Winning a stakes race is a nice day. When both stakes on a card one very nice day. Taking the exacta in both stakes races on one card is a dream day and a dream day it was for owner William Stiritz and trainer Scott Becker.
In most likely of the two races, Becker saddled the top two choices in the $50,000 Robert S Molaro Handicap, Luv Bandit and Creative Art.
As expected, Right Now Richie took full advantage of the rail and lack of speed to his immediate outside to bolt to the lead. Rambling Richie (both Richies are sons of Lifestyle and bred by Richard Ravin and Larry Rivelli) took up the chase and the two went in tandem down the backside, putting two lengths on the field. As the pack gained on the duo through the turn for home in the 6 furlong dash for Illinois breds, Right Now Richie packed it in and the stablemates came charging.
First Creative Art($9.00) and then Luv Bandit ($2.40) chased down Rambling Richie mid-stretch with Creative Art holding off Luv Bandit by a closing two lengths in 1:10.33. Rambling Richie held on for third ($3.40).
“I think Vincente [Gudiel] may made him [Chris Emigh] pay for the last race by keeping Luv Bandit down on the rail for so long,” said Becker. “I think they are satisfied with the results today, though.”
The jockeys flipped their results from the prior stake, the $50,000 Third Chance Handicap for fillies and mares.
In what was expected to a hot pace battle early, Doc Galore, under Gudiel, cleared the field early from the far outside and was all alone taking the field down the backstretch.
“I really didn’t expect her to be able to clear,” said Becker.
Doc Galore was able to lead the field into the stretch when her stablemate, Win Em All came calling. The two battled to the wire with Win Em All slowly grinding away to a one length victory in 1:10.78.
“I might have moved a bit early,” said Emigh. “But I had a lot of horse left. I knew if I stayed close I was going to be tough but if I got too far back it was going to be tough to run them down.”
The two favorites, Scarletridgerunner and Exquisite Lady, never fired and trigged a $85.80 Becker exacta.
Win Em All returned $13.80, $6.40 and $4.40, Doc Galore $7.60 and $5.60 while 16-1 Dolly Peach ($5.80)rounded out the $464 one dollar trifecta.
