Gold Rush Dancer, Mach One Rules nab closing-day stakes wins

AUBURN, Wash. – Gold Rush Dancer and Mach One Rules raced to emphatic stakes victories Sunday on closing day at Emerald Downs. Gold Rush Dancer romped in the $64,350 Gottstein Futurity at 1 1/16 miles, while Mach One Rules coasted in the $45,000 Cahill Road Stakes for 2-year-olds at six furlongs.

In the Gottstein, Emerald’s traditional championship for 2-year-olds, Gold Rush Dancer and jockey Julien Couton tracked pacesetting filly My Heart Goes On before pulling away to win by 5 1/2 lengths in 1:43.45. He paid $2.80. My Heart Goes On held onto second, and another filly, Cape Grace, was third. They were followed by Love the Lion, Wando Cat, Packy’s Out, and En Avant in the field of seven.

For veteran trainer Bill Tollett, the Gottstein marked his first Emerald Downs stakes victory in nearly a decade. Gold Rush Dancer, by Private Gold, earned $35,393 to increase his career mark to $74,093 for owner-breeder John Parker of Lake Bay, Wash. In his previous stakes appearances, Gold Rush Dancer was second in the Emerald Express and Captain Condo Stakes, and third in the WTBOA Lads Stakes.

Mach One Rules, who bypassed the Gottstein to go in the Cahill Road, provided some thrills, opening a massive lead at the top of the stretch and cantering home under Leslie Mawing to win by 4 3/4 lengths against three overmatched foes. The 1-10 betting favorite, he ran six furlongs in 1:10.50 and paid $2.10.

Mach One Rules improved to 4 for 4 with earnings of $93,826 for Roy Schaefer of Port Orchard, Wash., including $25,376 for Sunday’s victory.

“This was probably the easiest race in my riding career,” Mawing said. “All I had to do was not fall off.”

Trainer Frank Lucarelli said Mach One Rules would start again this fall in California, with the $70,000 Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 18 his likely destination.