Clair Annette long gone in King County

AUBURN, Wash. - Clair Annette raced to a 5 1/2-length victory in the $50,000 King County Handicap for fillies and mares Sunday at Emerald Downs.

Leading from start to finish, the 7-year-old by Beau Genius ran one mile on a fast track in 1:35.80 and paid $7.80 as the second favorite in the field of eight. Longshot Crocodile Tuff rallied to finish second, and 6-5 favorite Gadget Queen was third, followed by Private Fortune, who was the only 3-yeaer-old in the race, Perfect Finish, Barbara's Love, Eyes On the Prize, and Yonnie Creek.

Jockey Kevin Krigger steered Clair Annette to the lead from the outside post position, and the Connie Bouslaugh-trained mare raced through fast fractions - 21.20, 45.60, 1:09.80 - before kicking away in the stretch to win easily. It was her third stakes victory, all in the past two years, and the $27,500 winner's share increased her lifetime earnings to $146,383 for owner Nina Egbert of Enumclaw, Wash. Clair Annette won for the ninth time in 19 career starts.

"My plan today was to try and keep her happy, and she just flat outran those other mares," Krigger said. "I was planning on a great break, and she just went right to the front and brought me right down to the rail. She went around that first turn pretty rapid, but she was so relaxed."

Clair Annette could be seen next in the 1 1/16-mile Boeing Handicap on Aug. 1, the final stakes prep before the $75,000 Emerald Distaff on Aug. 22.