Cross Creek and Javier Matias

CROSS CREEK POWERS HOME IN FRIDAY FEATURE

AUBURN, Wash. (May 31, 2019) – Cross Creek collared Golden Cowboy in mid-stretch and drew off for a 1 ½-length victory in the $15,200 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.

With Javier Matias aboard, Cross Creek ran six furlongs in 1:15.19 and paid $11, $4.60 and $3.40. Frank Lucarelli—saddling his 20th winner in 16 days—is the trainer for owners Chad Christensen and Josh McKee.

Cross Creek has been a top claimer here the last two years, winning for tags of $20,000 and $25,000, and earned $8,360 for Friday’s victory. A 6-year-old Washington-bred by Parker’s Storm Cat, Cross Creek is 5-8-5 in 33 career starts with earnings of $85,321.

Cross Creek’s time is the fastest 6 ½ furlongs of the meeting.

Golden Cowboy, ridden by Jorge Carreno, set fractions of :22.85 and :45.26, led by one length into the stretch and yielded to the inner in the final furlong. Golden Cowboy paid $6 and $4.60,

Wheel Rally, ridden by Franklin Ceballos, held third and paid $5.20 to show, while Squidward, Bob’s All In and Freiburg completed the order of finish.

Bob’s All In, the 6 to 5 favorite, never got untracked and finished fifth.

Wine At Nine and Blame It On Royce were scratched.

NOTES: The stewards held Juan Gutierrez blameless for the disqualification of Bella Mia from second to fifth place in last Sunday’s $50,000 Hastings Stakes. . .Seven different jockeys and trainers won races on Friday’s seven-race card. . .Both Gary Wales and Johnny Five escaped injury in the last race. Live racing continues Saturday with first post 2 p.m.
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