Jamaica Bound take the feature at Emerald Downs

Jamaica Bound collared stable mate Follows None past mid-stretch and rolled home for a one-length victory Friday evening in the $14,650 Les Schwab Purse at Emerald Downs. With Gallyn Mitchell riding, Jamaica Bound ran one mile in 1 minute, 36 1/5 seconds and paid $4.80, $3.20 and $2.60.

July 25, 2009 1:42 am

Jamaica Bound collared stable mate Follows None past mid-stretch and rolled home for a one-length victory Friday evening in the $14,650 Les Schwab Purse at Emerald Downs.

With Gallyn Mitchell riding, Jamaica Bound ran one mile in 1 minute, 36 1/5 seconds and paid $4.80, $3.20 and $2.60.

Follows None took the lead from Random Memo in the stretch and resisted gamely when challenged by Jamaica Bound, but gave way late.

Ridden by Juan Gutierrez, Follows None paid $6.60 and $3.

Washington Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jim Penney saddled the winner and the runner-up.

Mitchell was announced this week as a finalist in the jockey category for the 2009 Washington Racing Hall of Fame, along with Lennie Knowles, Joe Baze and Vicky (Aragon) Baze. The track’s all-time leader with 1,130 wins, Mitchell rode the final three winners on the card and ranks second with 71 wins at the current meet.

Icy Ridge, Troy Stillwell riding, finished third and returned $3.40 to show. Random Memo led through six furlongs in 1:11 3/5, but weakened in the stretch and finished fourth.

One Quick Brew, Zillah’s Knight and Red Redding completed the order of finish. West Seattle Boy, Emancipated and Sea Speaker were scratched earlier in the day.

A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred by Boundary, Jamaica Bound rebounded from a dull effort at 6-½ furlongs last month, and the gelding is now four-for-eight at the one-mile distance. Overall, Jamaica Bound has a 5-7-5 mark in 29 starts and earnings of $145,329.

Track Notes:

• Troy Stillwell and Jose Zunino became the eighth and ninth jockeys to hit the 20-win mark with victories in the first and second races.

• Zunino got his win aboard Michael Myers ($58.60) for trainer Martin Pimentel in the third race.

• Former Longacres riding champion Mike Baze, father of Southern California riding star Michael C. Baze, is named on four horses Sunday at Great Falls, Montana, including Lahcotah in the $4,000 Treasured State Derby.

• Older brother Gary Baze ranks fifth at Assiniboia Downs with 25 wins in 152 mounts (16 percent).

• Kate Repp from Auburn who rode four winners at Emerald early in the meet, is fourth at Yavapai Downs with 25 wins in 105 mounts, and she ranks first in win percentage at 24 percent.

Emerald Downs racing continues Saturday with 10 live races. First post is 2 p.m. The $20,000 allowance feature at 6-½ furlongs includes multiple stakes winners Margo’s Gift (16-6-3-3-$308,414) and Starbird Road (21-10-4-1-$176,470).