Makah Lane leads gate to wire in Washington Cup Sophomore

Makah Lane broke alertly from the rail and never looked back in his decisive victory in the $50,000 Washington Cup Sophomore on Sunday at Emerald Downs. He was surprisingly sent off as a slight favorite over My Grandpa in the one-mile race for horses bred or sired by a stallion standing in Washington or British Columbia.

Makah Lane, trained by Bonnie Jenne, paid $4.20 and posted a final time of 1:36.21.

With Juan Gutierrez aboard, Makah Lane set interior fractions of 23.47 and 46.93 seconds, opened up a clear lead at the top of the stretch, and was ridden out while drawing off to win by 5 1/2 lengths over My Grandpa who was coming off a win in the $50,000 Muckleshoot Derby.

My Grandpa broke a half-step slow but moved into a stalking position going into the first turn. He looked like a serious threat at the quarter pole but couldn’t keep up. Unleash the Tiger rallied late to finish a head behind My Grandpa.

“We had the speed of the race, so I tried to break him out of the gate sharp,” Gutierrez said. “He relaxed nicely and at the quarter pole he had another gear.”

It was the first stakes win for the Washington-bred son of Atta Boy Roy. Makah Lane races for Q Stable and Friendship Stable.

It was closer than expected in the Washington Cup Sophomore Fillies, but heavily favored Alittlesstalk was able to hold off a very determined Magical Spell to win the one-mile race by a half-length. She paid $2.60.

Ridden confidently by Scott Stevens, Alittlesstalk broke sharply, and while being pressed from the outside by Suddenly Awesome, she dueled with Magical Spell through six furlongs in 1:11.74. She put her head in front of Magical Spell at the eighth pole before edging clear in the final yards. Magical Spell, game in defeat, finished three-quarters of a length in front of Suddenly Awesome.

The Roddina Barrett trainee posted a final time was 1:37.26.

“Roddina had her ready,” Stevens said. “She relaxed real good and the rest she did on her own.”

The Washington-bred daughter of Demon Warlock is owned by Warlock Stables, Kelly Dougan, and Ya Killing Me LLC.

Earlier on the card, Mike Man’s Gold established a record when he became the first horse to win 22 races at Emerald Downs. He tied West Seattle Boy when taking them all way in a one-mile, $25,000 claiming race on June 29.

Showing his versatility, the 9-year-old Washington-bred gelding came from a stalking position to win the 5 1/2-furlong dash for $25,000 claimers on Sunday. Mike Man’s Gold paid $6.40 and posted a final time of 1:03.00.

The son of Liberty Gold was ridden by Gary Wales for trainer Joe Toye.