Kevin Orozco records stakes double with Twirling Devon, Perfect Dude

Following a disappointing loss with heavily favored Mucho Amor in the $50,000 Irish Day Stakes on Sunday at Emerald Downs, trainer Blaine Wright received some redemption when he won the $50,000 Seattle Slew with Perfect Dude. Wright also trains Rally Cat, who looked like the Seattle Slew winner at the sixteenth pole, but gave way late to his stablemate to lose by a neck in a thriller.

Perfect Dude paid $8.80 and posted a final time of 1:43.19 in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds.

With Kevin Orozco aboard, Perfect Dude broke from the outside post in the 12-horse Seattle Slew field and went at least five wide around the first turn. He remained outside in the run down the backstretch, moved into striking position while going four wide around the stretch turn, sustained his move turning for home and wore down Rally Cat in the final strides. Rally Cat saved ground, made a strong move inside of Perfect Dude turning at the top of the stretch, but after taking the lead midstretch couldn’t hold off the determined move from his stablemate. My Grandpa forced the pace and held on well to finish third.

“I used a left handed whip to try and get him to switch leads but he didn’t respond,” said Orozco. “After I switched to my right hand, he finished strong.”

Perfect Dude, a son of Majestic Perfection, was bred in Washington by his owners Todd and Shawn Hansen.

It was the seventh stakes win at the meet for Wright.

Orozco also won the $50,000 Irish Day with Twirling Devon who made a late rally from along the rail to edge Mucho Amor by a neck in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies. She paid $32.60 and posted a final time of 1:41.81.

Breaking from the outside post in the 11-horse field, the daughter of Twirling Candy trailed the field at the first call, started to move into striking distance going into the second turn, and made finished full of run from along the rail from the middle of the turn home. Mucho Amor pressed the pace while going four wide, emerged with a clear lead in the stretch while racing erratically, and was game in the defeat. Northwest Factor came from midpack to finish third.

“After a rough start it turned into a great day,” said Orozco.

Bred in Florida, Twirling Devon races for Tim Bankers and is trained by Manuel Ortiz.