The 9-year-old Mr. Makah proved age is just a number Thursday with a 1-1/4 length victory in the $10,400 Stanislaw Ashbaugh feature for older horses Thursday at Emerald Downs.
With Gallyn Mitchell in the irons for owners Friendship Stable and Frank McDonald, Mr. Makah finished the one mile in 1 minute, 37-3/5 seconds and paid $6.20, $4.20, and $2.40. The dark bay son of Majesterian who placed third in the 2004 Longacres Mile, has not won a race since 2005.
Pirate’s Deputy, under Jose Contreras, finished second and paid $6.80 and $4.60. The 5-year-old gelding just edged out Tarage to hold place.
Tarage, with Juan Gutierrez, who has hit the board in his last four races, finished third and paid $3.00. Platinum Katillac, Tymaker, and Escalante completed the field. Eternal Wind scratched earlier in the day.
Mr. Makah, conditioned by Bonnie Jenne, broke sharply and led from the gate to the quarter-mile pole, but then quickly dropped back to fourth. At the top of the stretch, he reached Tarage and Pirate’s Deputy and stormed away for a clear victory.
Track Notes:
• Silver Mench ran second in the first race, but was disqualified and placed third behind Hit the Juice after causing interference in the stretch.
• Leading rider, Ricky Frazier, who hit the 100-win benchmark Sunday, notched two more victories for a total of 104 wins on the season. Jose Zunino also had a solid 2-win day, including a nose victory aboard longshot Little Blast ($29.60).
• Jockey Juan Gutierrez continued his winning ways riding with a victory aboard Stormin Fast ($5.40). He now has won nine out of his last 18 races.
• Big payday in the exotics as the early pick four paid $2,601.10 and the late pick four paid $2,571.30.
• Two-time stakes winner Noosa Beach will be the high weight at 119 pounds for Sunday’s $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap for 3-year-old colts and geldings. His stablemate and Tacoma Handicap victor, Winning Machine, will be weighted at 118.
