MY CHIEF RALLIES TO FEATURE RACE VICTORY
AUBURN, Wash. (August 20, 2016) – My Chief finally had his consistency rewarded Saturday with a 2 ½-length victory over Papa Frank in the $13,600 Les Schwab Tire Centers Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Javier Matias, My Chief ran one mile in 1:35.31 and paid $11.60, $6.20 and $3.60. Howard Belvoir trains and co-owns My Chief with Rising Star Stable IV.
Saturday’s victory broke a 12-race drought dating to July 17, 2015, although My Chief was a steady earner with six seconds, one third and two fourths during the winless streak. A 5-year-old Washington-bred by Harbor the Gold-Ms Melange, his overall record is 5-5-3 from 23 starts with earnings of $56,900, including $7,480 for Saturday’s triumph.
Papa Frank, ridden by Erick Lopez, challenged the winner past mid-stretch but settled for second place and paid $4.80 and $3.40.
Big Hat Charlie, the 2-to-1 betting favorite ridden by Rocco Bowen, finished third and paid $2.40 to show, while Ready Set Jet, Mister Breeze, Troop Ship and Shared Life completed the order of finish. Golden Dynamo and Sportive were scratched earlier in the day.
My Chief swept past Ready Set Jet into the lane, straightened into the stretch with a 1 ½-length lead and turned back Papa Frank and Big Hat Charlie for the victory.
NOTES: Belvoir, fourth with 26 wins at the meet, is No. 3 all-time with 710 wins at Emerald Downs. . .Matias, fifth with 39 wins at the meet, is No. 11 all-time with 414 wins at Emerald Downs. He needs three wins to tie Nathan Chaves for 10th place all-time at EmD. . .Live Like Mike ($4) won her third race of the meet and improved to 5-for-10 in mile races with a gate-to-wire victory in the Saturday opener for trainer Roddina Barrett and owners/breeders Michael Roche and Warlock Stables. Ridden by Jose Zunino, the 4-year-old Demon Warlock filly ran one mile in 1:37.26. . .Veteran trainer Calvin Bagby and jockey Luis Gonzalez each collected their first win of the meet as 4-year-old Youseehereyousee ($21.60) romped to his maiden victory in Saturday’s fourth race. . .Trainer Junior Coffey also saddled his first winner of the meet as Heart’s Melody ($7.20) wore down Stormin Norma L for her maiden victory in race five. Coffey has 167 career victories at Emerald Downs, and at least one win all 21 seasons the track has operated. Coffey’s 19.9 win percentage ranks No. 5 all-time among trainers with at least 50 wins at Emerald Downs. . .In the seventh race, Pick by the Box ($8.80) overcame a slight stumble at the break and rolled to his second straight victory in 1:15.04 for 6 ½ furlongs. A 5-year-old by Limehouse, Pick by the Box races for owner Valentin Picho Garcia and trainer Robbie Baze. . .On the brink of a second straight winless day, Rocco Bowen rode Tommy’s Stylin ($13.20) to a romping victory for owner Tom Bennett and trainer Joe Toye in the nightcap. A 5-year-old Thewayyouare gelding returned from an eight-month layoff and ran six furlongs in 1:08.26 for the victory. . .Nine different jockeys and nine different trainers had wins on the nine-race card. . .Bowen leads Leslie Mawing in the riders’ standings while Jeff Metz maintains a 34-32 lead on Blaine Wright in the trainers’ standings. . .Live racing continues Sunday with the $54,000 Bank of America Emerald Downs Championship Challenge for Quarter Horses at 440 yards. First post is 2 p.m. and a $6,473 carryover is up for grabs in the $0.20 Pick 7.
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