No Flies On Doodle would not be denied Monday at Emerald Downs.
The 4-year-old filly turned back betting favorite Hallelujah Trail in the stretch and scored a neck victory in the 15th running of the $50,000 Washington State Legislators Stakes for older fillies and mares. With regular rider Gallyn Mitchell aboard at 120 pounds, No Flies On Doodle ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1 minute, 16 4/5 seconds on a sloppy track and paid $6.60, $3.20 and $2.40.
It was her seventh victory in 10 career starts and worth $27,500 for owners Phil Sanken of Seattle and Keith and Jan Swagerty of Enumclaw. A Washington-bred by Storm Blast-Chedoodle, No Flies On Doodle became the meet’s first double stakes winner and increased her career earnings to $161,052.
Hallelujah Trail, ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 118 pounds, rallied from fifth place and actually put a head in front turning into the stretch, but she was unable to hold off the winner and settled for second. The runner-up, also second to No Flies On Doodle in the May 2 Hastings Handicap, paid $3 and $2.40.
Barbara’s Love, a 12-1 outsider with Ricky Frazier riding at 118 pounds, closed from last to finish third and paid $3.60.
No Flies On Doodle sprinted to the early lead and set fractions of :22 3/5 and :45 1/5, moderate splits that allowed her to conserve valuable energy for the stretch run. Hallelujah Trail engaged from the outside into the lane, but No Flies On Doodle repelled the bid.
“(Trainer) Vann Belvoir told me it would be a rider’s race and it was,” Mitchell said. “I really didn’t think any of these horses in the race had her speed, so I knew she would have the lead.
“(Hallelujah Trail) got by us, but No Flies On Doodle is so competitive that she just dug right in and kept going. She has a heart as big as the grandstand.”
The track’s all-time leading rider, Mitchell is one victory shy of 1,200 at Emerald Downs, and he also leads with 64 stakes wins.
News and Notes
• Frazier rode three winners and Mitchell two on the 10-race race program and now four riders are tied for first place in the jockeys’ standings. Frazier, Mitchell, Juan Gutierrez and apprentice Pedro Terrero all have ridden 26 winners at the meet. Last year by Memorial Day, Frazier already enjoyed a 19-win lead en route to 155 wins and his fourth title in the last six years. Frazier is heating up, however, as he recorded riding triples on Saturday and Sunday.
• Gallant Son finish fourth as the 7-to-2 second choice in the Grade I Shoemaker Mile on the turf at Hollywood Park. Victor’s Cry ($44.40) and jockey Corey Nakatani were the winners by a head over 9-to-5 favorite Karelian in 1:32.88 on a firm course. The winning time was only .29 of a second off the course record held by Monterey Jazz. Gallant Son and jockey Mike Smith were in second place past midstretch, but Emerald Downs’ Top Juvenile of 2008 lacked the finishing kick that carried him to victory in the Grade III Inglewood Handicap last month.
• Julie M C M ($35.20) won the first race of the meeting for 2-year-olds by 2 ¾ lengths in :53 1/5 for 4 ½ furlongs. Apprentice Jorge Rosales rode the Washington-bred daughter of Kasparov for trainer Jose Navarro and owners Larry & Veralene Hillis.
• The biggest price on the board won the first two races: Julie M C M in the first and Special Reserve ($11.80) in the second race…Jockey Matt Hagerty celebrated his 20th birthday Monday.
• Live racing resumes Friday with first post at 6 p.m. Also Friday, Hollywood Park will have a pick six carryover of $150,594. First post at Hollywood if 7:05 p.m.
