Whiskeyjack and jockey Carlos Montalvo
WHISKEYJACK POWERS TO VICTORY IN WEDNESDAY FEATURE
AUBURN, Wash. (July 3, 2024) – Whiskeyjack remained undefeated with an explosive stretch rally in Wednesday’s $25,500 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-old colts and geldings at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Carlos Montalvo, Whiskeyjack covered six furlongs in 1:09.07, finishing 1 ¼-lengths clear of 8 to 5 betting favorite Dynamic Secret and returning $18.40 to win. Dr. Ryland Harwood is the winning trainer for owners Lee Erickson and Connie Erickson of Sublimity, Ore.
An Oregon-bred by Rise Up, Whiskeyjack is 2 for 2 lifetime, scoring wins in Oregon and Washington with earnings of $25,535. He debuted last October, prevailing by two lengths in the $20,000 OTBA Juvenile Stakes at Grants Pass.
Where You Gonna Go helped light the fuse for the slow-starting Whiskeyjack, setting blazing early fractions of :21.13 and :43.97 for the quarter and half-mile. Far back on the backstretch, the winner saved ground around the turn, gained momentum into the lane, split horses in mid-stretch, and finally collaring Dynamic Secret to win going away in an eye-catching effort.
Incidentally, the same trainer and owners clicked with another Oregon-bred here last year. Whiskey Harbor, also sired by Rise Up, began his career two for two including a 4 ¼-length victory in the King County Express.
Dynamic Secret, the 8 to 5 favorite ridden by Juan Gutierrez, overtook Where You Gonna Go into the stretch but was out-finished late by Whiskeyjack. Dynamic Secret now has a win and two seconds from four starts at the meet.
Spinnin Pistols, 7 to 2 second choice ridden by Jose Zunino, finished third, while Where You Gonna Go finished fourth. Rounding out the order of finish were Freightline, Conrad Meadows, Fruit Lutes, and K R Rules.
NOTES: Wednesday’s handle totaled $1,206,648 for an eight-race card. . .Carlos Montalvo rode three double-digit winners Wednesday, his second riding triple of the season and fifth at Emerald Downs. . .Located east of Salem, Sublimity, Ore. boasts a population of 2,967. . .Suprsinglyperfect ($2.56) became the first three-time winner of the meet Wednesday, running a mile in 1:34.39 under Kevin Krigger for Justin Evans and Rakoczy Racing. A 10-year-old Perfect Soul gelding with 20 career wins at eight different tracks, Surpsinglyperfect notched his maiden Feb. 13, 2018, at New Mexico’s Sunland Park. . .Mary Walker ($13.28) won for the fourth time in six starts at Emerald Downs including twice this season, taking the opener in 1:09.94 under Montalvo for owner-trainer Liz Kowalski. . .Nomi Lackee ($4.06), Nation’s Belle ($6.36), and Moonlightnwine ($38.36) also became two-time winners at the meet. . .Lie and Deny, sixth to Moonlightnwine, had his local winning streak snapped at six straight (Sept. 11, 2022; July 9, 2023; Aug. 13, 2023; Sept. 9, 2023; May 12, 2024, and June 14, 2024). . .Evans and Blaine Wright each had a winner and remain one-two in the standings. Through 23 days, Evans leads with 23 wins, followed by Wright at 16, and Frank Lucarelli with 11. . .In the jockeys’ race, Alex Cruz owns a 33-20 lead on Karlo Lopez with Montalvo up to third with 18 wins. . .Reminder no live racing Friday. Racing resumes this weekend with Saturday’s $50,000 Angie C Stakes for 2-year-old fillies and Sunday’s $50,000 King County Express for 2-year-old colts & geldings. Post time 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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