For Gallyn Mitchell, it was another one of those weekends.
Last Saturday, Mitchell rode five winners on the 10-race card at Emerald Downs — his second five-bagger of the season. One of those victorious rides, aboard News Alert in the sixth race, gave trainer Tim McCanna his 56th victory of the meeting at the track, a new single-season trainer’s record for wins.
Then on Sunday, Mitchell persevered down the stretch run to capture the $75,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes aboard Cherokee Echo.
Mitchell and Cherokee Echo eked out a half-length victory over Carrie Cat in the one-mile Shinpoch race for 2-year-old fillies. Cherokee Echo went the distance in 1:37 2/5 on a fast track and paid $19.40, $7.20 and $4. Bud Klokstad trains the winner for owners Billie Klokstad of Maple Valley and Art McFadden of Portland.
“At the three-eighths pole, I asked her for some run,” Mitchell said. “I didn’t think we could catch Carrie Cat and was just running for second. We just had a little racing luck today.”
Mitchell, with 55 stakes wins, and Klokstad, with 42, are Emerald Downs’ all-time leading stakes winning jockey and trainer. It was the third stakes win of the season for Mitchell and the first for Klokstad.
Carrie Cat, ridden by Seth Martinez, swerved out suddenly past mid-stretch and lost what appeared to be a certain victory. By the time she recovered, it was too late and Cherokee Echo had claimed the win. Carrie Cat paid $3.40 and $3.
It was 1¼ lengths back to All the Rage, with Leslie Mawing riding, and a $3.40 show payoff. Eyes On the Prize, Super Dixie and Le Weaver completed the order of finish.
Super Dixie, the 4-to-5 betting favorite, ran off to a long early lead, setting torrid fractions of :22 1/5, :45 and 1:10 3/5. But she paid the price late, sputtering home some six lengths behind the winner.
A Kentucky-bred by Cherokee Run, Cherokee Echo made amends for a seventh-place finish as the 6-to-5 betting favorite in Angie C Stakes on July 13. In that one, Cherokee Echo was reluctant to load and fractious in the gate.
Cherokee Echo has a 2-0-0 record from three starts and $47,300 in purses. She earned $37,125 for the Shinpoch victory.
McCanna’s record-breaking victory was in gate-to-wire fashion in a $3,500 claiming event on Saturday. Mitchell and News Alert won the race by 1¼ lengths, paying $4.80.
McCanna is the all-time leading trainer at Emerald Downs with 635 victories heading into Monday’s Labor Day card (results unavailable). With a 22-win lead over Doris Harwood, the 45-year-old Spokane native is well on his way to winning his eighth training title in the track’s 13-year history
“The horses are running well, and I’ve got an exceptional crew,” McCanna said. “They make it easy.”
McCanna, who had 55 wins in 2000 and 2003, tied his own record when first-time starter Especially Capable ($10.40) scored a 4¼-length victory in Saturday’s fourth race.
Gallant Son takes Lads
Gallant Son angled out for racing room in midstretch and rallied strongly for a three-quarter length victory Saturday in the 27th running of the $50,000 WTBA Lads Stakes for 2-year-olds
The benefit of a ground-saving ride from jockey Leslie Mawing, Gallant Son ran one mile in 1:37 1/5 on a fast track and paid $7.60, $4.80 and $3.20. Frank Lucarelli is the trainer for owners Chris and Dianna Randall of Bellevue.
A Kentucky-bred colt by Malabar Gold, Gallant Son has won three of four starts and is the first double stakes winning juvenile at the meeting. The $27,225 winner’s share increased his earnings to $63,538.
Rooster City, a $5,000 supplemental nomination, gained the lead into the stretch, but was unable to resist the winner late. Ridden by Ricky Frazier, Rooster City paid $6.40 and $4.80.
It was 1¼-lengths back to Noosa Beach, ridden by Juan Gutierrez, and a $6.40 show payoff.
Zagreus, the lukewarm 5-to-2 betting favorite, was ranked early and finished sixth in the eight-horse field.
