Two fillies with bright futures lived up to the hype Sunday at Emerald Downs.
Goin to the Window and Blueberry Smoothie-both bred and co-owned by Northwest Farms-dominated the $50,000 Angie C. Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on the warmest day of the 56-day-old meeting.
Racing into the stretch as a team, Goin to the Window and Blueberry Smoothie vied for command through the stretch, with the former finally edging clear for a one-length victory in a stakes record 1:09.01 for six furlongs.
Ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 119 lbs, Goin to the Window paid $4, $2.20 and $2.10. A bay Kentucky-bred by Tapit-Queens Full, Goin to the Window is unbeaten in two starts with earnings of $37,043 for Northwest Farms and Debbie Paxton.
Blueberry Smoothie, with Leslie Mawing substituting for Gallyn Mitchell, was easily second best and paid $2.20 and $2.40. The daughter of Giant’s Causeway-Shampoo also was coming off a big maiden special weight victory and was the 7-to-5 second choice in the wagering.
Tom Wenzel trains both the winner and runner-up.
It was 10-½-lengths back to Valid Vixen Queen, ridden by Debbie Hoonan, and a $2.40 show payoff. A $5,000 supplemental nomination, Valid Vixen Queen earned $7,425 for finishing third to show a net profit for owner Joseph Nassif.
Supersymmetry, Song of Seattle and House of Hope completed the order of finish.
Mitchell sustained an apparent hand injury behind the starting gate and was replaced by Mawing on Blueberry Smoothie. The track’s all-time leader with 1,347 victories, Mitchell was taken to Auburn Regional Medical Center for X-rays.
Gutierrez, meanwhile, had clear sailing aboard Goin to the Window, justifying his decision to ride Goin to the Window rather than Blueberry Smoothie.
“I rode both (Goin to the Window and Blueberry Smoothie) in their first starts, so I knew they were both good fillies,” Gutierrez said. “It was a hard decision, but I had more confidence in Goin to the Window because she won her race easier.
“I didn’t have to ask her at all,” he added. “In this race, I wanted to sit behind the speed, but she pulled me right up to the front. I had to ask her a little bit in the lane because I knew (Blueberry Smoothie) wouldn’t quit. She’s a nice filly. ”
NOTES: The temperature reached a season-high 90 degrees Sunday at Emerald Downs*Trainer Dan Markle had his biggest day of the meet, saddling three winners on the nine-race card: Stevie Z ($4.80) in the third, Mysincircus ($5.80) in the sixth and Play for Double ($5.80) in the nightcap*Trainer Vince Gibson had consecutive wins with Buds a Flyin ($6.20) in the fourth and Gdanz Xpress ($20.80) in the fifth*Juan Gutierrez posted his 17th riding double and finished Week 17 with a 73-64 lead over Leslie Mawing in the jockeys’ standings*After riding at least one winner 20 straight days, Mawing blanked Saturday and Sunday and remains two wins shy of the 2,000 mark*Paulick Report editor Ray Paulick and wife Carol visited Emerald Downs for Sunday’s card*Kooky Saluki ($9.60) scored an impressive victory over Aaron the Baron in the $17,950 sub-feature for 3-year-olds and up at one mile. A 4-year-old Washington-bred gelding owned by KOMO-TV news anchor Dan Lewis and trained by Jim Penney, Kooky Saluki was clocked in a swift 1:34.63, and Lewis joked in the winner’s circle that he should have nominated the horse to the Longacres Mile*Nominations closed Sunday for the 77th Longacres Mile, and owners Theresa and Edward DeNike of Kent and trainer Keith Nations appear to be warming up for the event in great style as their Mile nominee Bailouttheminister worked seven furlongs in 1:26-4/5 at Golden Gate Fields. Later Sunday at Santa Rosa, Control Seeker, owned by the DeNikes and trained by Nations, scored a $16.80 surprise under former Emerald Downs rider Francisco Duran in the $50,000 Joseph T. Grace Handicap at 1-1/16 miles on turf. Two races earlier, Shudacudawudya ($6.80) stunned 9-to-10 favorite Ain’t No Other in the $50,000 Jess Jackson Owners’ Handicap at five furlongs on turf. Bailoutheminister defeated Shudacudawudya in the Sam J. Whiting Handicap last month at Pleasanton*Live racing resumes Thursday with first post 6 p.m. Weekend highlights feature the $65,000 Washington Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday, and the $65,000 Emerald Derby for 3-year-olds on Sunday. The 1-1/8 mile races are championship events in their respective divisions.
