Elliott Bay makes it look easy in Gottstein Futurity

On the final day of the 2017 Emerald Downs meet, Elliott Bay wrapped up local 2-year-old honors with a convincing win in the $95,000 Gottstein Futurity Sunday.

He paid $6.40 for his 1 1/2-length victory over Trump Itz in the 1 1/16-mile race for juveniles.

With Jennifer Whitaker aboard, the Washington-bred son of Harbor the Gold broke sharply and looked comfortable sitting just off Diamonds R, who posted a half-mile time of 47.33 seconds. He collared the leader on the stretch turn and took control of the race at the quarter-pole. He opened up a clear lead midstretch and easily held off Trump Itz, who finished full of run but never looked like catching the winner.

Hey Sequoia stalked the pace, but couldn’t keep up in the stretch while finishing six lengths behind the runner-up.

My Heart Awakens, who went off as a slight favorite over the winner, never got involved after getting off to a poor start.

The final time over a fast track was 1:43.08.

“He’s just like a push-button horse,” Whitaker said. “You couldn’t ask for anything else.”

It was the first win in the Gottstein for local Hall of Fame trainer Howard Belvoir.

“It feels great,” Belvoir said. “The Gottstein is a special race like the (Longacres) Mile, which I’ve had good luck in. He’s a nice horse and he’s got a lot left in him.”

Owned by Rising Start Stables 11, Elliott Bay was a maiden when he won the $45,000 WTBOA Lads on Aug. 6. He went into the Gottstein off a runner-up finish behind Sippin Fire in the Washington Cup race for Juvenile Colts and Geldings. The winner’s share of the Gottstein brought his career earnings to $90,687.