Argosy Fleet and Kevin Orozco

ARGOSY FLEET PREVAILS IN $18,500 FEATURE RACE

AUBURN, Wash. (September 1, 2018) – Argosy Fleet wore down a stubborn Cody’s Choice and notched a three-quarter-length victory in Saturday’s $18,500 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.

With Kevin Orozco taking over the mount, Argosy Fleet scorched 6 ½ furlongs in 1:14.97 and paid $4.20, $2.60 and $2.20. Blaine Wright trains Argosy Fleet for Peter Redekop of Vancouver, B.C.

The winning time is third fastest of the meet at 6 ½ furlongs; Kaabraaj with a 1:14.31 in an allowance win and Alliford Bay with a 1:14.86 in the Washington State Legislators Stakes are the only horses with faster times this year than Argosy Fleet.

A Kentucky-bred by 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft, Argosy Fleet is 2-2-0 in seven starts with earnings of $75,776. Saturday’s race was a bit of class relief for Argosy Fleet, whose previous three outs included a fourth in the Muckleshoot Derby and a second in the River Rock Casino Handicap at Hastings Racecourse.

Cody’s Choice, bidding for his fourth win of the season, nearly took the field gate-to-wire, setting fractions of :22.71, :45.45 and 1:08.82 before yielding to Argosy Fleet in the final furlong. Ridden by Javier Matias, Cody’s Choice paid $3.40 and $2.40.

Upo, also trained by Wright, finished third under Julien Couton and paid $2.40 to show, while Winning Bluff, Freiburg, Take Charge Deputy, Honkytonkbar and Great Eagle completed the order of finish; Desert Prophet was scratched earlier in the day.

Kevin Orozco

Rocco Bowen

NOTES: In Event #2 of the WHBPA & WTBOA Horsemen Helping Horsemen Distance Series, Tiz Jolie ($12.40) was awarded the victory via disqualification when first-place finisher Atypique was placed fourth for impeding Tiz Jolie in deep stretch. Atypique ran 1-¼ miles in 2:03.49, but was placed behind Tiz Jolie, Deputy’s Command and Royal Tale. . .Orozco and Wright swept the late double with Argosy Fleet and Please Be Me ($6). . .Orozco rode three winners and with 63 wins has equaled his 2017 win total at Emerald Downs. . .Rocco Bowen also three winners, his 91st, 92nd and 93rd of the meet, and needs two more wins to tie Frank Gonsalves for No. 5 all-time with 561 wins at Emerald Downs. . .Four of Saturday’s seven winners were off at odds of 2 to 1: Desert Black ($6.60), Diamonds Dena ($6.80), Az Dreamer ($6.80) and Please Be Me ($6). . .Vasilika ($10.40)—co-owned by Dr. George Todaro of Seattle—prevailed in Saturday’s $200,000 John C. Mabee Stakes (G2) on the turf at Del Mar. Claimed for $40,000 in February, the 4-year-old Skipshot filly has reeled off six straight victories for jockey Flavien Prat and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Incidentally, Todaro will be inducted into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame for Lifetime Achievement on September 9. . .Live racing continues Sunday with Week 2 of the Xpressbet.com Washington Cup, featuring the $50,00 WA Cup Juvenile Colts & Geldings presented by Muckleshoot Casino and $50,000 WA Cup Juvenile Filly presented by Pegasus Training and Rehabilitation Center. First post is 2 p.m.
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