Emerald Downs Wrap-Saturday, Sept. 10

HARD CHARGING PARTY POOPER PREVAILS AGAIN

AUBURN, Wash. (Sept. 10, 2016) – Party Pooper capped an excellent campaign Saturday with one-length victory over Grinder Sparksaglo in the $19,100 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.

With Leonel Camacho-Flores aboard, Party Pooper ran 6 ½ furlongs in a brisk 1:15 and paid $6.40, $5.60 and $3. Rigoberto Velasquez is the winning trainer for owner Matt Hughes.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred by Desert Party, Party Pooper is one of the meet’s most consistent performers, compiling a 3-3-3 record in nine starts with earnings of $45,010. Claimed for $25,000 by Hughes in May, Party Pooper compiled a 2-1-3 record in six starts including back-to-back wins for a $25,000 tag.

Breaking from the No. 1 post-position, Party Pooper took command from Mike Man’s Gold on the backstretch, set fractions of :22.38, :44.73 and 1:08.65, and had plenty in reserve to repel Grinder Sparksaglo for the victory.

Grinder Sparsksaglo, runner-up to Stryker Phd in the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic, turned in another solid effort to finish second. Ridden by Juan Gutierrez, Grinder Sparksaglo paid $5 and $4.

It was 7 ¼ lengths back to Its Allabout Jerry, ridden by Erick Lopez, and a $5.80- show payoff. Raspberry Road, 6-5 favorite Mike Man’s Gold, Fire the Trainer, Snowball’s Chance and Botch completed the order of finish. He’s Cagey and Gramsson were scratched.

Following the race, Hughes said Party Pooper would be given a vacation and return to Emerald Downs in 2017.

NOTES: Rocco Bowen and Eswan Flores dominated the 10-race card with three victories apiece, and Bowen now has 109 wins in 69 days. Bowen, who has seven wins for the week, will be honored Sunday for winning his first Emerald Downs riding title. . .Erick Lopez rode two winners and was presented with the 2016 Lindy Award in the winner’s circle after race seven. . .Trainer Frank Lucarelli saddled a pair of winners and set the stage for a photo finish in the 2016 trainers’ race. Blaine Wright and Jeff Metz are tied for first with 37 wins while Lucarelli is one back with 36. . .Metz, bidding for his fourth straight EmD title, has seven horses entered Sunday while Lucarelli has three horses and Metz two. . .Trainer Manny Ortiz had two more wins Saturday—Great Lady Zen ($5.60) and Neat Lady ($6.40)—and is a sparkling 17 for 55 at the meet. . .Trainer Tom Wenzel and owner David Thorner swept Saturday’s early daily double with On Fire Albert ($7.60) and Afleet Hope ($3.80). The latter, a 2-year-old filly by Afleet Express-Pat Hand, is a half to 2016 Washington Oaks champion Princess Kennedy. . .Endless Cruise ($4.60) made it three straight wins for owner/trainer Tim McCanna with a victory in the fifth race. A 7-year -old Easing Along gelding, owner Mary Tate and trainer Michael Bullene claimed Endless Cruise Saturday. . .Step On the Gas ($4.40) also won his third straight for trainer Blaine Wright and owner Peter Redekop, romping by 9 ½-lengths under Juan Gutierrez in race seven. A 6-year-old by City Zip, Step On the Gas was claimed by Ortiz for $5,000 Saturday. . .At Hastings Racecourse, Sorryaboutnothing ($11) captured the $150,000 British Columbia Derby in gate-to-wire fashion under Antonio Reyes in 1:50.45 for 1 1/8 miles. Opportunistic, the 6-5 favorite, struggled to a fourth place finish under David G. Lopez. . .Live racing continues Sunday with the 70th and final day of the 2016 meeting, highlighted with the 76th running of the $65,000 Gottstein Futurity. First post is 2 p.m.

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