Elliott Bay and Javier Matias
ELLIOTT BAY TOO GOOD IN THURSDAY FEATURE
AUBURN, Wash. (July 2, 2020) – Elliott Bay shook clear into the lane and romped home by 7 ½ lengths in Thursday’s $18,500 allowance feature for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Javier Matias, Elliott Bay covered 5 ½ furlongs in a meet-fastest 1:02.99 and paid $7.40 as second choice in the wagering. Frank Lucarelli is the winning trainer for owners Chad and Josh.
Fifth in last year’s Longacres Mile, Elliott Bay had been winless since the 2017 Gottstein Futurity, a span of 15 races that included starts in 11 stakes. Claimed for $50,000 last year, Elliott Bay showed improved speed Thursday, setting pressured fractions of :22.34 and :45.28 for the quarter and half-mile, and poured it on late for the blowout victory.
A Washington-bred 5-year-old by Harbor the Gold-Melba Jewel, Elliott Bay has an overall mark of 3-3-4 from 21 starts with earnings of $145,013.
Muncey, the lone 3-year-old in the race, rallied to finish second while My Grandpa, the 4 to 5 favorite, finished third. Winning Bluff and Hollywood Heat rounded out the order of finish; Lolo Paniolo was scratched earlier in the day.
Total handle was $1,734,306.
Jody Peetz & Steve Shimizu, owners of Daffodil Sweet
NOTES: Trainer Chris Stenslie had a pair of winners including Daffodil Sweet ($36.80), a Ministers Wildcat filly who dominated by 8 ¾ lengths vs. maiden special weight fillies and mares. . .With the victory on Daffodil Sweet, Juan Gutierrez is now seven wins shy of 2,000 career wins. . .Gary Wales and Alex Cruz rode two winners each on the nine-race card. . .Wales and Gutierrez top the standings with six wins apiece followed by Cruz with five. . .Lucarelli leads the trainers with five wins and has wins on all four cards this season. . .2019 Emerald Downs Horse of the Meeting Anyportinastorm is 6 to 5 in Saturday’s $50,000 Oak Tree Sprint at Pleasanton. Kevin Orozco rides for trainer Blaine Wright and owner Peter Redekop. . .Live racing resumes Wednesday, July 8, with first post 2:15 p.m.
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