Herrera caps Ferndale meet with Marathon win

Jockey Hugo Herrera followed instructions perfectly aboard Blues Blaster in the Humboldt County Marathon on Sunday at Ferndale, and the result was a wire-to-wire victory in the 1 5/8-mile race.

“I told him, ‘Don’t give up the rail,’ and he did exactly what I wanted,” owner-trainer Bruce Dillenbeck said.

Dillenbeck said the Bulldog on Oct. 18 at the Big Fresno Fair is Blues Blaster’s likely next start.

The closing-day Marathon victory was Herrera’s 11th win of the meet, and he also won meet’s top mule race with Bar JF Red Ticket. He easily won his second riding title at Ferndale in three years.

Quinn Howey, second in the Marathon with Brenda’s Bar, won his third straight training title.

The six-day meeting was a success from business standpoint.

Total ontrack wagering on live races was up 7 percent from last year, and all-sources handle increased 25 percent.