Newfound Man simply would not be denied Sunday in the $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.

With Inoel Beato riding his first stakes winner at Emerald Downs, Newfound Man led all the way and held Posse Power for a head victory in the 34th running of the Seattle Slew.

The winner ran one mile and one-sixteenth in 1 minute, 41 4/5 seconds and paid $7.60, $3.60 and $2.80. Blaine Wright, celebrating his 36th birthday with a three-win day, is the trainer for owners John and Janene Maryasnki of Auburn.

Newfound Man set fractions of 23, 46 2/5, 1:10 1/5 and 1:35 1/5 en route to victory. The Newfoundland gelding entered the lane with a 1-½ length lead on Posse Power and gamely fended off the 9-to-5 betting favorite, who was slowly gaining on the winner.

Posse Power, ridden by Francisco Duran, suffered his second straight heartbreaker and paid $2.60 and $2.20. The Texas-bred colt has raced three times at Emerald Downs, all in stakes, and has a win and two seconds, dropping a nose decision to Koala Beach in the Pepsi-Cola Handicap, and a head decision to Newfound Man in the Seattle Slew.

It was 3 ¼ lengths back to 17-to-1 long shot Saratoga Boot in third place. Ridden by Kevin Krigger, Saratoga Boot paid $5.60.

Mr. Mad Max finished fourth, followed by Silk Street, Koala Beach and Cyber Bell. Koala Beach, the second choice at 9-to-5, pressed the pace set by Newfound Man for six furlongs and gave way in the stretch.

A $36,000 purchase at the 2008 Washington September Yearling Sale, Newfound Man has a 3-0-1 record in five starts with earnings of $55,538. He has three wins in four starts at Emerald Downs, the only loss a close third to Koala Beach and Posse Power in the June 27 Pepsi-Cola at one mile.

Beato, a 23-year-old Domincan, said the strategy was simple—send Newfound Man to the lead.

“Before the race, I really thought that I would get the lead,” he said. “My horse ran easy in the front. In the last eighth of a mile, he responded really well.

“He likes to go head-to-head,” Beato added. “In his last stakes race, he would look around too much. Today he was more focused.”

Wright, recording his third stakes win at Emerald Downs, made an equipment change by taking blinkers off Newfound Man.

Duran has ridden Posse Power in all three local starts and said the colt tried hard.

“The plan was to save ground and make one run for the win,” Duran said. “He was fresh and ready to go. I couldn’t go anywhere on the inside.

“I had no choice but to swing wide in the final turn. I hoped that by saving ground in the first turn that it would compensate for losing ground in the last turn. I really thought I was going to win. He was giving his all the whole way down the stretch.”

The first-place check to Newfound Man and the Mayanskis was worth $27,500.

The division championship might be on the line when the 3-year-ols reconvene for the $75,000 Emerald Downs Derby at a mile and one-eighth on Sunday, Aug. 15.

News and Notes

• Jersey Town ($6.60) made a sharp first impression at Emerald Downs with a three-quarter-length victory over He’s All Heart in the $20,000 co-feature for older sprinters in 1:15 3/5 for 6 ½ furlongs. Last seen finishing second to Winning Machine in the 2009 BC Derby at Hastings Racecourse, Jersey Town, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred by Speightstown, has a 4-3-0 record in eight starts with earnings of $149,001 for owner-breeder Charles Fipke.

• The victory by Jersey Town capped a three-win day for trainer Tim McCanna, and the nine-time leading trainer tied Frank Lucarelli for second at 38 wins apiece. Vann Belvoir leads with 39 wins.

• Combined, McCanna and Wright saddled six of 10 winners on the card.

• Leading rider Ricky Frazier blanked Sunday but finished Week 15 with a 72-58 cushion over Juan Gutierrez.

• Kevin Krigger rode three winners and Gallyn Mitchell had two wins, including the track record 17th victory by West Seattle Boy ($8.20) in the fifth race…Two horses were claimed for $30,000 each from Sunday’s first race for 2-year-olds. Runner-up Good Knight Matty was taken by trainer Jim Penney for owner Grasshopper Stable and third-place finisher Mutiny Bay was claimed by Lucarelli for owner David P. Taylor.

• Live racing resumes Thursday at 6 p.m.

• Emerald Downs is open for simulcast wagering Wednesday to Sunday.