Praise a Native justified the players’ confidence Friday night at Emerald Downs.
The prohibitive 3-to-5 betting choice, Praise a Native took the lead on the turn and romped home an eight-length winner in the featured Griffin Place Purse for 3-year-olds that had never won two races. Ridden by Gallyn Mitchell, Praise a Native ran six furlongs in 1:10.36 on a fast track and paid $3.20, $2.40 and $2.20. Jim Penny is the trainer for owners Tom and Sharon McCann.
Snake Attack spoiled a possible brother-to-brother exacta Thursday rallying past the dueling siblings Chaching Pete and Highdleburg for a ¾-length victory in the $8,700 Ashbaugh Beal Purse at Emerald Downs.
The carpet was pulled from beneath Mike Karney's feet Wednesday afternoon.
Karney, a 1999 Kentwood High graduate and current NFL free agent, flew from his Arizona home Tuesday to meet with the Seattle Seahawks. The 5-foot-11, 260-pound fullback had every intention of signing with his hometown team shortly after passing a physical.
The offer Karney was seeking, the one both he and his agent expected, however, never materialized.
"I was hoping it was going to happen," Karney said by phone Thursday night. "I got a call early in the morning Tuesday by my agent, who told me that a situation came up (in Seattle) where I could go there, take a physical and sign. I was told to pack for training camp and head up. I took the first flight out (Tuesday) and thought that as long as I passed my physical that a deal was going to get done."
Chu and I, winner of the fastest 4 ½ furlongs at the meeting in 51.19 seconds, and D’honorable One, winner of the fastest five furlongs at the meet in :56.66, will face off Sunday in the $50,000 Premio Esmeralda Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings at six furlongs.
Matt Hague is keeping things in perspective.
For someone in Hague’s shoes, however, that might seem like a tall order. After all, the former Kentwood High baseball star is on the cusp of reaching the pinnacle of his craft.
An injury here or a slump there, and Hague will find himself playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, which are currently contending for a playoff berth for the first time since the early 1990s.
Yet, the corner infielder who is currently playing for the Indianapolis Indians, Pittsburgh’s Triple-A affiliate, is too busy focusing on the present to spend much time wondering what the near future very well might hold.
“I figure it will take care of itself,” said Hague, a 2004 Kentwood High graduate who has played primarily first base for the Indians, but also has spent time at third base, as well. “I am hoping I get some time (in the majors) this year. I have a chance to go up. Really, we will have to wait and see.
The Kent Little League Major All-Stars team won five consecutive loser-out games at the state tournament in Vancouver before losing to North Bothell in the championship game Saturday.
ShoWare Shootout 3-on-3 Basketball | Slide Show
Trainer Tom Wenzel pulled another rabbit out of his hat Sunday afternoon at Emerald Downs.
Saddling his ninth feature race winner of the meeting to go along with one stakes victory, Wenzel brought Absolute Cool off a two-month freshening for a 1-½-length victory in the $17,600 Cascade Coffee Purse for 3-year-olds and up.
Hayjax sprinted clear early and held off 4-to-5 betting favorite Showme Yourfriends for a 1-½ length victory Saturday in the $17,600 AAA Washington Purse for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.
For the second consecutive year, starting July 1, the T-Birds encouraged fans to send the team photos of them wearing T-Birds jerseys, hats and t-shirts during their summer travels. If fans are going on a summer vacation to a unique location, they can take a photo wearing T-Birds gear and send it to the team.
Hoofprintsintime rallied from last place and scored a neck victory over Stellar Blue in Friday’s feature race for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.
The final race on Friday evening’s program at Emerald Downs was cancelled for precautionary reasons due to a lighting failure.
Tasya took the early lead and turned aside Stolen Forum late for a 4-½ length victory Thursday in the $8,700 Ashbaugh Beal Purse for 3-year-old fillies at Emerald Downs.
Trainer Chris Stenslie made a surprising move Wednesday entering Showme Yourfriends in an allowance race for Saturday, opting not to start the Auburn Handicap winner in the $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby on Aug. 14.
Alex Barth had a simple objective last year for his 3-on-3 team at the first-ever ShoWare Shootout — have fun.
With the second-annual ShoWare Shootout slated for July 30-31, the stakes — and the roster — have raised considerably this summer for the 2009 Kentridge High graduate. Instead of fun, Barth wants to win.
And he wants to win it all. This year.
The Kent/Chinook Little League Senior All-Star team came back through the losers' bracket to win the state baseball tournament at Brannan Park in Auburn.
Noosa Beach etched his name into the record books Sunday at Emerald Downs with a hard-earned half-length victory over Winning Machine in the $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap.
Carrying a record 126 pounds, the 5-year-old Washington-bred ran one mile and one-sixteenth in 1 minute, 41.13 seconds on a fast track and paid $2.60, $2.10 and $2.10. Gallyn Mitchell had riding honors for trainer Doris Harwood and owner Jeff Harwood of Kent.
Kent All-Stars | Slide Show
Kent/ Chinook Little League Senior All-Stars | Slide Show
Scott McGuire always has been able to avoid being doused after big wins.
McGuire, the coach of the Kent Little League Major All-Stars, wasn't quite as quick Friday night at GSA Park in Auburn after the championship game of the District 10 tournament.
The local stars continued to wield powerful bats, collecting 13 hits en route to a 15-5 throttling of Auburn for the title.
