From Emerald Downs Publicity
AUBURN, Wash. (June 22, 2025) – The classy California-bred Clovisconnection rallied to the lead in mid-stretch and held Slew’s Tiz Whiz safe for a three-quarter length victory in Sunday’s $50,000 Budweiser Stakes for older horses, one of four stakes contested on the 10-race card.
With David Haldar riding at 121 lbs., Clovisconnection ran six furlongs in a brisk 1:08.56 and returned $3.60 as the odds-on public choice. Blaine Wright is the winning trainer for owners/breeders William and Judy Hedrick of Clovis, Calif.
For Wright, the victory was his third consecutive stakes victory on the card and fourth on the day overall, allowing him to overtake Justin Evans atop the trainers’ standings with 16 wins. Wright also ranks No. 2 all-time in Emerald Downs’ stakes wins with 62, five behind first place Doris Harwood.
Breaking from the rail, Haldar allowed Clovisconnection to settle into fifth place as Company’s Dream set splits of :21.52 and :43.71 for the quarter and half-mile. The winner circled up four-wide into the lane, blitzed to the lead straightening for home, and held off a flying Slew’s Tiz Whiz for the victory.
Clovisconnection continued his sensational record at Emerald Downs, now 3-1-0 in four starts including three stakes wins and a gallant second to Five Star General in last year’s Longacres Mile.
“I knew I was riding a nice horse, and I just followed the speed,” Haldar said of his pre-race strategy. “(Clovisconnection) did the rest.”
A 5-year-old California-bred son of Vronsky, Clovisconnection improved to 12-3-1 in 20 lifetime starts with earnings of $491,300. Sunday, however, marked his 2025 Emerald Downs’ debut, and when Slew’s Tiz Whiz unleashed his patented late kick Wright worried his chestnut gelding might be a work short.
“Obviously (Clovisconnection) is one of the best horses I’ve ever touched,” Wright said. “His record speaks for itself.”
Speaking of great records, 7-year-old Slew’s Tiz Whiz, by California stallion Slew’s Tiznow, is a pretty remarkable horse himself. Ridden by Julien Couton at 121 lbs., the 5 to 2 second choice angled out for room in mid-stretch and flew late to snatch second place. A five-time stakes winner including the 2022 Longcraes Mile, the Tom Wenzel trainee is 10-6-4 in 26 starts with earnings of $345,972.
Company’s Dream held third after setting a wicked pace, a fine showing for a 5-year-old gelding stepping way up from the $12,500 claiming ranks.
Lonesome Boy, 2024 Washington Horse of the Year, rallied from last to finish fourth, while Tougherthantherest, Listentothemusic, Coastal Jazz, and Papa’s Golden Boy rounded out the full order of finish.
Executive Chef was scratched earlier in the day.