Y Vee R (No. 5) and jockey Alex Cruz
Y VEE R GETS THE MONEY IN FRIDAY FEATURE RACE
AUBURN, Wash. (Sept. 2, 2022) – Canadian invader Y Vee R held off Igottabooboo and Faithful Son and scored a neck victory in Friday’s $15,000 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Alex Cruz, the winner ran six furlongs in 1:10.78 and paid $16, $7.60, and $5. Robert Gilker—saddling his third winner from four starts at the meet—is the trainer and co-owner with wife Victoria and Ernie Chu.
Y Vee R stalked Trinni Valantine through fractions of :21.56 and :44.73, forged to the lead into the lane, opened two lengths in mid-stretch, and was fully extended to hold off oncoming Igottabooboo and Faithful Son for the victory.
A 4-year-old British Columbia-bred by Value Plus, Y Vee R earned $8,250 and upped his career bankroll to $22,781. His overall record is 2-1-0 in seven starts, the first six at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver.
Igottabooboo, ridden by Juan Gutierrez, and Faithful Son, ridden by Leslie Mawing, rallied in tandem with Igottabooboo edging Faithful Son by a nose for second. Igottabbooboo paid $4.20 and $3.20 while Faithful Son, the slight 5 to 2 favorite, returned $3.20.
Whatsthediff, Summanus, Moogie Son, and Trinni Valantine rounded out the full order of finish.
In Friday’s fifth race—the inaugural one mile and 70-yard race in track history—Stephen James and jockey Jose Zunino prevailed in 1:42.34, the occasion marked with a ceremonial certificate awarded to trainer Mary Pirone and owner Mike Dale. The North American record is 1:37.90 for one mile and 70 yards set by With Probability at the Meadowlands in 2005.
NOTES: Total mutuel handle was $952,314 on a seven-race card. . .Connie Doll rode Midnight Luter ($5.40) to a front-running score in the second race, the first win of the meet and 26th overall at Emerald Downs for the veteran rider. . .Seven different riders won races including Alex Cruz with his meet leading 79th on Y Vee R ($16) in the sixth. . .Silver King Bain ($3) prevailed in the seventh to give owner John Parker his 23rd win of the season; Paddock Partners is second with eight wins. . . James Carlin’s 3-year-old gelding Overly Fast ($7.40) sizzled 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.32 under Eddie Martinez to become a triple winner at the meet for trainer Tom Wenzel. . .9-year-old Capital Expense posted a $25 upset in race four, blazing five furlongs in :57.18. . .Overly Fast owns the fastest five furlongs of the meet, :56.97, on May 28. . .Trainer Mary Pirone scored her first win of the season, saddling Stephen James to an $11.80 upset in race five. . .Long time bugler Dan Harrington was back on duty after missing six weeks with a pelvis injury. . .Live racing continues Saturday with post time 2:15 p.m. Simulcast action features undefeated Flightline at 1/5 in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar. Post time is 5:40 p.m.
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