R Samurai shook off Maximum Pleasure into the lane and held off Born’n Blue Genes for a three-length victory Saturday in the $10,900 WTBA Purse for 3 year olds at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by apprentice Cassie Papineau at 117 pounds, R Samurai ran one mile in 1 minute, 38 3/5 seconds on a good track and paid $3.20, $2.40 and $2.10.
Taken off the rail by Papineau, R Samurai went around early leader Maximum Pleasure on the last turn, spurted three-lengths clear past mid-stretch and held Born’n Blue Genes safe in the late stages.
Born’n Blue Genes, Seth Martinez riding at 122 pounds, rallied into contention from last, but had to settle for second place. Off at odds of 4-1, Born’n Blue Genes paid $3.40 and $2.80.
Maximum Pleasure set the pace to midway on the last turn, but gave way to R Samurai and finished a distant third. Ridden by Javier Matias at 122 pounds, Maximum Pleasure paid $2.80.
Tucannon and Passion Lives Here completed the order of finish. Flash an Run was scratched.
A Florida-bred by Milwaukee Brew, R Samurai has compiled a 2-1-0 record in seven starts with earnings of $20,720 for owners Ron and Rosalie Warren. The gelding has a 2-1-0 record in four starts with Papineau riding.
Papineau and Seth Martinez rode two winners each on the nine-race program and became the fourth and fifth riders to hit 60 wins at the meeting.
Penney saddled two winners and is fourth in the trainers’ standings with 34 wins.
Track notes:
• The 7-year-old Washington-bred mare Hit a Star ($7.40) won her 13th race at Emerald Downs with a gate-to-wire score under Gallyn Mitchell in the fourth race. The 2007 Belle Roberts winner will be retired and bred to Harbor the Gold, according to trainer Doris Harwood.
• Veteran trainer Steve Koler saddled his first winner of the year as Medicine Creek ($15.40) upset 3-5 betting favorite Edgerin J in the third race.
• Trainer Greg Moore also picked up his first win of the meet as Bury the Hatchet ($34.20) rolled to a gate-to-wire victory in the fifth race under apprentice Cassie Papineau. Papineau rode her first career winner, Love Our Kinzie, for Moore last year at Les Bois Park.
• Racing continues at 2 p.m. Sunday.
