Mike Man's Gold shoots for 26th win at Emerald
Mike Man’s Gold will try to extend his record number of wins at Emerald Downs to 26 when he runs in the feature race at the Auburn, Wash., oval on Thursday. The six-furlong dash that carries a top claiming price of $6,250 drew seven horses and goes as race 7 on an eight-race card that begins at 6 p.m. Pacific.
A four-time stakes winner, Mike Man’s Gold began his career with three straight wins as a 2-year-old in 2012. After paying $42.80 for his win in a maiden special weight race, he won back-to-back stakes races in the $45,000 Premio Esmeralda and $45,000 Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association Lads. He paid a decent price, $20.20, in the Premio Esmeralda, but handicappers caught on with a $5.50 win price in the WTBA Lads.
The 11-year-old Washington-bred son of Liberty Gold has been a gem of consistency at Emerald, compiling a 25-5-6 record from 60 starts. He is undoubtedly a horse for the course, as he has not won from 18 races elsewhere.
The classy gelding is on a roll with back-to-back wins in $6,250 claiming races for leading trainer Joe Toye. Kevin Radke was aboard for both wins.
Toye was looking for an easier spot for Mike Man’s Gold when he scratched him out of a $3,500 starter race with a $7,500 claiming option Saturday.
It looks like he found it, and if Mike Man’s Gold runs as well as he did in his last two starts he will be tough to beat. The 68 and 64 Beyer Speed Figures he received stand out, and he should get a nice trip sitting just off what figures to be a fast and contested pace.
Mike Man’s Gold will break from the inside post with Radke riding.
Leading rider Alex Cruz had his record of winning at least one race in 46 straight racing days at Emerald snapped Sunday. From eight mounts, he had four seconds and three thirds.
Cruz has a shot in the Thursday feature with Pure Pursuit, who is coming off a runner-up finish in a $5,000 claiming race July 3.
A 10-time winner from 39 starts, Pure Pursuit will be making his first start for trainer Vince Gibson, who claimed him on behalf of Gary and Deborah Lusk and Jeff and Peyton Lusk.
Gibson won right back with four of the last seven horses he has claimed at the current meet, and over the past five years has a 21 percent strike rate and $1.35 ROI first off the claim.
Pure Pursuit drew post 5. He has speed and figures to be in the mix right from the start.
The Rigoberto Velasquez-trained Crest Drive edged Pure Pursuit in his last start and could be dangerous as he tries to complete a hat trick.