Malibu Rum three-for-three in Friday feature | Emerald Downs

Malibu Rum made it three-for-three this season and six-for-10 lifetime with a come-from-behind four-length victory Friday in the $12,100 SMACNA Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.

Malibu Rum made it three-for-three this season and six-for-10 lifetime with a come-from-behind four-length victory Friday in the $12,100 SMACNA Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.

Ridden by Debbie Hoonan, Malibu Rum ran six furlongs in 1:08.48 on a sloppy track and paid $5.80, $4 and $3.20. Dan Markle is the trainer for owners Sue and Tim Spooner of Olympia, Wash.

Ugottabcatty, a 13-to-1 long shot ridden by Gallyn Mitchell, held second and paid $9.80 and $3.60. It was two lengths back to Rezar, ridden by Javier Matias, and a $6.20 show payoff.

Davos, Untilifindyou, Vegas Flyer and Goggles McCoy completed the order of finish.

Last early as Goggles McCoy led Untilifindyou through fractions of :22.33 and :44.84, Malibu Rum rallied wide through the turn, gained the lead past mid-stretch and drew off late.

A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Kela, Malibu Rum is only the seventh triple winner at the meet, and the $6,655 winner’s share bumped his earnings to $39,053 for the Spooners, who rank No. 3 all-time with 145 wins at Emerald Downs.

NOTES: Trainer David Martinez, former assistant to Vann Belvoir, picked up his first Emerald Downs win as Miss Magnability ($4.60) prevailed in the third race*William Antongeorgi rode three straight winners in races two through four, and is now tied for second place in the jockeys’ standings with apprentice Eliska Kubinova and Leonel Camacho-Flores. They all have 31 wins, five behind Juan Gutierrez*Kubinova rode two winners on the seven-race card…In the trainers’ race, Tim McCanna won the opener with Don’t Be Bugging Me ($7), Frank Lucarelli took the second with Bear Creek Road ($3.60), and there is a three-way tie for first between McCanna, Lucarelli and Howard Belvoir at 19 wins apiece*Live racing continues Saturday with a 10-race card at 2:15 p.m. The featured $17,100 ninth race includes 2011 Auburn Handicap winner Showme Yourfriends facing Go With Gusto, a 7-year-old gelding aiming for his fourth straight victory at the meet.