I’m Telling Mom and jockey Alex Cruz

I’M TELLING MOM PREVAILS IN SUNDAY EMERALD FEATURE

AUBURN, Wash. (Sept. 1, 2024) – I’m Telling Mom had her consistency rewarded Sunday at Emerald Downs, rallying from just off the pace and scoring a 2 ½-length victory over Classic American in the $25,500 Muckleshoot Casino Resorts Purse for 3-year-old fillies.

Ridden by Alex Cruz, I’m Telling Mom ran covered six furlongs in 1:09.35 and paid $7.42 as the second betting choice in a field of five. Joe Toye is the winning trainer for Rage, a Redmond, Wash., group that includes longtime owner Greg Conley.

A participant in all three stakes this season for 3-year-old fillies, including a fourth in the Kent Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs, and a third in the Washington Oaks at a mile and one-sixteenth, I’m Telling Mom improved to 2-1-1 in seven overall starts with earnings of $37,620.

Scaling back to one-turn, I’m Telling Mom stalked Classic American through fractions of :21.62 and :44.22, slipped through inside to take command into the lane, and powered home to win with authority.

“We’ve been working hard with this filly, she’s got some talent,” Cruz said in the winner’s circle interview. “She did an awesome job today.”

Classic American, longest price on the board at 10 to 1, held second, and Chai, the 7 to 10 favorite, was 2 ½ lengths back in third. Pop Chart and Special Diva rounded out the order of finish.

Toye has wins the last six racing days and is 13 for 39 combined with Cruz at the meet.

Blaine Wright with jockey Kevin Orozco

BLAINE WRIGHT SCORES TRAINING MILESTONE

Also Sunday, trainer Blaine Wright became only the sixth trainer to win 500 races at Emerald Downs, achieving the milestone with Checkered Flag ($5.14) in a $24,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds.

Wright nearly got wins 500 and 501 in one fell swoop, as Checkered Flag nosed out stablemate Goin’ South for the victory.

In a winner’s circle interview, Wright thanked all his owners past and present along with his barn crew, and late father Richard Wright. He also noted it was nice to notch the milestone with Checkered Flag, bred by longtime clients Terry and Mary Lou Griffin and co-owned by the Griffins, Steve Kinross, and his sister Cherie Wright. Wright’s wife, Risa, also works with the Griffins at Griffin Place.

Wright’s first Emerald Downs win was April 29, 2007, with Adevilgetshisdue, a 3-year-old gelding owned by John and Janene Maryanski and Gail and Gerald Schneider, for whom Wright later trained 2019 Washington Horse of the Year Baja Sur.

Wright, 50, has 1,107 wins overall. He is No. 3 all-time in Emerald Downs’ stakes wins with 59.

Emerald Downs Trainers All-Time Wins
1168-Frank Lucarelli
975-Tim McCanna
828-Howard Belvoir
622-Jim Penney
561-Doris Harwood
501-Blaine Wright
470-Tom Wenzel

PIZZA EATING CONTEST

NOTES: Wright wasted no time getting win No. 501, saddling first-time starter My Little Lady ($13.32) to a 3 ¾-length romp in Sunday’s $24,000 maiden special for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up. By Danzing Candy-Ros’s Girl, My Little Lady is younger sister of Washington Horse of the Year Slew’s Tiz Whiz and older sister of probable Gottstein Futurity favorite Si That Tiger. . .Speaking of milestones, John Parker is one win away from joining Ron Crockett as the only owners with 200 wins at Emerald Downs. Wins 198 and 199 came back-to-back with Dirt Road Red ($8.18) in the eighth race, as the 7-year-old gelding notched his third win of the meet and eighth win in the last two seasons, and New Every Morning ($7) leading gate to wire in the ninth race finale. . .Sunday’s mutuel handle totaled $887,348 on a nine-race card. . .5-year-old gelding Elevado ($4.22) zipped six furlongs in 1:08.22 while defeating older $10,000 starter allowances in race two. . .Alex Cruz and Silvio Amador rode two winners each. Cruz doubled all three days this week and leads Kevin Krigger 60-44 atop the standings. . .Candi Cryderman also had two wins, sweeping the late double with Dirt Road Red and New Every Morning. . .The $0.50 Pick Six paid $7,019.36, with My Little Lady at 5 to 1 the only horse in the sequence that paid double digits. . .Live racing resumes Friday with first post 7 p.m.

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