The exceptionally fast Clair Annette was never headed and romped to a 4 ¾-length victory in the $30,000 Hastings Park Handicap for fillies and mares Sunday at Emerald Downs.

With Joe Crispin riding at 116 pounds, Clair Annette ran six furlongs in 1:08 3/5 and paid $4.80, $2.60 and $2.60. The winning time equaled the stakes record set by Private Dreams in 2008 and tied Kruger Park for the fastest six furlongs at the meet.

It also was the first Emerald Downs stakes victory for Crispin, a 48-year-old South Dakota native and three-time leading rider at Portland Meadows.

Voted the Top Claimer after winning four straight races in 2008, Clair Annette has now finished first in six straight races, although she was disqualified in her previous start on April 26. In that allowance race, she took a sharp left turn shortly after the break and was moved from first to sixth place for interfering with several horses.

Clair Annette made no mistakes on Sunday. Breaking from the outside post, she rocketed to the lead at once and held a clear advantage while setting leisurely fractions of :22 1/5 and :45 for the half-mile. The winner entered the stretch with a two-length advantage on Elusive Horizon, and she drew off in the lane under hand urging by Crispin.

Elusive Horizon, with Juan Gutierrez riding at 119 pounds, gamely chased the winner from second place throughout the race, but last year’s Washington Oaks winner had to settle for the runner-up position on Sunday. Elusive Horizon paid $3 and $2.60.

It was 1 -½-lengths back to Judicature, ridden by Seth Martinez at 121 pounds, and a $4.80 show payoff. Enumclaw Girl was a nose back in fourth place, followed by Angie’s Top Dot, Eclatante and She’s All Silk

Trained by Connie Boslaugh for owner-breeder Nina Egbert of Enumclaw, Wash., Clair Annette has won seven of 14 career starts. The $16,500 first prize increased her earnings to $76,135.

A 6-year-old Washington-bred by Beau Genius, Clair Annette is the second oldest mare to win the Hastings Park Handicap. Fleet Pacific, a nine-time stakes winner at Emerald Downs, was a 7-year-old when she won the race in 2001.

Boslaugh said Clair Annette would be pointed to the $50,000 Washington State Legislators Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on June 7.

NOTES: Jockey Juan Gutierrez continued his torrid pace with yet another three-win day. He has 11 wins in the last four racing days with triples on Sunday, May 10, Friday, May 15 and Sunday, May 17…Trainer David Bennett had his first two-win day of the meet…If trainer Alan Bozell has a first-time starter in the early double, bet the horse. Saturday, Bozell won the opener with debutant Maker Happy ($51.40), and he repeated the feat in Sunday’s second with Fancy Gamble ($39)…Racing resumes Friday with first post at 6 p.m. The special four-day racing week includes holiday racing on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25.

Posted by Shawn Skager