Jockey Gallyn Mitchell from Enumclaw celebrated his 47th birthday in style Saturday, riding heavy favorite No Flies On Doodle to a gate-to-wire victory in the $75,000 Washington Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at Emerald Downs.
At 1-1/8 mile, the Oaks is the meet’s championship event for 3-year-old fillies, and Mitchell and No Flies On Doodle took advantage of a favorable pace scenario for the neck victory over Point of Reference
Setting fractions of 24 2/5 seconds, 48 1/5 1:12 4/5 and 1:37, No Flies On Doodle covered the nine furlongs in 1:49 4/5 and paid $2.80 and $2.20.
On paper, No Flies On Doodle appeared to be the only speed in the race, and that’s the way the race played out.
“Vann said to let her speed do the work,” said Mitchell, the track’s all-time leader with 59 stakes wins. “I stole the race at the three-eighths pole when I snuck away and gave her a little breather. There was a lot of pressure on me because it was a short field and I didn’t want to over-ride her. This win meant a lot because it was on my birthday.”
Point of Reference gradually closed the gap, but came up a neck short and settled for second place. Ridden by Saul Arias, Point of Reference paid $2.60. It was a half-length back to Lucy Got Lucky in third place and Crocodile Tuff finished fourth and last.
A Washington-bred by Storm Blast, No Flies On Doodle has risen up the ranks in a hurry. A maiden when the meet began, she earned her diploma in a $12,500 claiming race on opening weekend, and subsequent efforts yielded a win and two seconds in allowance company followed by stakes scores in the Washington’s Lottery Handicap and Washington Oaks. Her overall mark is 4-2-0 in six starts with $91,225 in earnings.
No Flies On Doodle is owned and bred by Keith Swagerty (Swag Stables) of Enumclaw. Vann Belvoir, saddling his third stakes winner in the last month, is the trainer.
The victory tied Swag Stables with West Ridge Ranch for most single-season wins by an owner at 23.
Track notes:
• The resurgent Chickasaw Park ($4.60) won his third straight race, sneaking through inside under Ricky Frazier to prevail in the $32,000 optional claiming race at six furlongs. Trained by H. R. Pat Mullens for owner Ed Zenker, Chickasaw Park has 11 career wins and $165,336 in earnings.
• Snake Attack ($3) and Mister Licorice ($6.20) dead-heated for first in the $12,600 Longacres Mile Jockeys Reunion Purse. Former Mile jockeys on hand included Joe Baze, Merlin Volzke, Joe Steiner, Basil Frazier and Laffit Pincay Jr.
• So Whatabout ($5) reeled off his fourth straight victory in Saturday’s fifth race under apprentice Cassie Papineau. Trained by Jim Penney for Homestretch Farms, Inc., So Whatabout, a 4-year-old Washington-bred by Wagon Limit, has risen from restricted $4,000 claiming to open $10,000 company. Trainer Joe Toye claimed the gelding from Saturday’s race for owner Lawrence O’Brine…So Whatabout became the sixth four-time winner at the meet.
• Trainer Frank Lucarelli enjoyed a big day, winning the opener with Ohwhatablast ($7) and the ninth with Tony’s Legacy ($18.40). He also finished second with Point of Reference in the Oaks, a runner-up performance worth $15,000 to long-time Washington owners Ivor & Jack Jones.
• Washington-breds ran first and second in the Oaks.
• Jim Penney also saddled two winners and needs just two wins to become the fourth trainer in track history to win 450 races. Sunday, Penney looks to win his record sixth Longacres Mile with Michael and Amy Feurborn’s Gallon, who breaks from the rail and is 15-1 on the morning line.
• Sunday’s first post is 2 p.m. The 74th running of the $300,000 Longacres Mile (GIII) goes as race eight at 5:57 p.m. Gates open at 9 a.m. and the annual Railbird Rally begins at 9:30.
