Disruption turned in a sensational comeback performance Saturday at Emerald Downs.
Off since sustaining a knee injury in the 2013 Auburn Handicap over a year ago, the 4-year-old Florida-bred colt notched a powerful 1 ¼-length victory over I Keep Saying in the $21,000 feature race for 3-year-olds and up.
Ridden by Eliska Kubinova, Disruption ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:14.14 and paid $14.80, $4.20 and $3.20. Monique Snowden is the winning trainer for owner Heidi Nelson of Bothell, Wash.
Disruption set fractions of :21.54, :43.36 and 1:07.58, and then turned back a strong challenge from 3-to-5 favorite I Keep Saying for the victory.
Snowden, who took over training duties of Disruption last winter, was elated in the Winners Circle.
Im just thankful in Heidi putting her trust in me to train this horse, Snowden said.
By Street Boss-Disrupt, Disruption is 3-3-0 in seven starts with $67,830 in lifetime earnings including $11,550 for Saturdays triumph.
I Keep Saying, ridden by Juan Gutierrez, finished second and paid $2.60 and $2.20. It was one length back to Country Rules, ridden by Jose Zunino, and a $2.80 show payoff.
Winning Machine and My Chief completed the order of finish. Dogleg Left, Somewhere With You and Rockys Quest were scratched and are all entered back Sunday.
NOTES: Seeking the Light ($22.40) notched an impressive debut victory under jockey Felipe Valdez for trainer Blaine Wright and owners John and Janene Maryanski. A 2-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Heatseeker, Seeking the Light ran 4 ½ furlongs in :50.88. . .Find Your Spot ($4) continued to roll with a 1 ½-length victory under Juan Gutierrez in a $18,900 allowance race for 3-year-old fillies. Trained by Jim Penney and owned by Where We At, Find Your Spot ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:14.93, and the Nationhood filly has scored consecutive victories at Golden Gate, Santa Anita and Emerald Downs. . .Stikine Slough ($10.80) defeated heavily-favored Cantcatchme in an $18,900 allowance/optional claimer for 3-year-olds, covering the six furlongs in 1:08.74 under Rocco Bowen for trainer Chris Stenslie and owners One Horse Will Do Corporation and Scott and Tina Saxwold. . .Valdez and David G. Lopez rode two winners each while Wright led the trainers with two wins. . .Live racing continues Sunday with the 19th running of the $50,000 Budweiser Handicap for 3-year-old and up. At one mile, the Budweiser is an important steppingstone to the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) on August 24. California invader Hudson Landing is a lukewarm 7-to-2 morning line favorite in a 10-horse field. First post is 2:15 p.m.
