Huya and jockey Gary Wales
HUYA OUTDUELS CAPITAL EXPENSE IN FEATURE RACE
AUBURN, Wash. (September 14, 2018) – Huya shook off Capital Expense past mid-stretch and held off Gravel for a one-length victory Friday in the $13,600 Diamond Parking Corporate Purse for 3-year-olds and up.
With Gary Wales aboard, Huya ran six furlongs in 1:09.02 and paid $24.40, $14 and $7.20. Candi Tollett is the trainer for Drew and Jamie Baker and Todd and Shellie Nicklos.
Huya earned the victory the hard way, too, dueling with Capital Expense through blazing fractions of :21.39, :43.29 and :55.57, before finally shaking clear in the final furlong. After that, he had enough in the tank to hold off 32-1 long shot Gravel for the victory.
Huya has had some great moments the last couple years at Emerald Downs. He scored a pair of $21,000 allowance wins last year, and ran the fastest mile of the meet, 1:34.60, while winning a $15,000 claiming race earlier this year.
A 5-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Houseofroyalhearts, Huya 6-2-2 in 29 starts overall with earnings of $84,440. Friday’s win was worth $7,480.
Gravel, ridden by Leonel Camacho-Flores, rallied late for second and paid $21 and $8, while Capital Expense, ridden by Kevin Orozco, held third and paid $5.80. Crushin Candy, Westley and So Lucky completed the order of finish, and Big Hat Charlie was scratched earlier in the day.
NOTES: Eswan Flores was the lone rider with two wins Friday. . .Hold That Smile ($4.40) prevailed in race five to give trainer Blaine Wright his 39th win of the season. With five days remaining in the 2018 meet, Jeff Metz tops the trainers’ standings with 43 wins. . .Wine At Nine ($3) resumed his winning ways with a scorching victory over Thorn Legacy in Friday’s third race, zipping 6 ½ furlongs in 1:14.55 under Javier Matias for Vince Gibson and Two Putts for the Win #19. It was the ninth win in the last two seasons for the 6-year-old Divine Park gelding. . .Wales has been a terror on Friday nights. The victory on Huya marked his seventh Friday night feature race win this season. . .Racing continues Saturday with first post 5 p.m. and includes a $8,922 carryover in the $0.20 Jackpot Pick 7.
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