For the Reporter

Star of the Dia kicked clear late for a 1½-length victory Friday in the $18,800 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.

Under regular rider Leslie Mawing, Star of the Dia ran six furlongs in 1:09.33 on a sloppy track and paid $6.60, $3 and $3. Frank Lucarelli – notching his third win on the card – is the trainer for owners Chris Randall and Nick Rossi.

A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred by Seeking the Dia, Star of the Dia has won two straight and has three wins at the meet – all for a $22,500 claiming price. His overall record is 7-10-7 in 32 starts with earnings of $106,004, including $10,340 for Friday’s victory.

Perfect Night, ridden by Jennifer Whitaker, rallied inside for second and paid $3.40 and $2.60. Illumination Road, ridden by Rocco Bowen, rallied from last to finish third and paid $4.80 to show.

Gross Misconduct, who dueled with Star of the Dia through fractions of :21.74 and :44.29, finished fourth, and Orito finished last.

Notes

Friday’s sloppy track was only the fourth off-track at the 70-day meet that concludes Sunday. … Lucarelli was three-for-three Friday, scoring wins with Bounced ($4.80) in race one, Cowboy Gold ($6.80) in race four and Star of the Dia in the feature. …Jeff Metz had one win Friday, Neville ($7.60) in race two, and leads the meet with 63 wins. He needs three wins in the final two days to tie Tim McCanna’s single-season record of 66 wins set in 2008. Metz has a whopping 10 horses entered Saturday and three Sunday. . .Mawing and Juan Gutierrez had two wins each Friday. … Leading rider Julien Couton notched his 97th win of the meet Friday, guiding Victor Victorian ($7) to a gate-to-wire victory in race five. … Trainer Alan Bozell has won with his last three starters including a victory by Mz Dyno ($7.60) in Friday’s third race. … Live racing continues Saturday with an 11-race card at 2 p.m.

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