Sippin Fire is simply super; gelding continues roll in Washington Cup

For the Reporter

Sippin Fire rolled to his fourth straight stakes victory Sunday at Emerald Downs, unleashing a powerful stretch run and scoring by 3½ lengths over Boundary Bay in the $50,000 Washington Cup Sophomore Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings.

Making a strong bid for 2018 Horse of the Meeting, Sippin Fire covered one mile in 1:35.89 and paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10. Regular rider Rocco Bowen was aboard at top weight of 124 pounds for trainer Steve Bullock and owner How We Roll#4, a syndicate composed of David Israel, Joe Withee, Al Adams, Charlie Clark, Angela Wilson and Steve Pilgrim.

With the victory, Sippin Fire became the 13th different horse to win four stakes in a season at Emerald Downs, and the first since Stryker Phd in 2015. To put the accomplishment in perspective, Riser with two stakes wins is the only other horse with multiple stakes wins this season at Emerald Downs.

And Sippin Fire’s season isn’t finished yet. The inaugural running of the $100,000 Getaway Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles awaits closing day, Sunday, Sept. 23.

“He’s on a roll, and hopefully he can do it again,” Bullock said amidst a jubilant winner’s circle.

Since beginning the season with a fifth in the Auburn Stakes, Sippin Fire has won, in order, the Coca-Cola Stakes, Seattle Slew Stakes, Muckleshoot Derby and Washington Cup Sophomore. The winning distances range 6½ furlongs in the Coca-Cola to 1 1/8 miles in the Muckleshoot Derby.

“There’s not much to say, he’s an amazing horse,” Bowen said. “I haven’t been this choked up since I rode Stopshoppingdebbie.”

Stopshoppingdebbie and Stryker Phd share the track record of eight stakes victories, and Sippin Fire is halfway to tying it.

A Washington-bred gelding by Harbor the Gold-Bahati, Sippin Fire is 6-1-0 in nine career starts with earnings of $156,038, including $26,950 for Sunday’s victory. His $108,150 earned at the 2018 meet rank second only to Barkley’s $144,475.

Boundary Bay edged Elliott Bay by a neck to finish second, and Boundary Bay now has three thirds and a second in four starts this season at Emerald Downs. Ridden by Aaron Gryder at 119 lbs, Boundary Bay paid $3.20 and $2.10.

Elliott Bay, with Jennifer Whitaker riding, finished third and paid $2.10, while Hey Sequoia, Bullet Drill and Sherm rounded out the order of finish,.

Harbor the Gold – the top stakes sire in track history with 61 stakes wins – swept the top three spots with Sippin Fire, Boundary Bay and Elliott Bay.

For Sippin Fire, the victory was never in doubt. Reserved just off the leaders as Boundary Bay led through a half-mile in :47.33, the winner rallied four-wide into the lane, and quickly opened a clear lead.

Dontkissntell prevails in Sophomore Filly Stakes

Dontkissntell held off Brilliant Bird through the stretch and scored a minor upset in the $50,000 Washington Cup Sophomore Filly Stakes.

Ridden by Eswan Flores at 118 pounds, Dontkissntell prevailed by three lengths and paid $7 and $2.40; there was no show wagering. Tom Wenzel is the winning trainer for owner Karl Krieg of Oak Harbor.

Hustled to the lead, Dontkissntell vied with Jupiter S. through fractions of :23.71 and :47.15, shook clear at the three-eighths pole, and held Brilliant Bird safe in the lane.

“The plan was to put her in the race early and hopefully get a fair pace,” Flores said. “She ran a great race today.”

A 3-year-old British Columbia-bred by Rosberg-Low Key Affair, Dontkissntell is 2-2-1 in six starts with earnings of $49,348. Sunday’s win was worth $28,280.

After beginning her career with three races at Turf Paradise, including a second in the Arizona Juvenile Filly, Dontkissntell is 2-1-0 in three starts at Emerald Downs.

Brilliant Bird, the 2 to 5 favorite, moved up to challenge the winner in the lane, but failed to close the margin late. Ridden by Javier Matias at 119 pounds, Brilliant Bird paid $2.10. A Washington-bred by Einstein-Clever Bird, she earned $10,250 and is 2-3-1 in seven starts with $46,987.

Spot On was 12¾ lengths back in third place, and Jupiter S. finished fourth. Angels o’ War was scratched earlier in the day.

Corona Be Gone scores upset in Bank of America chaLlenge

In the season’s biggest Quarter Horse race, Corona Be Gone registered a three-quarter-length victory over Kool Odds in the $30,000 Bank of America Emerald Championship Challenge Stakes.

With Lorenzo Lopez riding, Corona B Gone ran 440 yards in :22.32 and paid $37.20, $11.40 and $7.20. Hector Magallanes is the winning trainer for his father, Ruben Magallanes of Boardman, Ore.

With the victory, Corona B Gone earned a berth in the $250,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship on Nov. 17 at Los Alamitos.

A 3-year-old Oregon-bred by Favorite Cartel-Go Girl Gone, Corona B Gone earned $19,044 to boost his career total to $46,774. His overall record is 5-1-4 in 14 starts.

Koop Odds, a 15-1 shot ridden by Nikeela Black, finished second and paid $12 and $8.40, while Favorite Bling, a 31-1 bomber ridden by Jonathan Roman, finished third and paid $9.80.

Poutn On the Wagon finished fourth, followed by Mr Pyc to You, L Bar D Genuine Red, L Bar D Bonnie Lee, Tickle Ur Fancy, Mals First Down and For Sweet Jess.

Mr Pyc to You, the 6 to 5 favorite and winner of the 2017 Champion of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos never got untracked and finished fifth.

Notes

Sippin Fire’s full brother was the sales topper at $85,000 in last week’s WTBOA Summer Yearling Sale. … Washington Cup continues next Sunday with the $50,000 Juvenile Colts & Geldings and $50,000 Juvenile Fillies, both at 6½ furlongs. … One winning ticket paid $23,212 in the $0.20 Jackpot Pick 7. … Papa Mambo ($5.20) joined Curious Rumor and Ryan Walt as four-time winners at the meet with a gate-to-wire victory in 1:09.60 for six furlongs. Bowen has been up for all four wins on the 6-year-old Papa Clem mare. … Ididaride Solo ($5.60) changed tactics, rallying from far back under Leonel Camacho-Flores to prevail in the $25,000/$22,500 claimer for 3-year-olds and up. A 5-year-old Flatter gelding trained by Chris Stenslie for One Horse Will Do Corp., Griffin Place and Tina Saxwold, Ididaride Solo ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.27. … Trainer Jose Navarro was two for two Sunday with a pair of long shot winner s– Doctor Bruce S. ($31.40) and Guardingthemoney ($19). The geldings had been a combined 0 for 13 at the meet before Sunday. … Grand Palais ($7.80) won his third race of the meet, holding off Wine At Nine in a $10,000 claimer for 3-year-olds and up. The 6-year-old gelding ran six furlongs in 1:09.16 under Kevin Orozco for trainer Blaine Wright and owners John and Janene Maryanski. … Live racing resumes Friday with first post 6:30 p.m.