Neiman surging to victory in Saturday feature race
NEIMAN PAINTS A WINNER IN SATURDAY FEATURE
AUBURN, Wash. (June 1, 2024) – Neiman collared stablemate Godsend in the final furlong and drew clear for a 1 ½-length victory in Saturday’s $25,500 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Karlo Lopez, Neiman zipped six furlongs in 1:09.22 and paid $7.50 as the second betting choice in a field of eight older horses. Justin Evans saddled the winner for owners Mike Abraham, Leslie Amestoy, and Pierre Amestoy.
A 4-year-old Munnings gelding whose four previous starts were in the Southwest, Neiman improved to 3-0-1 in five starts with earnings of $68,775. Saturday, the bay gelding saved ground on the turn, angled off the rail into the lane and gradually wore down Godsend for the victory.
Godsend, also trained by Evans, rattled off fractions of :21.70 and :44.17, shook off Lloyds Logic into the stretch, resisted when headed before yielding in the final 70 yards. Godsend, the 7 to 5 favorite ridden by Luis Reyes, now has two wins and three seconds in five starts in 2024.
You’re the Cause, the 2022 Muckleshoot Derby winner, kicked in late to snag third at odds of 36 to 1, while Llyods Logic, Welton, Muncey, Jin Tong, and Mister Mafioso completed the order of finish.
Golden Ale scratched and reentered in Sunday’s $27,000 allowance featuring two-time Washington Horse of the Year Slew’s Tiz Whiz and the return of Papas’s Golden Boy.
Tony Madeo (No. 6)
MADEO, SAY VICTORIOUS IN TEACHERS RACE
In conjunction with Teacher Appreciation Weekend, Emerald Downs held its first ever Teachers Race between Saturday’s fourth and fifth races. Tony Madeo, a 2nd grade teacher at Cedar Valley Elementary in Kent, was the overall winner while Felicity Say, who teaches Kindergarten at Chinook Elementary in Auburn, was the top female finisher. Both won Domino’s gift cards for pizza parties with their respective class rooms.
NOTES: Saturday’s mutuel handle was $964,829 for eight live races. . .All-time Emerald Downs’ riding king Juan Gutierrez has wins on three straight cards including gate to wire on Langston Road ($7.42) for Blaine Wright in Saturday’s fourth. A 4-year-old by Midshipman, Langston Road was claimed for $15,000 Saturday by Dan Markle for Sue and Tim Spooner. . .Wright had two wins Saturday and also lost two horses via claim, making it three claimed away in two days for an aggregate $50,000. . . Powerized ($4.64) broke his maiden in grand fashion, covering six panels in 1:08.59 under Isaias Enriquez for trainer and co-owner Frank Lucarelli. The winner is a 3-year-old Maximus Mischief gelding. . .Enriquez also booted home Reign of Fire ($10.54) in race six, the 11th career win for the 6-year-old Vronsky mare. . .2023 Longacres Mile runner-up Il Bellator ($6.60) prevailed in a $24,000 allowance at Golden Gate Fields while 2023 Muckleshoot Derby winner Prince Abu Dhabi finished third. . .Racing resumes Sunday with first post 1:30 p.m.
–##–
