Rallying from slightly off the pace, Rainier Ice earned a 2 ½-length victory Sunday in the $17,600 WTBOA Purse for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.
Now three-for-three when ridden by Gallyn Mitchell, Rainier Ice ran 6-½ furlongs in 1:15.91 on a fast track and paid $3.80, $2.60 and $2.40. Tom Wenzel is the trainer for owners Corey Kinder of Yakima, Mihai Tiru of Bellevue and Jerre Paxton of Yakima.
Bred in Kentucky by Paxton (Northwest Farms), Rainier Ice is two-for-two this season and three-for-four overall, with earnings of $25,620. By Forestry-Clear in the West, Rainier Ice raced for a claiming price in his first three starts, but was protected by allowance conditions Sunday.
Come Away Home, an 11-1 long shot ridden by Leslie Mawing, closed strongly in the stretch to finish second and paid $7.40 and $3.80. Marvin’s Magic, involved in an early pace duel, held third at odds of 22-1, and paid $8.80.
In his season debut May 20, Rainier Ice overcame a slow break to win a $25,000 claiming race by 6-¾ lengths, showing a new dimension in the process.
“Last race, when he got left, might have been a blessing in disguise,” Mitchell said. “It showed he could sit behind horses. He beat a really nice field of horses today.”
Gdanz Express, Jebrica, Advancement, Avalon Beach and Giuseppe G completed the order of finish.
Joe Crispin rode three winners on the nine-race card and Juan Gutierrez, Javier Matias and Pedro Terrero rode two winners each. Wenzel and Frank Lucarelli led the trainers with two wins apiece.
NOTES: Chu and I ($4.60) ridden by Juan Gutierrez won the meet’s first 2-year-old race in :51.19 for 4-½ furlongs. Jim Penney is the trainer for owner-breeder Michael Feuerborn.
Two days after the 10th anniversary of his first career start on June 3, 2001, 12-year-old West Seattle Boy finished fourth as the 2-1 second choice in the sixth race. The track’s career leader with 18 wins, West Seattle Boy’s overall record moved to 97-22-13-18, with earnings of $167,165 .
Through eight weeks of racing Mawing holds a 36-30 edge over both Crispin and Gutierrez in the Thoroughbred rider standings…And Howard Belvoir leads Vann Belvoir 18-16 in the Thoroughbred trainers standings.
Congratulations to owner Gordy Jarnig of Angle Lake, as his 4-year-old filly Upstairs Maid cruised to a gate-to-wire victory under Kevin Krigger in a $19,000 purse Sunday at Golden Gate Fields…And Carnival Candyman ($7.40) owned by Howard Hammer of Stanwood won the seventh at Golden Gate with William Antongeorgi riding for Frank Lucarelli…Live racing resumes Friday with the first “Fabulous Friday” of the meet at 6 p.m.
