Say Say blew past Sweet Saga into the lane and held off Jaz Unlimited for a 3 1/4-length victory Friday in the featured NWCCA Fall Extravaganza Purse for fillies and mares at rainy Emerald Downs.
With Javier Matias riding, Say Say ran one mile in 1:36.54 on a wet-fast track and paid $10.40, $2.40 and $2.10. Howard Belvoir is the trainer for owner Sauci Belvoir.
The $2 win price ballooned to double-digits, as a $5,000 win wager came off Say Say as the horses loaded into the starting gate.
Jaz Unlimited, ridden by Debbie Hoonan, rallied into contention and appeared a threat to the winner in mid-stretch, but Say Say held sway for the victory. Jaz Unlimited paid $2.40 and $2.10.
Sweet Saga, ridden by Isaias Enriquez, led to the quarter-pole but weakened late and finished third. Sweet Saga paid $2.60. Lumen Took It and House of Hope completed the order of finish. Inquiry Miss was scratched and is re-entered in Saturday’s seventh race.
A 3-year-old Washington-bred by Private Gold-Knight Weave, Say Say finished runner-up to Madame Pele in the Washington Cup on September 8, her first local start this year after four races in California. Her overall record is 3-1-0 in eight starts with earnings of $38,353, including $5,486 for Friday’s win.
NOTES: Trainers Howard Belvoir and Robbie Baze saddled two winners each on the seven-race card*Frank Lucarelli (0-for-1) and Jeff Metz (0-for-2 with two seconds) remain tied atop the trainers’ standings with 38 wins apiece*Enriquez was winless and remains two behind Juan Gutierrez, 96-94, in the jockeys’ race. Gutierrez is sidelined this week with a concussion*Trainer Rigoberto Velasquez is on a 10-for-18 roll and, after a 1-for-24 start, is up to 25 percent wins for the meet. The latest triumph was a gate-to-wire score by War Wizard ($14.80) in Friday’s fourth, as the 4-year-old gelding zipped 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.58 under Ronald Richard*Joe Toye won a six-way shake for Southern Influence in race four. The 3-year-old gelding finished fourth after a slow start, and is 3-1-0 in five starts at the meet*Heavy rain began to fall just as the horses came on the track for the first race, and the track surface was changed to wet-fast for race two*Live racing continues Saturday with first post 2 p.m.
