Jasmine’s Melody, a 6-year-old Pennsylvania-bred that loves to win races, drew off in the stretch for a 7 ¼-length victory Sunday in the featured $8,700 Chase Secured Birthday Purse for fillies and mares at Emerald Downs.
With the track’s all-time leading rider Gallyn Mitchell in the saddle, Jasmine’s Melody ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1 minute, 2.86 seconds on a fast track and paid $7.20, $3.60 and $3.20. Doris Hanwood is the trainer for owner Frank Gaunt of Eatonville.
An ultra-consistent daughter of 1999 national champion sprinter Artax, Jasmine’s Melody has a 9-6-4 record in 30 career starts—all but one of them at Emerald Downs—and career earnings of $71,474. In 2009 her six wins tied Panatela for most victories at the meeting.
Sunday’s race was her first outing since last September, but Harwood had Jasmine’s Melody ready to roll off the layoff. She stalked outside Delicate Dance and Squeallin By in fractions of :22 and :44.75, swept to the lead into the stretch and drew away to win comfortably.
“We just feed her, bring her over here and let her do her job,” Harwood said of Jasmine’s Melody. “She’s a professional.”
Delicate Dance, the 2-to-1 betting favorite ridden by Pedro Terrero, held second place and paid $3.40 and $2.20. Jadie Cahill, Leslie Mawing riding, rallied for third and paid $3.
Squeallin By, K Lea Road and Cee the Lady completed the order of finish.
Jasmine’s Melody was claimed from the race for $7,500 by trainer Roy Lumm and owner Janet Johnson.
NOOSA BEACH RETURNS FRIDAY AT HASTINGS RACECOURSE
Washington Horse of the Year Noosa Beach will ship north and make his 2011 debut Friday in the $50,000 George Royal Handicap at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, B.C.
Mitchell is named to ride the defending Longacres Mile champion at 121 lbs for Harwood. The race will be a springboard to the first stakes for older horses at Emerald Downs—the $50,000 Governor’s Handicap at 6 ½ furlongs on Sunday, May 22.
“Our plan, of course, is to run in the Governor’s,” Harwood said. “We are based at Emerald Downs, and we love it there.”
Noosa Beach comes off a spectacular 2010 season in which he won five stakes and $225,930 for owner Jeff Harwood, and is the early favorite for the 2011 Longacres Mile on Aug. 21. The 5-year-old gelding has experience on the bullring after finishing third in the 2009 British Columbia Derby at Hastings.
At 6 ½ furlongs, the George Royal drew a field of 11 and one also eligible. It goes as the seventh race and will be simulcast at Emerald Downs.
The field for the George Royal: Tommy Danzigger, Pedro Alvarado, 116; Noosa Beach, Mitchell, 121; Almost Time, Frank Fuentes, 124; Three Wood, Amadeo Perez, 116; Ganbei, Fernando Perez, 121; Sassou, Quincy Welch, 121; Teide, Chad Hoverson, 124; Woombroom Express, David Wilson, 116; Coast Guard, Tyler Walker, 116; Dyna Stroll, Mario Gutierrez, 124, and Senor Rojo, Richard Hamel, 121. Also Eligible: St Liams Halo, Gutierrez, 118.
NOTES:
- Mawing recorded the first riding triple of the meet Sunday, but Juan Gutierrez completed the first weekend of racing with a 5-4 edge over Mawing and Joe Crispin in the jockeys’ standings…Javier Matias rode two winners.
- Jockey Deborah Hoonan-Trujillo was taken to Valley Medical Center in Kent for precautionary reasons after being thrown off Polo Bender on the gallop out following Sunday’s seventh race. Hoonan-Trujillo was reported stable but suffered facial scrapes and contusions in the mishap.
- Trainer Frank Lucarelli saddled back-to-back winners in the second and third races—Touch of Elegance ($3.60 and U Can’t Tell Me No ($3.20).
- Jockey Joe Crispin was fined $100 by the stewards for failing to maintain a straight course on Hi and Goodbye in the eight race Saturday.
- For the second time in three days there were no double-digit winners ($2 win payoff of $10 or higher).
- Personality Kid at $8.60 in the sixth race was the highest-priced winner.
- On the 10-race card there were two Kentucky-bred winners, two California-bred winners, two Florida-bred winners and two Washington-bred winners. A Pennsylvania-bred and a British Columbia-bred rounded out the winning sire list.
- Racing resumes Friday with first post at 6 p.m…Emerald Downs is open for simulcast wagering Wednesday-Sunday, and the Quarter Chute Café offers simulcast wagering Mondays and Tuesdays.
