MAURICE CODE NOTCHES A HAT TRICK
AUBURN, Wash. (July 28, 2017) – Maurice Code made it three wins in a row Friday with a gate-to-wire victory in the $13,600 Mainz Brady Group Purse for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.
With apprentice Kevin Orozco aboard, Maurice Code zipped 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.30 and paid $4.60, $2.60 and $2.10. Blaine Wright is the winning trainer and co-owner with Seamist Racing LLC.
The winner ueled with Barasso through fast fractions of :21.25 and :44.66, shook clear past mid-stretch and held a safe margin to the wire.
Pulpits Power, a 12-to-1 long shot ridden by Jose Zunino, rallied boldly for the place and paid $7 and $4, while Barasso, ridden by Rocco Bowen, held third and paid $3.40.
A California-bred gelding by Coil, Maurice Code is 4-0-0 in six lifetime starts with earnings of $23,175. Since finishing seventh for a $10,000 tag in his local debut June 2, Maurice Code has rattled off wins for claiming prices of $7,500, $10,000 and $15,000.
NOTES: Wright, atop the trainers’ standings with 34 wins, saddles Riser (9/5 morning line) and Aqua Frio (2/1) in Sunday’s $75,000 Emerald Downs Derby. . .Apprentice David Martin, one of the riders involved in last Saturday’s three-horse spill, returned to action Friday and rode Personal Image ($8.20) to a come-from-behind victory for trainer Elodio Madrigal in the third race. It was the 12th win of the meet for the 24-year-old native of Guatemala. . .Eliska Kubinova, another jockey who went down in the spill, resumes riding Saturday. . .4-year-old gelding Say Neigh ($11.80) also notched his third win of the meet in Friday’s fourth race. A Council Member gelding, Say Neigh is owned by Riverbend Stable and tariend by Larry Ross. . .Trainer Charles Essex notched his 20th win of the season as Ima Voodoo Child ($7) scored a maiden victory in Friday’s second race. . .Live racing continues Saturday with first post 6:30 p.m. and features a $5,972 carryover in the $0.20 Pick 7.
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