Catfish Hunter and Gary Wales capture the Muckleshoot Casino Purse
CATFISH HUNTER CHALKS UP WIN IN FEATURE
AUBURN, Wash. (Sept. 9, 2020) – Catfish Hunter took the lead into the turn and raced to a 1 ¼-length victory over Grinder Sparksaglo in the $19,000 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds and up Wednesday at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Gary Wales, Catfish Hunter zipped six furlongs in 1:08.55–fastest six furlongs of the meeting–and paid $12.80 as third choice in the wagering. Sharon Ross is the trainer for Primo Posto Racing.
Breaking from the outside in a seven-horse field, Catfish Hunter gained command into the turn and set fractions of :22.21, :44.53 and :56.30, and then held off Grinders Sparksaglo for the victory. A 6-year-old California-bred gelding by Grazen, Catfish Hunter earned $10,450 for the victory and is 4-3-4 in 20 lifetime starts with earnings of $138,365. Wednesday’s victory was his first since an allowance win at Los Alamitos on July 4, 2018.
Grinder Sparkasglo, off at odds of 23 to 1, chased the winner through the lane but settled for second place. The 9-year-old gelding is 15-14-14 in 65 starts with earnings of $264,092.
Windribbon, the 7 to 10 favorite, held third and was followed by Oh Marvelous Me, Wine At Nine, Rally Cat and Sky Confidential. Wheel Rally was scratched earlier in the day.
NOTES: Mutuel handle on the 10-race card was $1,429,070. . .Wales and Alex Cruz rode three winners each Wednesday. . .Through 23 days of racing, Cruz tops the standings with 38 wins, followed by Wales with 33 and Juan Gutierrez with 29. . .First-time starter Coastal Kid ($38.20) prevailed in Wednesday’s $18,500 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds, running six furlongs in 1:09.68. A Washington-bred by Coast Guard, Coastal Kid is the sixth winning foal out of Crème. . .Jockey Cerapio Figueroa and trainer Jorge Rosales teamed for wins with Secret Paranoia ($3.40) and Licorice Drop Pops ($2.80), the latter joining Daffodil Sweet, Omache Kid, Missed the Boat and Doctor Bruce S. as three-time winners at the meet. . . Live racing resumes Thursday with the 85th running of the $100,000 Longacres Mile (G3) and $40,000 Emerald Distaff for older fillies and mares. First post 5 p.m.
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