Leroi Victor posted the biggest upset of the season Friday night the in the featured CTS International Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
Tequila Gold won the battle and the war Thursday night at Emerald Downs.
The Harbor the Gold gelding put away Newfound Gold into the stretch and then held off Stormin’ Patrick late for a five-length victory in the $12,100 Ashbaugh Beal Purse for 3-year-olds.
No longer under the radar, Koala Beach will attempt to capture his second straight stakes race Sunday in the $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap at 1 1/16 mile.
He received a second chance on the baseball diamond.
And it could have killed him.
Instead, it saved Ryan Voelkel’s life.
Things are coming together quite nicely for Kentwood product Matt Hague, who was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 9th round of the 2008 draft.
Hague, who was moved from third base to first base shortly after getting drafted, is playing for Pittsburgh’s Double-A affiliate, the Altoona Curve of the Eastern League.
Couldabenthewhisky romped in the $30,000 Strong Ruler Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings and first-time starter Carrabelle Harbor prevailed in the $30,000 Knights Choice Stakes for 2-year-old fillies in Sunday’s stakes double-header for Washington-bred juveniles at Emerald Downs.
The top four finishers from last month’s Pepsi-Cola Handicap, Koala Beach, Posse Power, Newfound Man and Silk Street, are all nominated to the Seattle Slew Handicap on Sunday, July 25.
Chickasaw Park was back in familiar territory Friday evening at Emerald Downs.
That would be the winner’s circle, where the 8-year-old gelding ventured for the 12th time in a remarkable career that includes a win and two seconds in the last three runnings of the Chinook Pass Sprint.
With leading rider Ricky Frazier aboard, Chickasaw Park turned back Honour the West and posted a half-length victory in the $10,000 Griffin Place Purse for older horses at Emerald Downs. It was 1 ¼-lengths back to Ernie Owl, the 2-to-5 betting favorite, who settled for third-place in the field of five older horses.
Runaway Speed took the early lead and never looked back en route to a 9 ¾-length victory Thursday in the $12,100 Ashbaugh Beal Purse for 3-year-old fillies at Emerald Downs.
The 2-year-olds kick into high gear Sunday with a pair of stake races at Emerald Downs. In race six, colts and geldings meet in the $30,000 NWSS Strong Ruler Stakes at 5 ½ furlongs. And in race eight, fillies get their turn in the $30,000 NWSS Knights Choice Stakes, also at 5 ½ furlongs.
Aiesha Goodlow got redemption.
It has been a little more than a month since the recent Kentwood High graduate just missed qualifying for the Class 4A state track and field meet in the 100 hurdles. Goodlow, however, received a second chance of sorts during the Nike Track Nationals, which was held from July 1-4 at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene.
They received steady pitching, and delivered air-tight defense, too.
The Kent/Auburn 10-11 All-Star fastpitch team also came through with clutch at-bats. Combine the three and the Kent/Auburn Stars were able to put together a flawless District 10 tournament last month at Federal Ways National Complex, winning three straight games to come home with the championship.
Summer started just in time for the 23rd Annual Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, just minutes from downtown Covington, when qualifying began Friday afternoon.
Assessment is back.
The 2009 Horse of the Meeting issued that statement Sunday with a hard-earned neck victory over 1-to-2 betting favorite Noosa Beach in the 71st running of the $50,000 Governor’s Handicap at Emerald Downs.
In the $50,000 Washington’s Lottery Handicap for 3-year-old fillies, Rewritten collared 8-to-5 favorite Sis’s Sis in the deep stretch for a 1 ½-length victory.
Noble Juan, who had shown some ability in previous starts, was almost completely overlooked Saturday in the $15,100 American Horse Transportation Purse at Emerald Downs.
Cliff’s Secret, who debuted against rock-bottom maiden claimers two months ago, continued her rapid rise Friday at Emerald Downs with a smashing 5 ¾-length victory in the $13,100 Abbott Party Purse for older fillies and mares.
Trainer Howard Belvoir has had great success the last few years in the Governor’s Handicap, a trend he hopes to continue Sunday in the venerable stakes with both Assessment and Wasserman.
Wasserman won the Governor’s in 2007 and 2008, and Assessment and Wasserman finished second and third last year as Atta Boy Roy won the 2009 Governor’s in 1:14 1/5 for 6 ½ furlongs.
Trainer Tim McCanna and jockey Kevin Krigger somehow managed to be hotter than the 94-degree weather Thursday at Emerald Downs.
McCanna tied a state record by saddling five winners while Krigger set a career-high by riding five winners. Together, they combined to win the third, fourth, fifth and seventh races.
They were down, but far from out.
The Kent Little League Senior All-Stars got off on the wrong foot June 30, losing to Soundview/Steel Lake 16-1 in a third-round game of the District 10 tournament at Auburn’s Brannan Park.
Luckily for the Kent team, which ranges in age from 14-16, a second chance quickly followed.
Joe Baze, a patriarch of the Baze racing dynasty, heads the 2010 class voted into the Washington Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame.
Baze, trainer Bill McMeans, breeder Les Turner and Biggs were all voted into the Hall of Fame by a panel composed of the WTOBA, HBPA, Emerald Downs and the media.
