Don't Tell Hydee could shine for Evans

Trainer Justin Evans will send out a one-two punch in Friday’s $10,000 claiming feature over six furlongs at Emerald Downs. Holy Tutta Bella and Don’t Tell Hydee will each be among the favorites scheduled to face a half-dozen others when the bell sounds for the headliner.

Evans is well on his way toward a second straight training title at Emerald Downs and recently claimed Don’t Tell Hydee for the season’s stretch drive.

“This is a filly I really like. I think she might be a little bit better routing, but we had to take our shot,” Evans said of his new addition.

Don’t Tell Hydee has been at Emerald since the spring and has officially compiled five runner-up finishes from as many local starts, having lost one win to a disqualification.

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The synthetic surface at Golden Gate Fields was where Don’t Tell Hydee earned 6 of 7 career wins, her other win coming on dirt at Sacramento in July 2022.

Holy Tutta Bella has been with Evans since she was claimed April 25 at Turf Paradise. The daughter of Tizdejavu has won 2 of 5 starts for the Evans, each at Emerald Downs.

“She ran too good to lose last out,” Evans said. “She doesn’t have to be the pace. She can stalk the pace and she’s way better that way.”

Heading the opposition to the Evans pair is Rafanelli, who bested Don’t Tell Hydee by a nose Aug. 10 after the pair battled throughout the 6 1/2-furlong affair. Rafanelli is a daughter of Carpe Diem trained by Scott Tubbs, who claimed the filly from her penultimate start July 13 for $5,000. The winning effort by Rafanelli was about as gutty as they come, and she won’t go down without a fight Friday.

Others in the group include Tiz a Tiger, claimed June 8 by Jennifer Nunnally and raced once since then, on Aug. 3. In that race she finished fourth, beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Mary Walker. Nunnally has another entered in Friday’s field in Smiling Thunder, who has struggled in a pair of 2024 starts.

Scatalicious is another now in the Tubbs barn via a last-out claim on Aug. 10 from a race in which she also dueled hard with Rafanelli and Don’t Tell Hydee before backing up to finish fifth.

The last pair in the field include Lucinda Rella and Flyin By. Lucinda Rella is a Ryland Harwood charge who was competitive at Friday’s level back in May before joining the starter-allowance ranks and struggling in a pair of efforts since then. Flyin By fits that precise description as well, with the difference being that Flyin By has not started since June 30 while Lucinda Rella last raced Aug. 3. A daughter of Coast Guard, Flyin By is trained by Kimberley Johnston.

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