Invested Prospect remains unbeaten, leads all the way in Seattle Stakes | Emerald Downs

Invested Prospect showed brilliant speed Sunday and scored a decisive 2½-length victory over B C Z Middleton in the $50,000 Seattle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Emerald Downs.

May 9, 2016 1:23 pm
Invested Prospect prevails in the $50
Invested Prospect prevails in the $50

For the Reporter

Invested Prospect showed brilliant speed Sunday and scored a decisive 2½-length victory over B C Z Middleton in the $50,000 Seattle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Emerald Downs.

Ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 120 pounds, Invested Prospect ran 6½ furlongs in 1:14.87 and paid $9, $5.40 and $3.80. Blaine Wright, continuing his amazing run at Emerald Downs, is the winning trainer for owners John and Janene Maryanski and Gail and Gerald Schneider.

Undefeated in three starts including two stakes wins, Invested Prospect earned $27,500 to increase her career total to $63,775. The Seattle was her first start since a victory in the Washington Cup last September, but Wright had her ready to roll off the eight-month layoff.

Breaking form the No. 1 post-position, Invested Prospect broke like a rocket, opening a three-length lead after a quarter-mile in :22.13 and a half in :44.12, effectively knocking the other speed horses on a merry chase. Invested Prospect kicked five lengths clear past mid stretch, running six furlongs in 1:08.36, and was never threatened.

“She’s always a little nervous in the gate but she got focused at the right time today and broke well,” said Gutierrez, No. 3 all-time with 59 stakes wins at Emerald Downs. “She went to the lead easy, just using her natural speed. I didn’t ask her on the turn. I was trying to save for the stretch. She’s a fast filly, a real nice filly.”

Wright, the meet’s leading trainer, was two-for-two Sunday and has 11 wins in only 19 starts at the meet – a sparkling 57.8 percent.

B C Z Middleton, the longest price on the board at 10-1, overcame a slow start to finish second and paid $9.20 and $5.60. Jose Zunino rode the runner-up at 119 pounds.

Find Joy, ridden by Isaias Enriquez, ran on well for third and paid $3.40 to show, followed by My Heart Goes On, Princess Kennedy, Jerre to Carrie and Aunt Maryann.

Invested Prospect – by Abraaj-No Constraints – was bred in Washington by Dunn Barr Ranch LLC.

Notes

Leslie Mawing rode three winners Sunday and leads Rocco Bowen 17-14 atop the jockeys’ standings. … Joe Steiner and Jose Zunino each rode two winners Sunday. … Gutierrez was handed a two-day suspension – Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15 – for causing interference aboard Dance With Effie in Saturday’s first race. … Trainer Mike Puhich’s streak of six straight days with a win ended Sunday. He nearly extended it, but Legion of Boom finished a close second in race six. … 10-year-old He’s All Heart ($8.80) scored career victory No. 12 in Sunday’s third race, racing gate-to-wire under Gutierrez for trainer Vince Gibson and owner Vic-Tory Stables IV. Winner of the 2011 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic, He’s All Heart improved to $138,335 in career earnings. … Classic Grand ($7.60) became the meet’s eighth double winner with a come-from-behind victory over Legion of Boom. A 5-year-old Matty G gelding, Classic Grand ran 6½ furlongs in 1:15.72 under Mawing for Wright and owner Wing Ho. … Trainer Rick Schmidt saddled his first Emerald Downs winner,Roman Boos ($19.80) tagging Where’s My Voucher to win Sunday’s eighth race. Schmidt’s previous 24 career wins came in Idaho. … Hats off to 92-year-old owner/trainer Arturo Arboleda on his first win of 2016 as Cats Gulch ($19.80) led gate-to-wire in Sunday’s opener. … Live racing resumes Friday with first post 6:30 p.m.