Ima Happy Cat
IMA HAPPY CAT READY TO ROLL IN HASTINGS STAKES
Older fillies and mares take their first crack at stakes action Monday with the $50,000 Hastings Stakes at six furlongs. The Memorial Day stakes is the first of four open stakes for older fillies and mares, and is shaping up as a beauty.
Blaine Wright, as usual, holds a strong hand, with Always Enuff, Bella Mia and Best of Me all nominated to the Hastings. And Tom Wenzel also has a solid pair with Emerald Downs’ stakes winners Diamonds R and Dontkissntell expected to run.
In fact, Best of Me, Bella Mia and Dontkissntell are all coming off very sharp preps at Emerald Downs, and each will have their share of backers Monday.
But don’t overlook Ima Happy Cat, who arrives in town after an excellent spring in California. A 4-year-old by Smiling Tiger-Infernal McGoon, Ima Happy Cat was 2-2-0 in four starts the last two months at Golden Gate, scoring a pair of allowance victories and earning over $75,000 for owners Sue and Tim Spooner.
Most recently, Ima Happy Cat finished second to S Y Sky in the $75,000 Camilla Urso Stakes at five furlongs on turf.
“Ima Happy Cat’s a hard-hitting filly and a lot of fun to lead over for a race,” trainer Dan Markle said. “It’s a good group of fillies we’re facing Monday, but (Ima Happy Cat) is doing as good as she can be doing. It’s going to be a dynamite race.”
Although three of her four career victories are on the synthetic Tapeta surface, Ima Happy Cat captured the 2018 Seattle Stakes at Emerald Downs, and she seemed to handle the dirt fine while breezing five furlongs in a bullet :58 last Sunday under Gary Wales, who takes over the mount Monday. Moreover, Ima Happy Cat can adapt to virtually any pace scenario, twice winning gate to wire and twice from slightly off the pace.
- Entries for the Hastings Stakes will be drawn Friday. Complete list of nominees: Always Enuff, B C Z Middleton, Bella Mia, Best of Me, Diamonds R, Dontkissntell, Fly Far Away, Ima Happy Cat, Jerre to Carrie, No Talking Back, Paddy’s Secret.
- Smiling Tiger also sired Baja Sur, winner of last Sunday’s $50,000 Auburn Stakes for 3-year-olds in a stakes record 1:07.98.
Barkley
LONGACRES MILE WINNER BARKLEY SIDELINED
Defending Longacres Mile champion Barkley will miss the remainder of the 2019 season due to a tendon ailment, trainer Howard Belvoir said.
The 6-year-old full horse by Munnings will remain at the track, and Belvoir said there are no plans on retiring the charismatic chestnut. But with the $50,000 Governor’s Stakes kicking off the road to the Longacres Mile next week, the timing couldn’t be worse.
“I feel bad for Barkley, I feel bad for Rising Star Stable (III), and I feel terrible for the industry,” Belvoir said. “It’s a real blow.”
Barkley will miss 90 days of training, at which point Belvoir and Rising Star will reevaluate their options.
Barkley ran brilliantly in his May 12 season debut, rallying from last to win a $21,500 allowance by 2 ¼ lengths in 1:02.98 for 5 ½ furlongs. His career record is 10-4-1 in 18 starts with six stakes wins and $363,625 in earnings, the latter good for No. 5 on the track’s all-time list.
RACING THIS WEEK
Friday, May 24
6:30 p.m. (7 races)
Fab Friday
Saturday, May 25
2 p.m. (8 races)
Family Fun Weekend
Sunday, May 26
2 p.m. (8 Races)
Armed Forces Day
Outdoors Giveaway
Monday, May 27
2 p.m.
$50,000 Hastings Stakes (3&UP F&M/6F)
1st Annual Diaper Derby
BEYERS & FAST TIMES
Calex
Friday, May 17
Race 1: Reggaze Cat-55
Race 2: I Came to Play-48
Race 3: Irish Terrier-64*
Race 4: Battle Point Red-57
Race 5: Bullet Express-63
Race 6: Calex-73
Race 7: Starboard List-48
E Z Star Maker
Saturday, May 18
Race 1: Athleisure-48
Race 2: T.D.’s Gold-69
Race 3: Fool Proof-50
Race 4: Tizwayorthehighway-41
Race 5: Wild Wilko-45
Race 6: Tiz Manny-68
Race 7: E Z Star Maker-61
Race 8: Samurai Jack-45
Baja Sur
Sunday, May 19
Race 1: Z’s Speranza-50*
Race 2: Hold That Smile-65*
Race 3: Only the High Road-63
Race 4: Executive Decree-77
Race 5: McDove-69
Race 6: Meanee-44
Race 7: The Press-70
Race 8: Baja Sur-87*
Race 9: Just Kathy-36
* Career-high
# First-time starter
Fastest Times
5 Furlongs :56.54 Beau Rocket (4f) May 5
5 ½ Furlongs 1:02.04 Best of Me (4f) May 5
6 Furlongs 1:07.98 Baja Sur (3g) May 19
6 ½ Furlongs 1:16.75 Freiburg (4g) May 10
1 Mile 1:35.93 Calex (7g) May 17
Betting Favorites
Last Week: 10-24 (41.2%)
Season: 35-91 (38.4%)
Largest $2 Win: $69.80, Stay in Grace (April 27)
$2 Place: $30, Stay in Grace (April 27)
$2 Show: $15.40, Excessive Belief (May 10)
Largest Payouts: $29,739.60 ($0.50 Pick 5, April 28); $12,038 ($0.50 Pick 4, April 27)
Gary Wales
Jockey Wins
13-Gary Wales
10-Franklin Ceballos
9-Jorge Carreno
9-Javier Matias
9-Juan Gutierrez
8-Kevin Orozco
7-Jose Zunino
7-Heribert Martinez
5-Patrick Henry Jr.
5-Lorenzo Lopez
Frank Lucarelli
Trainer Wins
13-Frank Lucarelli
7-Blaine Wright
5-Vince Gibson
4-Candice Cryderman
4-Sharon Ross
4-Chris Stenslie
4-Jorge Rosales
3-Kay Cooper
3-Howard Belvoir
3-Pablo DeJesus
Chad Christensen
Owners Wins
6-Chad Christensen
3-John Parker
3-One Horse Will Do Corp. & Chris Stenslie
2-Robbie Baze or Bill Nooney
2-Casa Loma Stable
2-Emerald Racing Club
2-Todd & Shawn Hansen
2-Daniel Heap
2-Peter Redekop BC Ltd.
2-Wayne Williams or Linda Northam
2-H.R. Gibson or N.J. Gibson
2-Garry and Debbie Lusk
Horses Wins
2-Das Bear
2-E Z Star Maker
2-Roamin Effort
2-Rosies Baby
2-Stay in Grace
Edgar Fernandez
WEEKLY HONORS #5 (May 17-19): Valpak Jockey: Gary Wales; Trainer: Vince Gibson; Owner: Chad Christensen; Quarter Chute Café Groom: Bonifacio Mora (Howard Belvoir); WTBOA WA-Bred: Baja Sur (John Roche breeder); Exercise Rider: Edgar Fernandez (Pablo DeJesus).
Dave Heerensperger
NOTES: Saturday’s firth race is the Dave Heerensperger Memorial Race in honor of the longtime Seattle business icon and Thoroughbred racehorse and Unlimited Hydroplane owner who passed away at age 82 last December. Majestic Eagle, racing for the estate of Heerensperger, runs in Saturday’s $200,000 Triple Bend Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita. . .Javier Matias needs two wins to become the ninth rider to win 500 races at Emerald Downs. Matias, 47, has two mounts Friday: Blazin B B (7/2) in race two and Bear Minimun (3/1) in race four. . .Das Bear bids to become the first triple winner of the meet in Saturday’s feature race for $15,000 claimers 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. The field from the rail out: Das Bear, Seattle Smoke, Double A. Prospect, He’s Not Grey, Don’tbeshywillie, Ivy Mike. . .In addition to the $50,000 Hastings Stakes for fillies and mares, Monday’s program includes the first annual Diaper Derby a.k.a. “The slowest two minutes in sports.” The top two finishers in the two elimination heats will advance to the final crawl-off. . .Nominations close Saturday for the $50,000 Governor’s Stakes on Sunday, June 2. At six furlongs, the Governor’s is first stop for older horses on the road to the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) on Sunday, August 11. . . Three-time Emerald Downs’ riding champion Rocco Bowen celebrates his 30th birthday Thursday. . . Sunday’s eight-race card begins with a 350-yard allowance for Quarter Horses at 350 yards. . .Arizona Downs in Prescott Valley, AZ, opens a 35-day meeting Friday with an eight-race card at 1 p.m. Four-time Emerald Downs’ training champion Jeff Metz has six horses entered over the first three days at Arizona Downs, while Gary Baze will be in the stewards’ booth. . .Peter Redekop’s Awhitesportscoat is the 3 to 1 morning line favorite in the $50,000 George Royal Stakes for 3-year-olds and up Sunday at Hastings Racecourse. A 5-year-old Hansen gelding, Awhitesportscoat edged Cody’s Choice in an $18,500 optional claimer April 28 at Emerald Downs.
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