Race Home lives up to his name in Gottstein Futurity

Race Home took advantage of fast and contested pace to win the $100,000 Gottstein Futurity at Emerald Downs Sunday. The Gottstein was the closing day feature at the Auburn, Wash., oval.

Race Home paid $13.80 of his four-length length victory over Unmachable in the 1 1/16-mile that drew 12 2-year-olds.

Kevin Krigger allowed Race Home to settle early while Windy Point and Turntheclocktozero dueled through a half-mile in a snappy 45.88 seconds. Krigger was very patient when Unmachable unleashed a strong move on the stretch turn. Krigger moved Race Home to the outside before turning him loose in the stretch where he finished with a rush to win going away. Unmachable, well back early, made an eye-catching move on the stretch turn, but after taking the lead midstretch couldn’t hold off the winner. Turntheclocktozero forced the issue from the start, held a length advantage over Unmachable at the eighth pole, and held on well to finish third.

The final time over a track rated wet fast was 1:44.18.

“He was really pulling me early, but I could see they were dueling up front, and in the middle,” said Krigger. “I felt pretty good because I knew I had a lot of horse the whole time.”

It was the second win in two starts for the Washington-bred son of Race Day.

He races for Tim Bankers and is trained by Manny Ortiz.