IT’S A HAT TRICK FOR CLASSIC LEAH
AUBURN, Wash. (Aug. 6, 2022) – Classic Leah sprinted clear early and was never headed, rolling to a 5 ¾-length victory in Saturday’s $16,500 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for older fillies and mares.
Ridden by Leslie Mawing, Classic Leah zipped six furlongs in 1:09.78 on a fast track and paid $6 as the public betting choice. Vince Gibson is the winning trainer for owner Paul Johnson of Auburn.
Breaking from the No. 5 post-position, Classic Leah sprinted clear at once, opened a long lead while setting splits of :22.37, :45.4, and :57.12, opened a commanding lead past mid-stretch and was never challenged. It’s the third straight win for the 6-year-old mare, who also scored gate to wire victories at six furlongs on June 26 and July 16.
A California-bred by Sixthirteen, Classic Leah is 8-6-2 from 28 starts overall with earnings of $81,201, including $30,938 this year. Johnson also is enjoying a banner meet, compiling a 5-2-0 record in nine starts.
Brilliant Bird, ridden by Alex Cruz, rallied inside to finish second, the third straight runner-up effort for the 7-year-old Einstein mare.
In the Vault, Kevin Orozco riding, finished third while Lady O’Prado, Le Tub, and Unlimiteddataplan rounded out the order of finish.
NOTES: Total mutuel handle was $823,492 on an eight-race card. . .With a victory on Annette Marie ($9.80) in Saturday’s third race, Juan Gutierrez hit the 50-win mark for the 19th time in his career at Emerald Downs. . .Iron Rob ($16) scored his 16th career victory in race five, the second win of the season and eighth overall at Emerald Downs for the 9-year-old Twirling Candy gelding who won a pair of stakes at Santa Anita as a 3-year-old. . .Eddie Martinez prevailed easily in the annual Emerald Downs jockeys’ charity foot race for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys’ Fund. Martinez also won on horseback Saturday, riding Gypsy Gun ($5.60) to a 5 ½-length maiden victory in race two. . .Kevin Radke rode two winners Saturday. . .Live racing continues Sunday with the $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings and $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. First post 2:15 p.m.
–##–