Barkley takes win picture in Emerald Express | Emerald Downs
Published 11:49 pm Sunday, July 19, 2015
As expected, the $50,000 Emerald Express for 2-year-old colts and geldings developed into a virtual match race, with even-money favorite Barkley out-finishing 6-to-5 Gold Rush Dancer for a half-length victory in 1:11.04 for six furlongs.
Ridden by Javier Matias at 120 pounds, Barkley paid $4, $2.60 and $2.10.
Gold Rush Dancer, ridden by Julien Couton, finished second and paid $2.40 and $2.10. It was 6 ½ lengths back to third-place finisher Wando Cat, followed by Packy’s Out and Ryan Walt.
Barkley sat third as Gold Rush Dancer and Ryan Walt dueled through fractions of :22.19 and :45.50 for the quarter and half-mile. The winner attacked from the outside, collaring Gold Rush Dancer at the head of the stretch, and proved best in a long stretch battle.
Unbeaten in two starts, Barkley earned $27,500 for the win, pushing his career ledger to 2-2-0-0-$38,775. Howard Belvoir is the winning trainer and co-owner with Rising Star Stable III, a syndicate led by Vicki Potter of Auburn.
A Kentucky-bred by Munnings-Numero d’Oro, Barkley cost $21,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Belvoir now has a record five wins in the Emerald Express—including four straight from 2003-06—and is 4-0-1 in five 2-year-old races at the meet.
Matias, up for both of Barkley’s wins, is No. 7 all-time with 22 stakes wins at Emerald Downs.
NOTES: Mawing had a great weekend, notching riding triples Saturday and Sunday including stakes wins on Belle Hill in the Irish Day Handicap and Stryker Phd in the Mt. Rainier Handicap. . .With 40 days in the books, Julien Couton leads the jockeys’ standings with 57 wins, with Mawing and Juan Gutierrez tied for second at 45 wins apiece. . .In the trainers’ standings, Jeff Metz owns a 32-20 lead over Frank Lucarelli, with Howard Belvoir third with 19 wins. . .Montelena($38.80) scored her 10th career win at Emerald Downs, rallying for a neck victory over The Gang and I in Sunday’s sixth race. A 7-year-old mare by Spinelessjellyfinish, Montelena has six wins the last two seasons for trainer Martin Pimentel. . .Chaching Pete ($6.60) also has a winning spirit at Emerald Downs, rolling to his 12th win here and 15thlifetime victory in race seven for older $5,000 claimers. An 8-year-old Petersburg gelding, Chaching Pete now has four multiple win seasons at Emerald Downs. . .Live racing resumes Friday with first post 6:45 p.m.
