Why Not Be Perfect springs 28-1 upset in Governor's Handicap

AUBURN, Wash. – Why Not Be Perfect raced to a $59.80 upset Sunday in the $50,000 Governor’s Handicap at Emerald Downs, furthering trainer Jeff Metz’s torrid start to the meeting while throwing Emerald’s older handicap division into a muddle.

Owned by John Sanguinetti of Los Altos, Calif., and ridden by Sanguinetti’s daughter, Anne, the late-running Why Not Be Perfect took advantage of a breakneck pace to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths. He covered 6 1/ 2 furlongs in 1:13.72 to break Trooper Seven's stakes record.

Content to settle about three lengths off the leaders down the backstretch, Sanguinetti drove Why Not Be Perfect into contention on the turn, and the 7-year-old Whywhywhy horse swept to the front past the quarter pole and then easily held off runner-up Jebrica. Absolutely Cool, winner of the Phoenix Gold Cup at Turf Paradise in February, was a head behind Jebrica in third.

Mr. Bowling, the 6-5 favorite, raced evenly to finish fourth. He was followed by Dontmesswithkitten, Finallygotabentley, Wheelhouse, Mike Man’s Gold, and Winning Machine.

Why Not Be Perfect went off at 28-1 because of some dark spots on his 2013 form, followed by an eight-month layoff. But the horse had been working sharply in the morning, Sanguinetti said, and the jockey wasn’t surprised by his huge effort in the least.

“He’s so versatile. He’s won from way out of it, he’s won the front end. He doesn’t need a trip,” Sanguinetti said. “If he’s right, he’ll outrun anything.”

With no clear front-runner in the Governor’s field, a handful of jockeys made a beeline to the front, creating taxing splits of 21.50 seconds for the quarter and 43.29 for the half-mile.

“I was hoping he was closer early,” Sanguinetti said of Why Not Be Perfect’s trip. “He’s really more of a turf horse, to be honest. But I knew I had a lot of horse.”

Why Not Be Perfect earned $27,500, pushing his career earnings to $251,145. He has won 9 of 50 starts.

Metz, who was at Prairie Meadows with another string of horses Sunday, recorded two wins at Emerald, increasing his lead in the trainer standings to 24-13 over Frank Lucarelli. Assistant trainer Jennifer Rodriguez saddled Why Not Be Perfect in his absence.