Gottstein goes to longshot Colonel Ludlow on Emerald closing day

The curtain fell on the 2024 Emerald Downs season on Sunday and closing day saw rank outsider Colonel Ludlow win the $50,000 Gottstein Futurity.

Trainer Justin Evans entered a trio in the futurity. Included among those were a pair of colts who each won $15,000 maiden-claiming races in their latest starts and a filly. As fate and training talent would have it, Evans came away finishing first, second, and fifth with runners sent away at a minimum of 10-1. Colonel Ludlow, who was the longest shot of the three at 32-1, is owned by J. Evans and Jeff Plotkin.

Each of the juveniles in the one mile and 70-yard fixture were going around two turns for the first time. That factor added an element of luck to the equation which included a wet-fast surface.

Colonel Ludlow, with apprentice Manuel Americano aboard, prevailed by a neck and paid $66.86 to his scattered backers. Runner-up A Thousand Miles battled fiercely the whole way and just missed under Kevin Krigger. She was a length in front of Candy Caballo, who hails from the barn of Tom Wenzel. Another neck back in fourth was 3-5 favorite Si That Tiger.

Speaking through an interpreter post-race, apprentice Americano recited the instructions given to him in the paddock by Evans: "Don't get any dirt in his face. If he breaks good, go!" The futurity win was a great cap on a four-win day for Americano.

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Earlier on the card were the Washington Cup Filly and Mare Stakes and the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic. Kay Cooper-trained Chai won the Washington Cup Filly and Mare by a head, returning $8.32 to her backers. Zippin Sevenz, from the barn of Frank Lucarelli, was runner-up, and she in turn was a neck in front of Emerald Sea, who is trained by Rigoberto Velasquez. They covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.35 over wet-fast going. Chai is owned by Jill Fabulich and Lori Heist.

The Muckleshoot Tribal Classic went to Naval Escort, a David Martinez charge who came from last behind what evolved to be a scalding early pace. Early splits of 22.53, 44.94 and 1:08.51 began to take their toll and Naval Escort mowed everybody down to win in 1:42.57 for 1 1/16 miles. Runner-up Coastal Kid was in front of only Naval Escort in the early going and he finished 2 1/4 lengths to the good of It's Kraken Time. Naval Escort races for Oak Crest Farm LLC.

Slew's Tiz Whiz, the Longacres Mile runner-up who would have been a heavy favorite in the Muckleshoot, was scratched.

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