EMILY’S GOLD SHARP IN SATURDAY FEATURE RACE
AUBURN, Wash. (May 4, 2019) – Emily’s Gold powered to the lead entering the stretch and scored a 2 3/4-length victory Saturday in the $15,000 Caliber Concrete Purse for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Ryan Barber, Emily’s Gold ran five furlongs in :57.36 and paid $9.80, $5.40 and $3.60. Frank Lucarelli is the winning trainer for owner Roy Schaefer of Port Orchard.
Rocket Power rallied late and was up for second in the final stride. Ridden by Heribert Martinez, the runner-up paid $12 and $6.60. Irish Terrier, also trained by Lucarelli, chased the winner through the lane and just missed holding second. Ridden by Franklin Ceballos, Irish Terrier paid $4.80 to show.
Verynsky, the even-money favorite, broke poorly and failed to rally while finishing sixth.
A Washington-bred gelding by Harbor the Gold-Our Henny Penny, Emily’s Gold improved to 2-0-0 in six starts with earnings of $23,845. Emily’s Gold debuted with a 2 ¼-length victory vs. maiden allowance foes here last August.
NOTES: Schaefer seems to enjoy good fortune on the first Saturday in May. In 2010 his Washington-bred Atta Boy Roy scored a 10-1 upset in the Churchill Downs Handicap (G2) on the Derby undercard. . .Das Bear ($3.80) became the first two-time winner at the meet, scoring an easy victory in race four for owners Gary and Debbie Lusk and trainer Vince Gibson. A 4-year-old Atta Boy Roy gelding, Das Bear ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.26. . .Lucarelli also won the second race with Smoothee Lee ($3) and tops the trainers’ standings with six wins. . .Gary Wales rode two winners including a $24.40 upset on Sawyer’s Hat and leads Kevin Orozco 6-5 atop the jockeys’ standings. . .Barber’s two wins at the meet are both in feature races—Dontkissntell and Emily’s Gold. . .Live racing continues Sunday with first post 2 p.m.
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