Dare Me Devil spoiled the long-awaited return of Scat Daddybaby Sunday, earning his second win in a row in the $22,575 allowance feature for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
Tracking a fast pace set by Scat Daddybaby, the 6-year-old Washington-bred gelding reached his rival in the final yards, prevailing by a neck over the even-money favorite.
Ridden by the red-hot David G. Lopez, Dare Me Devil ran the meet’s second fastest 6 ½ furlongs, 1:13.64, and paid $12.20, $5.20 and $3.00. Rigoberto Velasquez is the winning trainer for Rancho Viejo and Jerry Carmody.
Apparently 6 ½ furlongs is Dare Me Devil’s new favorite distance as the son of Devil On Ice started the season 0-for-4, running twice at six furlongs and one mile, but has bounced back with two straight victories at 6 ½.
“He’s at the top of his game,” Carmody said. “We loved him today.”
Dare Me Devil improved his record to 10-8-7 in 36 starts with $93,227 in earnings.
Even-money favorite Scat Daddybaby, out of action since sustaining a bruised foot following an allowance win on April 20, set blistering fractions of :21.54, :43.38 and 1:07.25 and dug in gamely to finish second.
With Gallyn Mitchell aboard, the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding paid $2.40 and $2.20. It was another five lengths to Hard Slider and jockey Juan Gutierrez who paid $3.40 to show.
Why Not Be Perfect and Chu and I completed the order of finish, while Dontmesswithkitten scratched earlier in the day.
NOTES: After riding four winners last Sunday including Ethan’s Baby in the Angie C Stakes, Lopez rode three winners this Sunday topped by the feature race aboard Dare Me Devil. . .Jose Zunino had his second straight two-win day including a triumph aboard the steady Poly Squat ($3.60) in race six. A 5-year-old Raise the Bluff mare trained by Chris Stenslie and owned by One Horse Will Do Corp. and Dr. Mike Konecny, Poly Squat is 3-2-1 in nine starts at the meet. . .Trainer Jim Fergason saddled his first winner of the meet as Harbor Design ($19) denied runner-up Charlie Gold his fifth win of the meet in the eighth race. . .Leslie Mawing and Rocco Bowen each rode a winner Sunday as Mawing maintained a 14-win cushion, 66-52, over Bowen atop the standings. . .Mawing’s win on Anitewithyou gave Jeff Metz a 42-31 lead over Frank Lucarelli in the trainers’ standings. . .Washington-bred Dallon’s Gold, winner of the 2013 Cahill Road Stakes at Emerald Downs, scored a 14-to-1 upset in a $20,000 claiming race Sunday at Del Mar. A Private Gold gelding bred by Ron and Nina Hagen, Dallon’s Gold is 4-for-9 lifetime. . .Live racing resumes Friday with first post 6:45 p.m.
