Dontkissntell delivered another sharp performance Saturday at Emerald Downs, romping by eight lengths in the $18,500 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for fillies and mares.
Ridden by Ryan Barber, Dontkissntell ran 5½ furlongs in 1:02.54 and paid $5.40, $3.60 and $2.80 as the betting favorite. Tom Wenzel is the winning trainer for Darlyne and Karl Krieg of Oak Harbor, Wash.
Hustled to the lead, Dontkissntell set fractions of :22.14, :45.31 and :56.62 en route to victory and improving to 3-2-0 in five career starts at Emerald Downs.
A 4-year-old British Columbia-bred filly by Rosberg, Dontkissntell finished the 2018 Emerald Downs’ season on fire, scoring by three lengths in the Washington Cup Sophomore Fillies Stakes before taking second vs. older runners in the Washington Cup Filly and Mare. Her overall mark is 3-3-1 in 10 starts with earnings of $68,983, including $10,175 for Saturday’s victory.
McDove, ridden by Heribert Martinez, chased the winner from gate to wire and held on well to finish second, returning $6 and $4. It marked the 2019 debut for the 6-year-old mare, a double winner here last year.
Jerre to Carrie, ridden by Kevin Orozco, finished third and paid $3, while Gazing, Guardian One Afleet Hope and Glitter and Gold completed the order of finish. Beau Rocks was scratched and entered back in Sunday’s sixth race.
For the well-traveled Barber, the victory aboard Donkissntell was his first win at Emerald Downs since 1999.
The first stakes for older fillies and mares is the $50,000 Hastings Stakes at six furlongs on Monday, May 27.
Notes
Trainer Blaine Wright enjoyed another big day, capturing the $75,000 Lost in the Fog Stakes at Golden Gate with Peter Redekop’s Anyportinastorm ($4), a 5-year-old by City Zip that ran six furlongs in 1:08.80 under Juan Hernandez. And at Emerald Downs, Wright won an $18,500 maiden special weight for 3-year-old colts & geldings with Todd and Shawn Hansen’s Perfect Dude ($9.60), a Washington-bred by Majesticperfection-Gadget Queen that ran five furlongs in :57.17 under Franklin Ceballos to edge first-time starter Kincaid Park. Incidentally, Gadget Queen, also owned by the Hansens, gave Wright hi first Emerald Downs’ stakes victory in the 2008 Belle Roberts Stakes. … Trainer Arturo Arboleda was honored with a special cake in honor of his 95th birthday between the third and fourth races Saturday. Arboleda, who has 55 career wins at Emerald Downs, is the oldest active trainer in North America. … Sue and Tim Spooner’s Ima Happy Cat finished runner-up in the $75,000 Camilla Urso for older fillies and mares on turf at Golden Gate. S Y Sky prevailed as the 3-5 favorite while Ima Happy Cat held off Claudia Mae and Alliford Bay for second. … Owner Roz Barclay also had a big day, finishing second with Algenon at 40-1 in the Lost in the Fog at Golden Gate and taking the nightcap with Early Morn ($9.80) at Emerald Downs. … Stay In Grace rallied under Jose Zunino for a $69.80 upset in Saturday’s third race for $5,000 claiming fillies and mares. Trained by Linda Northam and co-owned by Northam and Wayne Williams, Stay In Grace posted the biggest $2 win price since This Great Nation scored at 48-1 in the WTBOA Lads Stakes last August. … Trainer Valentin Picho Garcia collected his first Emerald Downs win when Rox The Fox ($38) rallied to win race four under Kevin Orozco. Garcia has been assistant trainer to Robbie Baze the last several years. … Saturday’s early $0.50 Pick Four paid $12,038 to one winning ticket, fourth largest payout for a $0.50 Pick Four at Emerald Downs. The record on a $0.50 Pick 4 is $16,892 on July 10, 2016. … Live racing continues Sunday with first post 2 p.m.
