Welton (No. 1) and jockey Isaias Enriquez
WELTON RALLIES TO VICTORY IN SUNDAY FEATURE RACE
AUBURN, Wash. (Sept. 8, 2024) – Welton surged past Prisoner in the final strides and posted a 1 ¼-length victory in Sunday’s $24,500 John Parker Racing Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
Under a perfectly timed ride by Isaias Enriquez, Welton covered six furlongs in 1:09.01 and paid $12.04 as the second choice in the field of six older sprinters. Frank Lucarelli saddled the winner for owner Mike Hill of Kingman, Ariz., who claimed the 4-year-old gelding two starts back for $25,000.
Last into the stretch as Mister Mafioso set blistering fractions of :21.51, :43.85, and :56.13, Welton gathered momentum in the middle of the track and flew home to score his second win of the meeting.
A Kentucky-bred by Creative Cause, Welton is 4-1-2 in 10 career starts with earnings of $77,794 including $13,965 for Sunday’s triumph.
Prisoner, the 2 to 5 favorite ridden by Luis Reyes, overtook Mister Mafioso for the lead in deep stretch, but couldn’t withstand Welton’s late push and finished second. The runner-up is 11-2-1 in 25 life starts with earnings of $347,215.
D K’s Crown, longest shot on the board at 14 to 1, finished third with Mister Mafioso, Smiling Goodbye, and A View From Above rounding out the order of finish.
NOTES: Parenting, younger brother of Welton, is undefeated in three starts for Bob Baffert including the 2024 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita. . .Trainer Charles Essex has won with six of his last 10 starters including Sunday wins by Aliceshouseofheart ($3.88) and Willing to Burn ($5.10). . .Eight different jockeys visited the winner’s circle including apprentice Manuel Americano, who has wins on five straight cards, and Alex Cruz, who finishes the week with a 64-45 lead on Kevin Krigger atop the standings. . .Flyin By ($8.60) zipped six furlongs in 1:08.80 to score her fifth career Emerald Downs wins against $10,000 claiming older fillies and mares. . .Krigger and Justin Evans combined for their 36th win of the season, scoring with Ever a Rebel ($$2.82) in race two. . .Isaias Enriquez and Frank Lucarelli have teamed for 15 wins at the meet, including Welton in the Sunday feature. . .The stewards suspended Luis Reyes two days for causing interference aboard The Lair in Saturday’s first race, resulting in the 2-year-old gelding being demoted from third to fourth place. Regarding Saturday’s seventh race DQ, in which Nine One One finished first but was placed second for a bumping incident, Reyes was held blameless. Reyes is scheduled to serve his suspension Sept. 21 and 22. . .The final weekend of the 2024 season begins Friday with first post 7 p.m.
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