Lake Piru continued her impressive season Friday with a 3 3/4-length victory over Five Alarm Charm in the $10,500 Washington Management Company Purse for 3-year-old fillies at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Anne Sanguinetti, Lake Piru ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:04.35 on a fast track, and paid $4.40, $2.60 and $2.40. Jeff Metz*en route to a second straight title*is the winning trainer for owner Paul K. Girdner.
Five Alarm Charm, an 11-to-1 long shot ridden by Javier Matias, rallied inside to snatch second place and paid $4.80 and $5.
Tricky Person, ridden by Juan Gutierrez, held third and paid $3.80 to show. Zafari Nation, Sometimes a Lady and Ms. Parker completed the order of finish.
Lake Piru, a California-bred daughter of Salt Lake, has fared well since arriving here in July, compiling a 2-0-1 record in four starts including a 14-to-1 upset on August 16. Her overall record, including stints in California, Arizona and Idaho, is 5-0-2 in 12 starts with earnings of $35,052.
The 47-year-old Metz, meanwhile, has pretty much sewn up a second straight Emerald Downs’ training title. With two wins Friday, Metz leads Frank Lucarelli 48-38 with only eight days left in the meet.
NOTES: Fighting City Hall ($17.40) led gate-to-wire in Friday’s seventh race as the 11-year-old gelding became the oldest winner at the meet. A California-bred by Smart Strike, Fighting City Hall won his career debut at Santa Anita on January 15, 2006. . .Seven different jockeys won races including leading rider Leslie Mawing, who won race four on Shoer Hugh ($6.80) for his 92nd win of the meet. . .Rocco Bowen, second with 64 wins, also had a win Fridayaboard Mz Dyno ($4.40) in race five. . .Live racing continues Saturday with an eight-race card at 2:15 p.m. . . The final Emerald AM of 2014 is 9-11 a.m. Saturday on the track apron, including free coffee & snacks, free official program and free admission to Saturday’s live racing. Former riding great and current Emerald Downs steward Gary Baze is the featured guest with hosts Robert Geller and Jacob Pollowitz.
