Mr. Mad Max collared the leaders past mid-stretch and edged away from betting favorite Dress Code late for a half-length victory Thursday in the $11,900 Ashbaugh Beal Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
With regular rider Deborah Hoonan-Trujillo aboard, Mr. Mad Max ran 1-1/16 miles in 1:44.42 on a fast track, and paid $25.60, $9.20 and $5.80. The winner, owned by Sue and Tim Spooner of Olympia and trained by Dan Markle, was the longest shot on the board.
For Mr. Mad Max, it was his third feature race victory of the season—all at different distances. The 4-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Tribunal out of Tempered Dawn has a 4-4-2 record in 22 starts lifetime with earnings of $48,591.
Dress Code, the 9-to-5 favorite ridden by Leslie Mawing, held second place and paid $4.80 and $3. Ugottabcatty, ridden by Pedro Terrero, was 3-½ lengths back in third place and paid $3.60.
Overtime Victory, Big Daddy’s Vision, One Quick Brew and He’s Flyin Home completed the order of finish.
NOTES: Hoonan-Trujillo was taken to Valley General Hospital for observation after going down hard in a spill in the stretch run of the eighth-race finale. Miss Jo Lynn, ridden by Trujillo, broke a leg and went down inside the one-sixteenth pole, throwing Hoonan-Trujillo to the ground where she lay motionless for over a minute. She was strapped into a stretcher by paramedics, but was observed moving her arms and legs and was taken via ambulance to the hospital. Hoonan-Trujillo, 44, is having her best season at Emerald Downs. She ranks fourth with 59 wins and is on pace to top her season-high of 68 wins set in 2005.
Touch of Elegance ($3.20) romped under Leslie Mawing in the sixth race to join Untilifindyou as the only five-time winners at the meeting. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Olmodavor won opening weekend for a $2,500 claiming price, and subsequent scores were twice for $10,000 claiming and twice for a $7,500 tag including Thursday’s easy four-length victory. Frank Lucarelli, second in the standings with 34 wins, is the trainer for owners Chris Randall and Nick Rossi.
Courtney’s Prize, owned by Wally Thompson’s Crystal Ridge Farm and trained by Vann Belvoir, triumphed by a nose in Thursday’s fifth race at Del Mar for $32,000 maiden-claiming 2-year-old fillies. Runner-up twice this summer at Emerald Downs, Courtney’s Prize paid $11.60…Live racing continues Friday with first post at 6 p.m.
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