Blame the Jockey takes a trip to winner’s circle at Emerald Downs | Horse Racing

Blame the Jockey ran down the leaders in the stretch run and notched a 1 ½-length victory over Bogachiel in the $18,000 feature race for 3-year-olds Saturday at Emerald Downs. With the hot-riding Francisco Duran aboard for leading trainer Frank Lucarelli, Blame the Jockey ran six furlongs in 1 minute, 8 3/5 seconds on wet-fast track and paid $7.40, $4.60 and $3.

May 29, 2010 11:22 pm

Blame the Jockey ran down the leaders in the stretch run and notched a 1 ½-length victory over Bogachiel in the $18,000 feature race for 3-year-olds Saturday at Emerald Downs.

With the hot-riding Francisco Duran aboard for leading trainer Frank Lucarelli, Blame the Jockey ran six furlongs in 1 minute, 8 3/5 seconds on wet-fast track and paid $7.40, $4.60 and $3.

Bogachiel, a 9-1 long shot ridden by Troy Stillwell, edged Berry Ledo for second place and paid $6.20 and $3.20. Berry Ledo, ridden by Deborah Hoonan-Trujillo paid $3 for show.

Rescue Plan, the 1-1 betting favorite, tired from a speed duel and finished fourth.

Blame the Jockey, under stout restraint on the backstretch, angled out into the stretch and exploded when finally turned loose. It was his second victory in three starts at the meet.

A Texas-bred gelding by Posse, Blame the Jockey has a 3-4-3 record in 13 starts overall with earnings of $44,585 for owners Chris Randall and Rossi LLC.

Lucarelli had two wins Saturday and has taken the lead in the trainers’ standings with 19 wins. Earlier Saturday, Lucarelli was at Safeco Field where his son Michael helped lead Enumclaw High School to a third-place finish in the WIAA 3A baseball tournament.

News and Notes,

• The public was sharp as a tack Saturday, as six favorites prevailed on the nine-race card. In fact, Flyin Ryan ($11.60) in the nightcap was the only winner to pay double digits.

• Jim Penney saddled back-to-back winners in the sixth and seventh races, Sneakin In ($4) and So Whatabout ($5.20), and has won with 15-of-51 starters at the meet.

• Gallyn Mitchell also rode two winners and trails co-leaders Juan Gutierrez and Pedro Terrero by one victory in the standings. Gutierrez and Terrero each rode one winner and lead Mitchell by a 24-23 count.

• Enumclaw Girl, a double stakes winner in 2008, finished second Saturday in a $25,000 claiming race at Hollywood Park. The 5-year-old Washington-bred mare’s last victory was June 22, 2008, in the Irish Day Handicap at Emerald Downs.

• Live racing continues 2 p.m. Sunday.