Risque’s Legacy would not be denied Sunday at Emerald Downs.
Turning the tables from three weeks ago, Risques’s Legacy shook off 1-to-5 favorite Alliford Bay past mid-stretch and held off Retreat Yourself and a flying Blazinbeauty for a one-length victory in the $50,000 Kent Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
With Rocco Bowen aboard at 119 pounds, Risque’s Legacy ran 6½ furlongs in 1:16.86 and paid $9, $5.20 and $4.40. Washington’s champion 2-year-old filly of 2016, Risque’s Legacy improved to 3-1-0 in four lifetime starts with earnings of $73,105. Tom Wenzel is the winning trainer for owner/breeder Karl Krieg of Oak Harbor, Wash.
Alliford Bay, unbeaten in two previous starts including a 3¼-length victory in the May 7 Seattle Stakes, weakened in the final furlong and finished sixth.
Breaking from the No. 1 post-position, Risque’s Legacy attacked Alliford Bay from the opening bell, setting fractions of :21.88 for the quarter-mile and :44.23 for the half, and the two fillies entered the lane head-and-head for the lead. This time, though, it was Risque’s Legacy emerging triumphant, opening a 1½-length advantage inside the eighth pole and saving enough juice to fend off Retreat Yourself from the inside and Blazinbeauty on the outside.
Retreat Yourself, ridden by Javier Matias at 119 lbs, finished second at odds of 32-to-1 and paid $16.80 and $11.40, while Blazinbeauty was third and paid $6.80 to show. Last year’s Gottstein Futurity winner, Blazinbeauty now has thirds in both 3-year-old fillies stakes this season.
Rounding out the order of finish were Sorceress Warning, Reginella, Alliford Bay, Daddyalwayssays and Irish Lass.
Bowen, the meet’s leading rider with 39 wins including three more on Sunday, was emotional following the race.
“These silks right here are where it all started,” said Bowen, pointing to the dark green and lime silks of owner Karl Krieg. “Karl and Tom gave me a chance on Makors Finale in the 2012 Emerald Downs Derby. It was very important for me.”
Substituting for an injured Gallyn Mitchell, Bowen and Makors Finale led gate-to-wire for a $13.40 upset in the Derby, proving the Barbados native was up to a big race assignment. In fact, Bowen and Wenzel are now a combined 15-for-46 in stakes at Emerald Downs – a 32.6 percent strike – including four with Makors Finale and eight with the great Stopshoppingdebbie.
The $50,000 Irish Day Stakes at one mile on Sunday, June 25 is next for 3-year-old fillies.
Notes
Risque’s Legacy and Retreat Yourself were the only two Washington-breds in the Kent Stakes. … 2015 Oregon Horse of the Year Its Allabout Jerry ($7.60) smoked through the lane to capture his season debut in race five under Leonel Camacho-Flores for trainer Rigoberto Velasquez. Itsallabout Jerry tagged Grand Palais and Trick Or Retreat in the final yards, running 6½ furlongs in 1:16.18 and improving to 8-for-28 lifetime with earnings of $107,770. … Trainer Joe Toye remained red-hot as Summer Harbor ($11.80) scored easily in Sunday’s fourth race, giving Toye three wins for the week and a 6-for-15 mark this season. Toye and jockey Rocco Bowen are a combined 14-for-58 here the last two seasons. … Although Alliford Bay missed in the Kent Stakes, owner Peter Redekop, trainer Blaine Wright and jockey Irving Orozco scored a race later with Golden Gate shipper Emmett Park ($10.60) in a $20,500 optional claimer for 3-year-olds and up. A 6-year-old Bob and John gelding, Emmett Park ran 6½ furlongs in 1:15.56 and is 9-for-36 lifetime. … Our Lucky Day ($65) posted the largest $2 win mutuel of the meet with a nose victory over Solar Heat in the ninth race nightcap. Ridden by apprentice David Martin for trainer Nick Lowe, Our Lucky Day was the knockout punch as the $0.50 Pick 5 returned $5,914. … Six of Sunday’s nine winners paid at least $10 to win. … The jockey/trainer combination of Eduardo Gutierrez-Sosa and trainer Hector Magallanes have won two of the first three Quarter Horses races this season, including an easy win by Spartin ($12.40) in Sunday’s first race. … Bowen’s three wins extended his lead to 39-21 over Kevin Orozco atop the jockeys’ standings. … Wright’s victory with Emmett Park moves him into a first place tie with Frank Lucarelli at 12-12 in the trainers’ standings. … Wenzel is now tied with Lucarelli for fifth place in all-time Emerald Downs’ stakes wins with 39 apiece. … Trainer Jeff Metz and owner Brett Brophy combined with 3-year-old gelding Ucanthankmelater ($9.40) to win Sunday’s third race at Santa Anita. … Live racing continues Monday with a 10-race program on Memorial Day. First post is 2 p.m.
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