Zazen scores under Karlo Lopez for owner Rockingham Ranch

ZAZEN SCORES IN FRIDAY EVENING FEATURE

AUBURN, Wash. (Sept. 6, 2024) – Zazen rallied inside and scored a 1 ¾-length victory over Reign of Fire in Friday’s $23,520 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for older4 fillies and mares at Emerald Downs.

Ridden by Karlo Lopez, Zazen ran six furlongs in 1:09.81 on a fast track and paid $6.06 as the betting favorite in the slim field of five. The victory was the second of the year and first of the season at Emerald Downs for the 5-year-old Washington-bred mare, owned by Rockingham Ranch and trained by Justin Evans.

A daughter of Grazen, Zazen has a life mark of 8-4-5 in 30 starts and earnings of $151,622. All eight career wins are sprints, five on Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields and three on dirt at Emerald Downs.

For Evans, it’s his 55th win in 50 days at the meet and he owns a 23-win lead heading into the final five days of the meeting.

Reign of Fire, the 2-to-1 second choice, set pressured fractions of :21.71, :44.47, and :56.76, and held on well to finish second. Rounding out the order of finish were Ms Flashy Harbor, Nation’s Belle, and Mary Walker.

Mary Walker, one of just two horses to win four races this season, gave way in the lane while attempting a fifth straight victory.

NOTES: Karlo Lopez was the riding star Friday, scoring his second three-win day at Emerald Downs and tying Carlos Montalvo for fourth place at 39 wins apiece. . .Alex Cruz rode one winner and owns a 61-44 lead over Kevin Krigger with five days left in the season. . .Corn Pop ($2.76) and Ain’t No Sissy ($7.18) dead-heated for the win in race five, running six furlongs in 1:09.69. . .With victories by Ibn Sina ($11.62) and Ain’t No Sissy, Charles Essex overtook Bud Klokstad for 11th place all-time with 403 training wins at Emerald Downs. . . Apprentice Manuel Americano is finishing the season strongly, scoring wins on three straight cards. . .Trainer Jill Soranno scored her first win at the meet of the with Rhodesia ($12.24) scoring a mild upset in the sixth. . . Live racing continues Saturday with first post 1:30 p.m. . .Saturday simulcast action includes six $2 million stakes from Kentucky Downs, beginning with the Light & Wonder Ladies Marathon (G3) at 12:27 p.m.