Strategic Patience overcame a slow start and was up in the final strides to edge Clemens Brook for a neck victory Monday in the $10,500 feature race for older fillies and mares at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by Debbie Hoonan, Strategic Patience ran six furlongs in 1:10.70 on a sloppy track and paid $6.80, $3.40 and $2.60. It was a fitting Memorial Day victory by the 8-year-old mare*owned and trained by 88-year-old Don Munger, a World War 2 veteran who served in the Marines and fought in the battle of Iwo Jima.
A Munger homebred by Detox-One Spoiled Brat, Strategic Patience has seven wins the last four years at Emerald Downs, earning $53,931 and a ton of respect from Munger.
“She runs her heart out for us,” Munger said. “She’s as honest as the day is long.”
Clemens Brook, ridden by Eliska Kubinova, drew two lengths clear into the lane, setting fractions of :21.58 and :44.71, but was caught late by Strategic Patience. Clemens Brook paid $4.20 and $2.80.
White River, ridden by Leonel Camacho-Flores, was 3 ½ lengths back in third place, and paid $3.20 to show.
Bartab, Dream Caller and High Caliber completed the order of finish.
NOTES: Juan Gutierrez rode two more winners and had nine wins in the four-day race week. He increased his lead to 33-22 over Isaias Enriquez, who had a second straight winless day*Eliska Kubinova and Ronald Richard also rode two winners each. Kubinova nearly won three straight, scoring on Birdie Girl ($4.60) in the sixth and Bleu Tarp ($16) in the seventh, and then just missing the win on Clemens Brook in the eighth*Bill Tollett led the trainers with two wins, and son David Tollett saddled Clemens Brook to the runner-up finish in the feature*Owner Dean Mazzuca (Two Putts for the Win Stable) had a pair of wins Sunday as Power Fleet ($4.60) scored in the opener for trainer Vince Gibson, and Bid for Pride ($10.80) prevailed in race five for trainer Valerie Gibson*Power Fleet became the 14th horse with two wins at the meeting*Defending champion Hudson Landing finished second to Summer Hit ($4.60) in the $100,000 All American Handicap (G3) at Golden Gate Fields. Trained by Blaine Wright, Hudson Landing won the 2012 Mt. Rainier Handicap at Emerald Downs and finished ninth in the Longacres Mile. Administer, also trained by Wright, finished third in the All-American Handicap. Incidentally, Summer Hit has a local connection, as her dam*Mia F Eighteen*raced 32 times at Emerald Downs and also produced Starbird Road, winner of 12 races and four stakes at Emerald
Downs*Live racing resumes Friday with first post 6:45 p.m.
