Bullet Drill (left) and Freiburg battle to the wire

BULLET DRILL EDGES FREIBURG IN THURSDAY FEATURE

AUBURN, Wash. (June 25, 2020) – Bullet Drill outfinished stable mate Freiburg and scored a head victory Thursday in the $15,600 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.

Ridden by Javier Matias, Bullet Drill ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.85 and returned $8 as co-second choice in the wagering. A 5-year-old Washington-bred by Coast Guard, Bullet Drill is 4-3-0 in 12 Emerald Downs’ starts with over $55,000 in earnings for William Greenstein of Ashland, Ore.

Freiburg, ridden by Eddie Martinez, rallied in tandem with the winner but came up just short at the wire. Off the board in three starts last winter in Southern California, Freiburg reverted to form Thursday and is 5-3-1 in 17 career starts at Emerald Downs.

Defending training champion Frank Lucarelli saddled both Bullet Drill and Freiburg and already has three wins through the first two days of the meeting.

Grinder Sparksaglo, the 5-2 betting favorite, won the pace duel with Cody’s Choice, setting fractions of 22.13 and :45.10, but was unable to withstand Bullet Drill and Freiburg late and finished third. Washington’s champion older horse of 2019, the now 9-year-old gelding is 15-12-13 in 60 lifetime starts with earnings of $252,337.

Emily’s Gold, The Press, Cody’s Choice and Gray Admiral rounded out the order of finish. Owners’ Prestige was scratched earlier in the day.

Cerapio Figueroa

NOTES: Six double digit winners scored victories Thursday led by 23-1 Constant Craving, 19-1 Cate’s Gold and 16-1 Ri’ Pin Snap. The latter two helped create a $31,361 carryover in the $0.50 Pick Five to Wednesday. . .Gary Wales, Lorenzo Lopez and Cerapio Figueroa rode two winners each Thursday. Figueroa, who also had a victory Wednesday, rode here briefly in 2015, scoring his maiden victory aboard Wedding Kake for trainer Chris Stenslie. . .Trainer Bonnie Jenne, fresh off a victory with Makah Lane in the opening day feature, made it two for two at the meet as Full Speed Ahead led gate to wire for a $12.60 upset in the Thursday opener. . .Chris the Beaver ($7) prevailed in the meet’s first 2-year-old event, running 4 ½ furlongs in :53.68 under Figueroa for trainer Jorge Rosales and longtime owner Art McFadden. The winner is a chestnut gelding by Abraaj-Spot On Babe. . .Live racing resumes Wednesday, July 1, at 2:15 p.m.
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