Midda’s Gold Touch and Calysponoted put on another memorable stretch battle, as Midda’s Gold Touch once again narrowly beat the three year old filly, this time to win the $15,000 Lethal Grande Spring Championship.   Sent off as the 4/5 favorite, Midda’s Gold Touch broke beautifully early on, but jockey Luis Torres elected to grab a hold and let the inside runners, including second choice Calypsonoted, go out and set the pace.

“I really wanted to listen to the trainer’s instructions, and they wanted me to sit just off the pace,” said Torres.  “But he just broke so good and fast, but he relaxed and I really wanted to keep an eye on what Calypsonoted was doing down on the inside.”

Torres came four wide with Midda’s Gold Touch and as they came into the stretch, Midda’s Gold Touch and Calypsonoted hooked up once again.  She dug in and they were nose and nose for the last furlong, with Midda’s Gold Touch eventually getting up to win by a head.  Calypsonoted was second ahead of Promiscuous Lad who finished up in third.

Torres was also victorious in the final race on the afternoon as he guided Jack The Pirate to a eighteen and one quarter length victory in the $15,000 Oregon His Stakes.  Sent off as the heavy favorite, Jack The Pirate stayed back early on, but once Torres asked his runner, he flew past all his rivals and drew away down the lane to a huge win.  Two Socks overcame nearly blowing the first turn to get up for second while Van Glorious was third.

Jet Set Kitten got her second consecutive stakes win to start her career as she drew off down the lane to win the $15,000 Janet Wineberg Stakes by nine and three quarter lengths.  Jet Set Kitten and Eliska Kubinova went right to the front and opened up a near three length lead as they went to the turn.  Into the stretch Kubinova gave her a tap of the whip with her right hand, and she immediately shifted in a few lanes.

“When I hit her she ducked in sharp,” said Kubinova.  “I knew she was erratic in her first start so I was holding on tight the whole way.  But she’s really classy so it worked out just fine.”

Maddie’s Gold also added a second stakes victory to his ledger, as the two year old won the $15,000 Bill Wineberg Stakes by five and three quarter lengths.  Maddie’s Gold was making his Portland Meadows debut in the Wineberg and stalked from third early on as Nosetodagrindstone went out to set the early fractions.  First time starter Stoney River came up and grabbed the lead at the three eighths pole, but Maddie’s Gold and Luis Torres had already started their march at the lead.  Maddie’s Gold took command at the top of the stretch and edged clear late.  Stoney River stayed on well for second and was nine lengths ahead of Softstar who finished third.

In the $28,500 Baxter Andruss Futurity for Quarter Horses it was Thinkin of Girls who was an impressive winner in the trials and followed that up with a big win in the final.  Sent off as the 4/5 choice, Thinkin of Girls was bumped at the start as literally almost every horse had bumping from one side or another early on.  But Kain De la Cruz found his way to the lead early on and stayed there as Thinkin of Girls won by half a length.  Cm Undertainfluence finished up in second with Sneakin Tr grabbing the show dough.