Stopshoppingdebbie caps four-sweep with win in Washington Oaks | Emerald Downs

Using a different tactic than in her previous wins, Stopshoppingdebbie swept past stable mates Blueberry Smoothie and Goin to the Window and rolled to a three-length victory Saturday in the $65,000 Washington Oaks at Emerald Downs. The victory capped an unprecedented four-race sweep of the 3-year-old filly division at Emerald Downs and maintained Stopshoppingdebbie's unbeaten record at five-for-five.

August 11, 2013 12:27 pm
Stopshoppingdebbie pours it on and scores a three-length victory in the $65
Stopshoppingdebbie pours it on and scores a three-length victory in the $65

Using a different tactic than in her previous wins, Stopshoppingdebbie swept past stable mates Blueberry Smoothie and Goin to the Window and rolled to a three-length victory Saturday in the $65,000 Washington Oaks at Emerald Downs.

The victory capped an unprecedented four-race sweep of the 3-year-old filly division at Emerald Downs and maintained Stopshoppingdebbie’s unbeaten record at five-for-five.

Ridden by Rocco Bowen at 120 lbs, Stopshoppingdebbie ran 1 1/8 miles in 1 minute, 48.65 seconds and paid $2.80 and $2.10. Tom Wenzel is the trainer for owner/breeder Northwest Farms (Jerre Paxton).

A Kentucky-bred by Curlin-Taste the Passion, Stopshoppingdebbie earned $35,750 and pushed her career bankroll to $128,773. This season she won, in order, the Seattle Handicap, Irish Day Handicap, Kent Handicap and Washington Oaks – all at increasingly longer distances.

And once again, Northwest Farms also finished second and third, with Blueberry Smoothie taking runner-up honors and Goin to the Window edging Beautranda for third place. It was a slight variation on the previous three stakes, when Goin to the Window was second and Blueberry Smoothie finished third, but the end result was the same – a Northwest Farms/Wenzel sweep.

In fact, Northwest Farms earned $194,654 of the $215,000 purse money offered in the 3-year-old filly series, including $58,500 in the Oaks.

There was some suspense in the Oaks, especially when Stopshoppingdebbie eased back into third place, as Goin to the Window and Blueberry Smoothie led through fractions of :23.72, :48.30 and 1:11.99. But just when some might have wondered if things were going to plan, Stopshoppingdebbie stepped on the gas pedal into the lane, blew past her stable mates and coasted home a convincing winner.

“I knew she would fine coming from behind,” Bowen said of Stopshoppingdebbie. “She’s such a nice horse that you can place her anywhere. I used her up a little bit in the turn just to get her engaged with the leaders. I didn’t want those horses to get their confidence built up while they’re on the lead.

“People thought that because she only won by a nose last time that she’d get beat, but we proved them wrong today. Hands down, I think she can win from anywhere in the race. I feel very strongly that she could compete against the top fillies around the country.”

As to what’s next for the unbeaten filly, Wenzel said that decision rests with Paxton, and won’t be announced until later.

NOTES: Jockey David G. Lopez rode two winners on his 32nd birthday including a triumph aboard Sunpenny ($4) in the $20,000 WTBOA Sales Incentive Program Allowance for 2-year-old fillies. Trained by Frank Lucarelli for Z Thoroughbred Racing Partners III, Sunpenny (Good Reward-Cascade Corona) ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:04.39 and is 1-2-0 in three career starts… Lucarelli also had a double Saturday – his sixth of the season – and leads Jeff Metz 32-30 in the trainers’ standings… Metz had a one-two finish with Full Effect ($5.40) and Cavanagh Bay in race two*Second-time starter Fragrant Harbor ($4.20) romped in race three for 2-year-old fillies and was claimed for $25,000 by trainer Tim McCanna. Coincidentally, race three was named in honor of the Aaron Brooks Foundation and Follow Your Shot is the dam of Fragrant Harbor… The victory by Fragrant Harbor was trainer Doris Harwood’s sixth 2-year-old win of the meet; no other trainers have more than two… The amazing Buddy Dave ($8.60) notched his 13th Emerald Downs victory with a last-to-first rally under regular rider Leonel Camacho-Flores in race seven. Trained by Vince Gibson for Kingsport Syndicate #9, Buddy Dave ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.79… Jockey Jorge Rosales rode his first winner of the meet as Our Little Hen ($5.80) prevailed in race four for owner/trainer Jim Fergason… 10-year-old Fighting City Hall ($7.20) notched his third win of the meet and 12th career victory in Saturday’s seventh race for trainer Neil Knapp… Chromatose ($6.80) broke her maiden in career start No. 17 in Saturday’s 10th race, and capped a seven-win day for track announcer Robert Geller on emeralddowns.com… Live racing continues Sunday with first post 2 p.m. Race 10 is the $65,000 Emerald Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.