Wine At Nine and Javier Matias
WINE AT NINE CONTINUES WINNING WAYS
AUBURN, Wash. (August 23, 2019) – Wine At Nine shook off a pesky Calex and drew clear for a 5 ¼-length victory Friday in the $13,600 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds and up.
Under regular rider Javier Matias, Wine At Nine ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.16 and paid $5, $3.40 and $2.20. Vince Gibson is the trainer for Two Putts for the Win #19.
With the victory, Wine At Nine tied Bob Stories and Market Master for fifth place on the track’s all-time wins list at 16 wins apiece. A 7-year-old Divine Park gelding, Wine At Nine is four wins shy of the track record 21 wins shared by Mike Man’s Gold and West Seattle Boy.
Among active horses, only Mike Man’s Gold has more wins than Wine At Nine.
Voted the meet’s Top Claimer of 2017, Wine At Nine got off to a relatively slow start this year, dropping his first three decisions, but is now 3-1-0 in his last four starts including two route victories and one sprint. Friday, he set set fractions of :22.80, :46.65, 1:10.70 and 1:36.42, shaking off Calex past midstretch and cruising to the line.
Including a maiden win in California, Wine At Nine is 17-6-5 in 44 starts with earnings of $126,510.
Calex, ridden by Juan Gutierrez, offered a stern challenge into the lane, but settled for second and paid $6.80 and $4. A 7-year-old Harlington gelding, Calex has 17 career victories including 10 wins at Emerald Downs.
City Steel, ridden by Kevin Krigger, rallied belatedly to finish third and paid $3, while Rough and Ready, Buckley Bay and Guardingthemoney completed the order of finish.
It was a big night for Dean Mazzuca’s Two Putts for the Win, as Brahms Forest ($6) became the meet’s fifth four-time winner, scoring narrowly over My Chief in a $3,500 starter allowance for 3-year-olds and ups. Also ridden by Matias and trained by Frank Lucarelli, Brahms Forest joined Das Bear, General Mach Four, He’s Not Grey and Rosso’s Gatto in the four-win club.
Matias, who rode both stakes winners last Sunday, has ridden multiple winners four of the last five days and is third overall with 44 wins.
NOTES: Wine At Nine notched his maiden victory October 23, 2014 at Golden Gate Fields under Russell Baze, and scored his first Emerald Downs win April 19, 2015 with Leslie Mawing riding. . . Adelina ($6.80) debuted with a come from behind victory in Friday’s second race for 2-year-old fillies, and was claimed for $25,000 by Greg Conley, Chuck Conley and Terra Firma Farm. A Kentucky-bred by Union Rags–Ha Ha Tonka, Adelina is the younger sister of 3-year-old filly She’sonthewarpath, a recent $100,000 stakes winner at Indiana Grand Race Course. . .Frank Lucarelli needs 10 wins in the final 14 days to break the single-season training record of 66 wins. . .Kevin Krigger blanked Friday and remains two wins away from 1,000 for his career. . .Trainer Jose Navarro saddled the exacta in the Friday opener with Bernie ($7.20) edging Doctor Bruce S. in the final strides for the victory. . .Live racing continues Saturday with first post 5 p.m.
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