The consistent Cat On Base made a smooth transition into older horse company Saturday in the $14,800 Miller-Coors Purse at Emerald Downs.
With Gallyn Mitchell riding, Cat On Base led all the way for a 2 ¼-length victory over long shot Newfound Gold in 1minute, 3.67 for 5 ½ furlongs on a fast track. The winner paid $4, $2.80 and $2.10.
A 4-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Harbor the Gold-Vying Victor, Cat On Base maintained his streak of never finishing out of the money. He has compiled a 2-5-3 record in 10 starts with earnings of $40,515, including $8,140 for Saturday’s victory. Howard Belvoir is the trainer and co-owner with Rising Star Stable V.
Newfound Gold, ridden by Pedro Terrero, finished second and paid $6.40 and $3.40. Way too Much, Joe Crispin riding, rallied late for third place and paid $2.80.
Malibu Rum and Zagreus completed the order of finish.
Avram was a late scratch in the paddock; Wasserman—also trained by Howard Belvoir—was scratched and instead will run Sunday in the $21,000 allowance feature at six furlongs.
Cat On Base, breaking from the No. 4 post-position, sprinted to the early lead and set fractions of :21.92, :44.78 and :57.01. He shook off Malibu Rum into the lane, opened a 1 ½-length lead past mid-stretch, and held off Newfound Gold late.
“He’s a very honest horse, tries every time,” Belvoir said. “He’s a nice little horse.”
Belvoir had two wins on the eight-race card and leads the trainers’ standings with five wins. Mitchell, meanwhile, scored his second feature-race victory in as many days after guiding Noosa Beach to an impressive triumph Friday in the $50,000 George Royal Stakes at Hastings
Racecourse.
NOTES: Joe Crispin rode three winners and leads Leslie Mawing 8-7 in the jockeys’ standings…Jockey Matt Hagerty and trainer Vince Gibson combined for the biggest upset of the five-day-old meeting as Our Marshal Cahill paid $33.40 after a gate-to-wire score in the first race. It was the first victory of the season for both Hagerty and Gibson…Smoke Rise ($6.60) notched an impressive debut victory in the fifth race for jockey Joe Crispin and trainer Larry Wolf. The 4-year-old Florida-bred filly by Buddha ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:04.09…Second-place finisher Outing Mail was placed third for causing interference in the stretch run in the sixth race. Live racing continues Sunday with a
nine-race card at 2 p.m.
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
