Homestretch Farms’ Ice Needs Whiskey

ICE NEEDS WHISKEY PREVAILS IN THURSDAY FEATURE RACE

AUBURN, Wash. (Aug. 12, 2021) – Ice Needs Whiskey led all the way and scored a 1 ½-length victory in the $20,900 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds and up Thursday at Emerald Downs.

With leading rider Alex Cruz aboard, Ice Needs Whiskey covered six furlongs in 1:11.01 and paid $5.80 as the public betting choice. Kay Cooper is the winning trainer for Homestretch Farms Inc.

Breaking alertly from the No. 1 post-position, Ice Needs Whiskey set fractions of :22.04, :44.95 and :57.55, holding off Igottabooboo through the lane for the victory.

A maiden defeating winners, Ice Needs Whiskey is 1-1-0 in two career starts with earnings of $15,565. The winner is a 3-year-old Washington-bred by Private Gold-Arco Iris, and younger brother of I Keep Saying, who in 2014 set the track and world record of 1:12.94 for 6 ½ furlongs.

Igottabooboo, a 9 to 1 shot ridden by James Wooten Jr., chased the winner from starting gate to finish line, holding second by 1 ½ lengths over third-place Temple Secret. Hygh I.Q., Stand to and Perfect Dude rounded out the order of finish.

Lochness was scratched earlier in the day.

NOTES: Total mutuel handle was $1,254,681 on the eight-race card. . .In Thursday’s $20,900 co-feature for 3-year-olds and up, Kowboykabin ($13) defeated 1 to 5 favorite Coastal Kid by a nose, running a mile in 1:36.38 under Eddie Martinez for Tom Wenzel and owner/breeder George Todaro. In a move similar to last year’s Gottstein Futurity, Coastal Kid ducked out past mid-stretch, possibly costing the Coast Guard gelding the race. . .Juan Gutierrez returned to action and rode two winners. . .Alex Cruz also rode two winners and leads Julien Couton 56-51 atop the standings. . .Jeff Metz led the trainers with two wins. . .Jockey James Wooten Jr. recorded his first win of the meet, guiding Command Sgt Major ($18.60) gate to wire for owner Frank McDonald and trainer Bonnie Jenne. . .With a victory on Linchpin Storm ($20.60) in the nightcap, Jose Zunino moved past Pedro Alvarado into 13th place all-time with 402 wins at Emerald Downs. . .Former jockey Frank Best visited the track Thursday. Best, 66, rode Pappy to a big upset over Loto Canada in the 1980 Longacres Derby. . .Live racing resumes Saturday with first post 6:30 p.m. and continues Sunday with first post 2:30 p.m. on Longacres Mile Day.
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