Awhitesportscoat collared Cody’s Choice in the final strides for a three-quarter-length victory in the $18,500 Budweiser Purse for 3-year-olds and up Sunday at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Kevin Orozco, the winner ran 5½ furlongs in 1:03.48 and paid $7, $3.80 and $2.60 as the betting favorite. Blaine Wright is the winning trainer for owner Peter Redekop – the same duo that will send out Anothertwistafate in the $1,500,000 Preakness Stakes on May 18 in Baltimore.
Awhitesportscoat rallied wide into the lane and gradually wore down Cody’s Choice for the victory, the first in three 2019 starts year for the 5-year-old gelding. A Florida-bred by Tapit, Awhitesportscoat has an overall record of 4-3-3 in 18 starts with earnings of $93,441, including $10,175 for Sunday’s triumph.
Cody’s Choice overtook Capital Expense into the lane and drew 1½ lengths clear past mid-stretch, but could not resist Awhitesportscoat in the closing yards. Ridden by Javier Matias, Cody’s Choice paid $4.80 and $3.40.
Elliott Bay rallied from the clouds and finished third, a head behind Cody’s Choice. Ridden by Jennifer Whitaker, the 2017 Gottstein Futurity winner paid $4 to show. Hit the Beach, co-favorite at 5-2, closed ground late and finished fourth, while Golden Cowboy, Grinder Sparksaglo, Capital Expense and Freiburg completed the order of finish.
Capital Expense set fractions of :21.61 and :44.59 before giving way to Cody’s Choice.
Notes
Awhitesportscoat was favored by only $131 over Hit the Beach in the wagering-$11,247 to $11,116. … In Sunday’s $18,500 maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up, Washington-bred Lansky rolled to a mammoth $64.60 upset to become the 14th different Emerald Downs’ winner produced by broodmare Peaceful Wings. Owned by Casa Loma Stable, trained by Kay Cooper and ridden by Heribert Martinez, Lansky (Atta Boy Roy-Peaceful Wings) ran 5½ furlongs in 1:03.83. A 27-year-old daughter of Halo owned by Rick and Debbie Pabst, Peaceful Wings produced the following Emerald Downs’ winners: Jade Green, Thumbsupfredrick, Freedom in Flight, O for Heavens Sake, Wings of Justice, So Whatabout, Peaceful Reign, Angel’s Keep, Jebrica, Wild Wings, Mebossman, The Boss Is Back, Atta Boy Dougie and Lansky. … Sunday was a big day for Cooper and the Pabsts (Blue Ribbon Racing). They finished first and second with Fortune’s Freude ($37.40) and Spot On in race six, a $15,000 claimer for older fillies and mares. Fortune’s Freude (Freud-Private Fortune) and Spot On (Nationhood-Sudden Departure) are both Blue Ribbon homebreds. …
Jockey Juan Gutierrez made it back to the winner’s circle for the first time in 21 months Sunday, riding a pair of winners for trainer Candice Cryderman and owner John Parker – first-time starter Timberlake Gage ($21.60) in race two and Docktarri ($14) in the ninth race finale. Gutierrez, 49, missed the entire 2018 meet with a shoulder injury and is No. 2 all-time with 1,322 wins at Emerald Downs. Gutierrez is 97 wins from tying Gallyn Mitchell’s track record 1,419 wins. … Sunday’s $0.50 Pick 5 paid a track record $29,739.60 to one winning ticket, breaking the mark of $28,317 set on September 23, 2018. … Trainer Darlene Braden scored her first Emerald Downs’ victory in Sunday’s first race with Bobby Magic ($19.20) romping by 4¼ lengths under Jorge Carreno. … Martinez and Kevin Orozco also rode two winners each Sunday. Orozco’s older brother, Irving Orozco, rode Irish Heatwave ($7.60) to a narrow victory in the $100,000 Silky Sullivan Stakes for 3-year-olds at Golden Gate. … For Martinez, they were his first two wins at Emerald Downs. … Live racing resumes Saturday with first post 2 p.m. on Kentucky Derby Day.
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