Tag: Racing

Slew's Tiz Whiz and Alex Cruz both shined bright at Emerald Downs in 2023, both earning multiple awards and titles as the track wrapped up its 28th season of live racing Sunday.

Slew's Tiz Whiz was voted 2023 Horse of the Meeting, becoming the 18th Washington-bred to win the award and joining Stryker Phd (2014-15) and Noosa Beach (2010-11) as the only repeat winners of the season's top award. In addition, the 5-year-old Slew's Tiznow gelding took honors as Top Washington-bred, Top Older Horse, led the meet in earnings, $83,000, and tied Clovisconnection, Appeal Factor, Aloha Breeze, and Blazingbellablu for most stakes wins with two apiece.

Conditioned by Tom Wenzel, owned by Slew's Crew Racing, and ridden by Jose Zunino, Slew's Tiz Whiz won stakes short and long, winning the 6 ½ furlong Governor's and 1 1/16-mile Muckleshoot Tribal Classic, while adding a second in the six-furlong Budweiser and a third to Five Star General in the Longacres Mile to his impressive resume.

Alex Cruz accomplished Emerald Downs history, becoming the first jockey to win four straight titles at the Auburn track—riding 69 winners in 52 days while finishing 14 clear of runner-up Luis Negron. In fact, the 29-year-old native of Puerto Rico became the first rider in state history with four consecutive titles at the same track, eclipsing Rocco Bowen (Emerald Downs 2016-18), Gary Boulanger (Longacres 1989-91), Gary Baze (Longacres 1973-75), and Robert Howg (Yakima Meadows (1975-77).

Cruz was also first in earnings, $1,016,128, and the only jockey to win five races on a card (Aug. 6) and was voted the Lindy Award for sportsmanship and accomplishment by his fellow riders.

In the trainers' ranks, Justin Evans enjoyed a tremendous first season, capturing the title with 49 wins and finishing 18 clear of Blaine Wright and 19 ahead of defending titlist Jorge Rosales. Evans also finished first in earnings ($558,850), was the meet's leading owner (21 wins), and became the first trainer to sweep titles at Turf Paradise and Emerald Downs in the same year.

Clovisconnection turned in dazzling efforts in the Auburn Stakes (6F/1:07.59) and Irish Day Stakes (6 ½ F/1:14.73) and took honors as the meet's Top 3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding and Top Sprinter for trainer Blaine Wright and owner/breeder William Hedrick.

In addition to Slew's Tiz Whiz, Wenzel conditioned a pair of champions for owner George Todaro. Aloha Breeze rattled off three brilliant sprint victories including daylight scores in the Seattle Stakes and Kent Stakes and was voted Top 3-Year-Old Filly. Miner League closed out his juvenile season with two straight wins for Wenzel, Todaro, and jockey Carlos Montalvo, rolling from off the pace to prevail in the Gottstein Futurity on closing day.

Blazingbellablu was a study in consistency, posting a 2-2-0 record in four starts, including wins in the Hastings Stakes and Washington Cup Filly & Mare Stakes, and is the Top Older Filly or Mare for trainer Charles Essex and Petra Lewin.

Oak Crest Farm homebred Appeal Factor dazzled in two starts for trainer David Martinez—sweeping the Angie C Stakes and WTBOA Lassies Stakes—and was unanimously voted Top 2-Year-Old Filly.

Dirt Road Red, the meet's only five-time winner, was voted Top Claimer, and the $150,000 Longacres Mile won by Five Star General was Race of the Meeting.

Harbor the Gold, for the 11th time in 13 years, was Leading Sire and is No. 1 all-time with 493 wins at Emerald Downs.

The post Slew’s Tiz Whiz Earns Second Straight Horse Of The Meeting Title At Emerald Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Gentry Farm's Accomplished Girl recorded her first graded stakes score in front-running fashion by winning Monday's $300,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters (Grade 2) by three-quarters of a length.

Jockey Edgard Zayas shipped in from Florida to ride Accomplished Girl for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. The duo completed 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.29.

The fleet-footed Accomplished Girl broke on top in the Presque Isle Downs Masters and comfortably completed an opening quarter-mile in :23.30 while staying uncontested on the front end. Following a half-mile of :45.99, Accomplished Girl turned for home in front and was briefly joined on her outside by heavy favorite Loyalty. In the final eighth of a mile, late-running Midnight Stroll and Marissa's Lady began to find their best run but were unable to go by Accomplished Girl.

“She was amazing today,” Zayas said. “She broke out of there running. As soon as she got to the lead, her ears went up and was great the rest of the way. She kept digging in late when the fillies started to come to her. I think the easier first quarter-mile helped her late.”

Accomplished Girl banked $180,000 for her victory in the Presque Isle Downs Masters. Her overall record now stands at a solid 6-3-1-0 with overall purse earnings of $286,225.

Here is the complete order of finish (with $2 mutuel payouts):

1. Accomplished Girl ($12.40, $5.60, $5)

2. Midnight Stroll (X, $5.60, $5)

3. Marissa's Lady (X, X, $3.60)

4. Loyalty

5. Jill Jitterbug

6. Sweet Amy

Accomplished Girl is a 3-year-old daughter of Street Boss out of the Twirling Candy mare Dazzle. She was bred in Kentucky by Jack Swain III.

John Bourke's Goodie Goomer made a late surge at the rail to pull a shocking 27-1 upset victory in Monday's $150,000 Presque Isle Downs Mile.

Ridden by Angel Stanley, Goodie Goomer was the longest shot in the field of six colts and geldings. He completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.70.

Franz Josef set a mild early tempo in the Presque Isle Downs Mile. He and jockey Gaddiel Martinez were relatively uncontested during the opening quarter-mile of :24.93. Goodie Goomer sat fourth in the early stages and stayed on the inside part of the track. Following a half-mile in a comfortable :50.15, the positions remained relatively unchanged and the field was only separated by about four lengths. As the field turned for home, Goodie Goomer found a small opening to the inside of Franz Josef as he battled with He's a Mess who ranged up to his outside. While those three horses battled one another, heavily favored Carrothers was attempting to get on-track after trailing the field up the backside and making a five-wide sweep at the head of the lane. In deep stretch, Goodie Goomer continued his charge at the rail and surged past Franz Josef and He's a Mess for a half-length victory. He's a Mess finished a scant nose in front of pace-setting Franz Josef to complete the exacta.

This was Goodie Goomer's first lifetime stakes victory. The 5-year-old gelded son of Verrazano now improved his overall mark to 23-7-4-7 with earnings of $253,805.

Here is the complete order of finish for the Presque Isle Downs Mile (with $2 mutel payouts):

1. Goodie Goomer ($57.80, $19.40, $9.20)

2. He's a Mess (X, $6, $4.80)

3. Franz Josef (X, X, $7)

4. Hush of a Storm

5. Carrothers

6. Can'tstealmythunder

For more information about racing and gaming from Presque Isle Downs, visit www.presqueisledowns.com.

The post Accomplished Girl Goes Gate-To-Wire In Presque Isle Downs Masters; Goodie Goomer Upsets Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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