Appeal Factor makes winning debut in Angie C. Stakes

Debuting homebred Appeal Factor won the $50,000 Angie C. Stakes on Sunday at Emerald Downs for Oak Crest Farms LLC and trainer David Martinez.

The winner, a 2-year-old filly by The Factor, broke sharply under jockey Silvio Amador before being bumped solidly from the inside soon after the start. The rider allowed Appeal Factor to settle into stride, and she soon ranged up behind the dueling leaders, Bourbon Tiger and Mocktails Anyone, who posted the fastest opening quarter-mile of the day (21.71 seconds).

Once Appeal Factor cleared the others and moved into third position, she looked every bit the winner from about the three-eighths pole to the wire.

The final margin was 2 1/2 lengths over gallant runner-up Mocktails Anyone, who was making her second career start while turning the tables on third-place finisher Bourbon Tiger. That pair ran one-two in a maiden race on June 17.

As fourth choice in the wagering, Appeal Factor paid $10.20 while earning the $27,500 winner's share of the purse as her own dam, Karula, had done seven years earlier. The winning time for 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:04.16.

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Sunday's co-featured event was the $60,000 King County Express Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings, and it was won in front-running fashion by Whiskey Harbor. The winner was impressively rated by jockey Kevin Radke while making every pole a winning one with the eventual margin of victory being 4 1/4 lengths.

"I thought I'd be laying behind the speed, but he broke in front and his ears went flat back and I figured well, he's got a plan, let's just go," Radke said.

The runner-up was Freightline, and he was a half-length clear of third-place finisher Bourbon Dancer, who was the 6-5 betting favorite.

Whiskey Harbor, trained by Ryland Harwood, is by promising young stallion Rise Up and out of a mare by the late Grindstone. The winning owners were Lee and Connie Erickson, and the gelding was bred in Oregon by Dr. and Mrs. Jack B. Root Jr.

Whiskey Harbor covered 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.88 and paid $15.60 to win while banking $33,000 for his victory.

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