He’s Not Bluffin wins Friday feature | Emerald Downs

Owners Ron and Rosalie Warren appear to have an up and coming 3-year-old at Emerald Downs.

Owners Ron and Rosalie Warren appear to have an up and coming 3-year-old at Emerald Downs.

He’s Not Bluffin, trained by Jim Penney and owned by the Warrens, dominated the $14,800 Ashbaugh Beal Purse for 3-year-olds Friday night, romping home by five lengths in 1:15.25 for 6 ½ furlongs.

Ridden by Eliska Kubinova, He’s Not Bluffin paid $4, $3 and $2.60 as the heavy betting favorite. A 3-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Raise the Bluff-Winning View, He’s Not Bluffin has a 2-1-1 record in six career starts with earnings of $29,156.

In his only start as a 2-year-old, He’s Not Bluffin was beaten a nose in the Slewdledo Stakes, just missing the gate-to-wire victory in the final stride. The gelding has won two-of-five starts this year, and also finished a close fourth in the Auburn Handicap and gives his Olympia owners a great one-two punch with 5-year-old gelding Jebrica. The track’s top 3-year-old of 2011, Jebrica finished third in the Mt. Rainier Handicap last Sunday and appears headed to the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) on Sunday, August 18.

He’s Not Bluffin also could be headed back to stakes company, as Kubinova said in the Winner’s Circle, “He’s a beautiful and classy horse.”

Scat Daddybabby, ridden by Juan Gutierrez, held second place and paid $5.80 and $3.80. The Scat Daddy gelding, with pressure from Star of the Dia led through fractions of :21.79 and :44.16, and was overtaken by He’s Not Bluffin past mid stretch.

Star of the Dia finished third, paid $3.80, and was followed by Songandabullet, Southern Solution, Risky Road, Master’s Bluff and My Boy Butch.

NOTES: Isaias Enriquez was blanked Friday but leads Gutierrez 64-63 in the jockeys’ standings. Gutierrez had one win Friday and apparently escaped injury when his mount Merry Sherry reared up in the starting gate prior to race seven. Merry Sherry was a late scratch, and Exclusive Queen rallied for the $17.80 victory and gave trainer Greg Moore his first win of the meet. The victory helped create a $0.50 Pick 5 carryover of $5,956 to Saturday’s Races 6-10*Come Away Home ($6.80) ran the fastest 6-½ furlongs of the season, 1:14.36, while edging Tapadero by a neck in race five for older $15,000 claimers. A 5-year-old Seattle Shamus gelding, Come Away Home was claimed for $10,000 by Penney and owner Where we At on July 3*Friday’s two-win night was the second straight training double for Penney, No. 4 all-time with 585 wins at Emerald Downs*Buddy Dave ($5.40) rallied from last and scored his 12th career win at Emerald Downs in race two*With Leonel Camacho-Flores riding for trainer Vince Gibson and owner Kingsport Syndicate #9, Buddy Dave ran one mile in 1:35.59*Jockey Nathan Chaves and trainer Marcie Riley combined for their third win of the meet as Real Premium ($13.60) prevailed in race three, running six furlongs in 1:10.58. All of the Chaves/Riley winners*Rorke’s Drift ($45), Peekaboot Postette ($20.20) and Real Premium*have paid double-digits*Speaking of big win prices, Hip Hop City ($57.80) led gate-to-wire in race four while scoring the meet’s sixth winner that paid $50 or more. Congrats to trainer and co-owner Howard Gibson*Live racing continues Saturday with first post 2:15 p.m. Jade Road is the 2-to-1 morning line favorite in the featured eighth race for 3-year-olds and up at one mile*At Santa Rosa, owner Theresa & Edward DeNike of Kent send out 5-to-2 morning line favorite Sweet Tess in the $50,000 Wine Country Stakes for 3-year-old fillies*Del Mar offers the $200,000 San Diego Handicap (G2) at 1 1/16 miles with Paynter the 9-to-5 morning line favorite.