Shesaheatwave with jockey Luis Negron
SHESAHEATWAVE SCORES FOR HOT EVANS/NEGRON COMBO
AUBURN, Wash. (June 16, 2023) – Shesaheatwave held off Hollywood Mistress and prevailed by 1 ½-lengths in Friday’s $13,000 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for older fillies and mares at Emerald Downs.
With Luis Negron riding for trainer Justin Evans and owner Jose Silva Jr., Shesaheatwave ran a mile in 1:36.33 on a fast track and paid $3.80 as the public choice in a field of five.
For Negron, the meet’s leading rider with 25 wins, and Evans, the meet’s leading trainer with 22 wins, it was their 19th win from 44 starts combined this season. Negron also has at least one win on all 14 racing days to date.
An 8-year-old Arizona-bred, Shesaheatwave has a 12-6-6 mark in 50 starts lifetime with earnings of $120,655.
MUCKLESHOOT GOLD CUP UNDERWAY AT EMERALD DOWNS
In addition to seven live Thoroughbred races, Friday’s action co-featured opening night of the 2023 Muckleshoot Gold Cup Indian Relay Races.
The seventh annual three-day competition features 18 teams from seven states and western Canada competing in a grand total of nine races including Sunday’s championship $10,000 Muckleshoot Gold Cup.
In Friday’s races, Abrahamson, BirdInGround, and Tissidimit each won qualifiers and are in prime position to reach Sunday’s Gold Cup. Abrahamson, champions in 2018, edged defending champs Omak Express by over three seconds in taking Heat 1, while BirdInGround turned in the evening’s fastest clocking, two miles in 3:28.38, while capturing Heat 2. In the evening’s closest decision Tissidimit and rider Azeri Coby edged River Road by a head to prevail in Heat 3.
Action continues Saturday with three more qualifiers following Emerald Downs’ races two, four, and six.
Results of Friday’s qualifying heats:
Heat 1: 1st Abrahamson (Scotty Abrahamson rider), Omak, Washington, 3:29.37; 2nd Omak Express (Tyler Peasley), Omak, Washington, 3:32.62; 3rd Cedar Ridge (Jorge Calloway), Fort Hall, Idaho, 3:37.97; 4th Strong Horse Relay (Mathew Pakootas Jr.), Nespelem, Washington, 3:41.00; 5th Starr School (E J Enos), Star School, Montana, 3:42.87; DNF-Teton.
Heat 2: 1st BirdInGround Relay (Tristen BirdInGround rider), Crow, Montana, 3:28.38; 2nd Two Medicine (Cody Carlson), Browning, Montana; 3:31.56; 3rd Old Sun (Ian Big Tobacco), Siksika, Alberta, 3:33.85; 4th Carlson Relay (Chazz Racine), Browning, Montana, 3:33.86; 5th Counting Coup (Narsis Reevis), Browning, Montana; 3:47.86; 6th Mountain Crow Relay (Joey Gutierrez), Crow Agency, Montana; 4:43.13.
Heat 3: 1st Tissidimit (Azeri Coby), Fort Hall, Idaho, 3:37.40; 2nd River Road (Darren Charges Strong Jr.), Crow Agency, Montana, 3:37.41; 3rd Grizzly Mountain (Terrence Holford), Omak, Washington; 3:48.22; 4th Amskapi Pikunii (Vincent Bertelsen), Browning, Montana; 3:49.75; 5th S/M Express (P J Nomee), Lodge Grass, Montana; 3:50.83; DNF-Little Badger.
Saturday’s Heat Schedule
Heat 1 – 2:53 p.m. (after Emerald Downs Race 2)
Heat 2 – 4:11 p.m. (after Emerald Downs Race 4)
Heat 3 – 5:28 p.m. (after Emerald Downs Race 6)
Muckleshoot Gold Cup Winners
2022: Omak Express
2021: Amskapi Pikunii
2020: cancelled Covid
2019: River Road Relay
2018: Abrahamson
2017: Starr School
2016: Carlson
NOTES: Total mutuel handle was $817,072 for a seven-race card. . .Silvio Amador book-ended the card with wins on Mo Connelly ($4.20) and Ted’s Candy Girl ($11.80) and was the lone jockey with two wins. . .Vince Gibson led the trainers with two wins. . .Yogya ($7.60), out of 2012 Washington Oaks winner Champagneandcaviar, scored her maiden win in 1:09.59 for six furlongs in Friday’s fourth race under Carlos Montalvo for trainer Tom Wenzel and owner/breeder Fleur De Lis Stable. . .2022 Longacres Mile champ Slew’s Tiz Whiz worked six furlongs in a sparkling 1:09.80 from the starting gate in advance of a possible start in the $50,000 Budweiser Stakes on June 25. . .Live racing continues Saturday at 2 p.m., featuring eight Thoroughbred races and three Indian Relay Races.
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