-Serbian Syclone
2-Papa Mambo
2-Josie Treasure

Julien Couton-6 wins

WEEKLY HONORS #10 (June 29-July 3): Valpak Jockey-Julien Couton; Las Margaritas Trainer-Joe Toye; EmD Owner-Bryan W. Smith; Quarter Chute Café Groom-Rudy Faustino (Candi Tollett); WTBOA Washington-Bred-Mike Man’s Gold (Keith & Jan Swagerty); Exercise Rider-Art Ruiz (Manny Ortiz).

NOTES: Blackford, the 7-year-old gelding aboard whom Julien Couton capped his six-win night Tuesday, has won on July 3 the last three years at Emerald Downs. . .Frank Lucarelli begins the week needing one win to tie Tim McCanna for most training wins in track history. McCanna is No. 1 with 928, followed by Lucarelli, 927; Howard Belvoir, 745; Jim Penney, 662; Doris Harwood, 540; Roy Lumm, 428; Bud Klokstad, 402; Tom Wenzel, 367; Dan Markle, 359, and Robbie Baze, 350. . .Nominations close Saturday for the $50,000 Mt Rainier Stakes (3 & up, 1 1/16 mile) and $50,000 Boeing Stakes (3 & up, fillies & mares, 1 1/16 mile), bot to be run Sunday July 15. The stakes quadruple-header also features the $50,000 Angie C Stakes for 2-year-old fillies and $50,000 King County Express for 2-year-old colts and geldings.

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