Cm Boom Shakalaka
CM BOOM SHAKALAKA CAPTURES CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGE
AUBURN, Wash. (August 20, 2020) – Cm Boom Shakalaka remained red-hot with Thursday a powerful victory in the $52,734 Bank of America Emerald Downs Championship Challenge for older quarter horses at Emerald Downs.
Making amends for a third-place finish as the betting favorite last year, Cm Boom Shakalaka ran 440 yards in :22.272 and paid $3, $2.40 and $2.10. Luis Gonzales was aboard at 125 lbs for trainer Nick Lowe and owner Chris Sutton of Camby, Ore.
Lowe swept all three quarter horse stakes Thursday including a one-two finish with Louisana Bunny and Cm Dillingham Advice in the John Deere Emerald Downs Juvenile Challenge.
Sutton also had a great night, scoring wins with Cm Boom Shakalaka in the Championship Challenge and Cm Once Ina Bluemoon in the Emerald Downs Distance Challenge, and finishing second with Cm Dillingham Advice in the John Deere Juvenile.
Breaking from the outside of a nine-horse field, Cm Boom Shakalaka broke in slightly at the start, but recovered quickly to gain command and held off Jesstafiably Jess by a neck for the victory.
A 5-year-old Oregon-bred gelding by Carters Cartel, Cm Boom Shakalaka is 12 for 28 lifetime with earnings of $151,082, including $24,785 for Thursday’s triumph.
Lowe expressed relief in the winner’s circle, happy to have swept all three stakes.
“It was stressful, but it was a very good day,” he said. “(Cm Boom Shakalaka) has been a hot horses in the paddock, difficult to saddle, but he’s calmed down quite a bit. He’s better than he’s ever been.”
Jesstafiably Jess, ridden by Jose Figueroa at 125 lbs, earned $10,547 for finishing second and paid $6.660 and $5.
One Flyin Foose, a 3-year-old filly ridden by Jaime Lopez at 125 lbs, finished third and paid $4, while L Bar D Genuine Red, Alabama Hills, Loosin My Lover, Kool Odds, Ima Five Bar Cartel and Favorite Bling rounded out the order of finish.
Kool Odds, the defending champion, never got untracked and finished seventh as the 5 to 1 second choice.
The victory earns Cm Boom Shakalaka a berth in the $250,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) on Saturday, October 24, at The Downs in Albuquerque.
Louisana Bunny (No. 8)
LOUISANA BUNNY PREVAILS IN JOHN DEERE JUVENILE
In the $42,356 John Deere Emerald Downs Juvenile, Louisana Bunny held off stable mate CM Dillingham Advice for a half-length victory
Ridden by Javier Matias at 121 lbs, Louisana Bunny ran 350 yards in :18.45 and paid $8.20, $3 and $2.40. Lowe is the winning trainer for owner/breeder Lee Markholt.
Breaking from the outside No. 8 post, Louisana Bunny opened a half-length advantage past midstretch and held sway to the wire. Upset winner of last month’s Firecracker Futurity at Grants Pass, Ore.,
Louisana Bunny is 2-0-1 in three career starts with earnings of $44,931. An Oregon-bred by Louisiana Senator, Lousiana Bunny earned $20,331 for Thursday’s victory.
Cm Dillingham Advice, the 4 to 5 favorite ridden by Luis Gonzalez at 125 lbs, was bumped from both sides at the start, but recovered well and rallied to finish a clear second. Also conditioned by Lowe, the runner-up paid $2.40 and $2.20.
Super Bowl Sunny Day, with Cerapio Figueroa aboard at 120 lbs, finished third and paid $ to show, while Not Another Lover and No Juans Fool dead-heated for fourth place.
Cm Once Ina Bluemoon
CM ONCE INA BLUEMOON REPEATS IN DISTANCE CHALLENGEHeavily favored Once Ina Bluemoon easily defended his title with a dominating 3 ¾-length victory in the $26,554 Emerald Downs Distance Challenge for 3-year-olds and up.
Ridden by Jose Figueroa at 125 lbs, Cm Once Ina Bluemoon covered 870 yards in a track record :45.423, and paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10. Nick Lowe is the winning trainer for owner Chris Sutton of Camby, Ore.
Breaking from the No. 2 post, Cm Once Ina Bluemoon cleared the field into the turn, opened a commanding lead into the stretch and the outcome was never in doubt. A 5-year-old Oregon-bred by Ivory James, Cm Once Ina Bluemoon is unbeaten in three career starts at Emerald Downs and 12 for 32 lifetime. He earned $13,808 to up his earnings to $92,379.
Flyin Rocks, with Joree Scriver riding at 124 lbs, rallied inside for second and paid $5.60 and $2.60, while Heza Gamer, ridden by Lorenzo Lopez at 124 lbs, held third and paid $2.60. Hes a Bugin and Jess B 613 completed the order of finish.
NOTES: Total mutuel handle on the 11-race card including three quarter horse races was $1,817,525. . .The $0.50 Pick 5 returned a monstrous $27,642, marking the fourth time in three weeks the Pick 5 paid in excess of $19,000. . .Winning odds in Pick 5 the sequence were 5-1, 22-1, 14-1, 9-5 and 9-1. . . Australian-bred Owners’ Prestige ($5.80) made it two straight and four for seven lifetime at Emerald Downs with an easy victory in the Thoroughbred feature race. Co-owned by trainer Blaine Wright and Marty Yellam and ridden by Gary Wales, Owners’ Prestige ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15. . . Trainer Billy Christian notched his first win of the meet, combining with apprentice Joree Scriver for a $46.60 upset with Grants Pass shipper Shez a Grinder in race eight. . .Trainer Jackie Smith also got win No.1 of the meet, scoring with Harnersbach ($30.40) in race nine. . .Javier Matias was the lone jockey with two wins Thursday. . . racing resumes Wednesday, August 26 with first post 2:15 p.m.
