With a brazen display of speed Papa's Golden Boy blitzed a star-studded field of older horses by 4 ¾ lengths Sunday while defending his title in the $50,000 Budweiser Stakes at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Wash.
With Kevin Radke riding at 120 lbs, Papa's Golden Boy zipped six furlongs in a meet fastest 1:07.76 and paid $7.60 as the second betting choice in a field of 10. Vince Gibson is the trainer for Lusk Racing of Puyallup, Wash.
For Papa's Golden Boy, it was his third stakes win overall and almost identical to his 2021 Budweiser victory, in which he ran six furlongs in 1:07.71.
Breaking from the far outside in a 10-horse field, Papa's Golden Boy sprinted clear at once and opened a three-length lead while setting blazing fractions of :21.29, and :43.32, entered the stretch with a commanding four-length lead on Top Executive and was unchallenged to the wire.
“I've ridden a lot of horses and (Papa's Golden Boy) is one of the fastest, at least in the top two,” Radke said.
A 6-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Harbor the Gold, Papa's Golden Boy is 7-3-0 in 20 starts with earnings of $161,096, including $27,500 for Sunday's win.
Top Executive, a slight favorite in the wagering over Papa's Golden Boy, chased the winner from second place throughout the race and held second place. Ridden by Alex Cruz at high weight of 122 lbs, Top Executive returned $4 and $3.20.
Five Star General, with Leslie Mawing aboard at 121 lbs., was a neck back in third and paid $5.80 to show.
Slew's Tiz Whiz rallied for fourth, followed by Fantastic Day, Spittin Image, Windribbon, Torpedo Away, Anyportinastorm, and Coastal Jazz.
The $50,000 Governor's Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs is next for 3-year-old colts and geldings on Sunday, July 24.
In the $50,000 Hastings Stakes for older fillies and mares, California invader Maybe I Will outfinished 2021 Washington Horse of the Year Blazingbellablu and scored a neck victory in 1:08.38 for six furlongs.
With Kevin Orozco riding at 120 lbs. for trainer Blaine Wright and owner/breeder Tom Bachman, Maybe I Will paid $12, $6, and $4.40 as fourth betting choice in a field of seven.
Maybe I Will pressed the pace outside of Ima Happy Cat and Daffodil Sweet through a half-mile in :44.21, took the lead into the lane, and then outfinished Blazingbellablu in an extended drive to the wire.
Blazingbellablu rallied into contention inside and just missed scoring a victory in her season debut for trainer/co-owner Charles Essex. Ridden by Alex Cruz at 119 lbs., Blazingbellablu paid $5.20 and $3.20.
Daffodil Sweet, the 9 to 5 favorite ridden by Juan Gutierrez at high weight of 123 lbs., was a half-length back in third and paid $2.60.
Dontkissntell, Ima Happy Cat, Ms Lynn, and Brilliant Bird rounded out the order of finish.
Ima Happy Cat, a two-time Hastings Stakes winner bidding for her fourth Emerald Downs stakes triumph overall, weakened slightly after leading the opening half-mile.
A 4-year-old California-bred filly by Will Take Charge, Maybe I Will earned $27,500 to boost her career total to $125,326. Her overall record is 4-1-1 from 12 starts including three wins over the synthetic Tapeta surface at Golden Gate Fields.
Wright already has three stakes wins this season and jumped into fourth place on the track's all-time list with 49 stakes wins.
The $50,000 Washington State Legislators Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs is next for older fillies and mares on Sunday, July 24.
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