By DRF.com
AUBURN, Wash. (July 16, 2023) — Sunday’s $50,000 Irish Day Stakes at Emerald Downs turned into a great contest between the two favorites with California-bred multiple stakes winner Clovisconnection prevailing by a neck under a vigorous ride by Kevin Radke.
Runner-up Lloyds Logic, making just his second start of 2023 for Tom Wenzel, darted clear from the opening bell and led the field through a soft opening quarter-mile of 22.11 seconds. Clovisconnection, the 3-5 favorite, soon cruised up on the outside to take command just inside the three-eighths marker while appearing then as if he would make short work of his rivals.
From that point on, Lloyds Logic battled fiercely from the inside while Radke selected a path toward the middle of the track that afforded plenty of room in which to urge his charge.
Clovisconnection was bred by owner William and Judy Hedrick and is trained by Blaine Wright. The 3-year-old son of Vronsky, out of the Perfect Mandate mare La Darling, covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.73. He paid $3.40 for the win, and the winner’s share of the purse boosted Clovisconnection’s career earnings to $161,380, with five wins in eight starts. He was coming off a win in the June 18 Auburn Stakes.