Bowen, with help from Sippin Fire, locks up another riding title

With nine days of racing left at Emerald Downs this year, Rocco Bowen has wrapped up his third-straight riding title. Going into Friday’s seven-race card, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Pacific, Bowen has 95 wins compared with 64 for his nearest pursuer, Kevin Orozco.

Bowen is also the leader in stakes wins with six, one more than Orozco. Four of his stakes wins came aboard Sippin Fire. Bowen has a close relationship with the 3-year-old gelding by Harbor the Gold whose latest win came in the Washington Cup Sophomore on Aug. 26. Trained by Steve Bullock, Sippin Fire also won the Coca-Cola, Seattle Slew, and Muckleshoot Derby. The Muckleshoot Derby was the race of the year, with Sippin Fire and Weekend Wizard battling it out the length of the stretch. Weekend Wizard will be among the favorites in the Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby at Hastings Saturday. Sippin Fire will make his next start the $100,000 Getaway Stakes for 3-year-olds on Sept. 23, the last day of the meet.

After Sippin Fire’s win in the Sophomore, Bowen was very emotional.

“There’s not much to say, he’s an amazing horse,” he said. “I haven’t been this choked up since I rode Stopshoppingdebbie.”

Trainer Jeff Metz is close to being home and cooled out in the race for leading trainer, but it is a bit too early to hand him the trophy. He has a seven-win lead over Blaine Wright, who is seeking his third straight title.

Metz, who has 41 wins, was the leading trainer at Emerald for three years in a row beginning in 2013.

Metz has three horses entered Friday compared with two for Wright.

Neither has a horse in the feature, a $10,000 claimer for 3-year-olds and up that drew eight horses. Washington-breds can run for $12,500.

Sorryaboutnothing, Archie Graham, and Rememembertobreathe look like the main players in the 1 1/16-mile race.

Jockey Nikeela Black injured

Jockey Nikeela Black was severely injured in a spill at the Eastern Idaho Fair in Blackstone, Idaho, on Sunday. The popular jockey is paralyzed from the ribs down. It has not been determined if the paralysis is permanent.

According to Daily Racing Form statistics, Black has won 659 races, all breeds, from 2,672 mounts, which equates to a solid 24 percent win rate. Of her wins, 429 came aboard Thoroughbreds. She was the leading rider at Les Bois Park in Boise, Idaho, in 2014.

Black finished second on her only mount at Emerald this year, in a Quarter-Horse race. She is also a lawyer.

Friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help with the costs of her treatment.