In one of the most dramatic endings to a Longacres Mile race, 32-1 underdog Adios Jojo was named the winner after the heavy favorite Touchy was disqualified, putting the 91st running of the Longacres Mile Sunday, Aug. 6 as one of the most exciting races in recent Emerald Downs history.
Trained by Auburn’s Howard Gibson, Adios Jojo ran an excellent race and could have won it outright. But in the final moments of the race, Touchy interfered with Adios Jojo forcing an inquiry and objection cued by Kevin Orozco the jockey atop Adios Jojo.
“I have a great team, I have great gallop boys.” Gibson said following the win of the $125,000 prize purse. “Santos Gonzales and Jose Rivera, all of them have done a great job. A lot of my job is talking to people, it’s not so much about the horses anymore it’s finding the races and talking to people.”
After replay review and assistance from the race administrators at the Auburn track, it was deemed that Touchy was in the wrong, granting one of the biggest upsets in Longacres Mile history and the first time a race has been decided by disqualification.
Adios Jojo was by far the most impressive horse of the race for a couple reasons. Out of the gate, Orozco was able to get out clean and was in the front of the pack alongside Touchy and Si That Tiger. But the difference was Adios Jojo seemed in control, there was never a doubt of him fading down the backstretch.
“I am just glad Kevin did what he did,” Gibson said. “Kevin got out to an early lead and the horse ran great. Kevin put him in the right spot and he just ran an amazing race. I am so fortunate that he has been there for me, he got me my first stakes win with Mattie Goingcostal. This is something that I have really dreamed of, it’s an amazing moment for me right now.”
The most impressive win of the night, from wire to wire was Aloha Breeze in the 31st running of the Emerald Distaff. The 6-year old was out of the gate quick and found immediate separation from the group. Adrain Castellanos rode the horse that opened the day at an even favorite and won its fourth race in four this season.
Miss Dynamic had a wire-to-wire win in race one, mirror image of race two as Taino House dominated the second race of the 12-race slate.
In the third race, Light the Beam made an impressive run down the final stretch to beat out Bert’s Prospect down the stretch. Bruce’s Moose ran an impressive 6 ½ Furlong race in 1:17.19 to win for trainer Dan Markel, with Alex Cruz the jockey.
The fifth race saw the second largest field of the night with nine horses lining up in the starting gates. Creative Om was in steady control for the majority of the race and was able to hold off Brother O’Brien who made a late surge in the final stage. The sixth race of the day was the first stakes, the Washington Thoroughbred Trainers and Owners Association (W.T.B.O.A) Lassies Stakes. A field that began at six saw it shrink pretty quickly as Saint Indie and Champagne Delight were scratched before the race began. Mattie Goingcoastal was the 4-5 favorite when the gates open and ran the 6 Furlongs in 1:11.01 without any trouble.
In Lads race of the W.T.B.O.A stakes, Coal Front Kid and Diamond Dasher were neck and neck for the majority of the race. Coal Front Kid was able to stay just ahead of Diamond Dasher as the horses neared the finish line who other horses poked their head into the frame in Candy Charmer and Ziwhat.
The Washington Oaks race also had some late heroics as Tipitap came back from last place down the back stretch to win by a length and a half over Storm Harbor who also found late life. But Tipitap just closed out too well and made it happen for trainer Blaine D. Wright and jockey Blake Nunnally.
In the final stakes race of the evening, it was Robin Racer who continued to good running out of the No.1 position on the race track and Frank Alvarado rode a perfect race for Robin Racer. A cool and calm race for Alvarado who really only turned it on during the home stretch saw an opening on the track and took it. From the back of the pack, to the podium it was a really strong showing for the 3-year old trained by Tom Wenzel.
The last race of the day for the Muckleshoot Casino Resort purse saw Guard Your Spot win after leading most of the race. Allyssa Morales rode the winning horse and closed out a full day of racing at Emerald Downs.
Racing continues Aug. 23 at Emerald Downs with gates opening at 12:20 p.m. and racing beginning at 1:50 p.m.
