By Emeralddowns.com
AUBURN, Wash. (May 19, 2019) – State champion as a 2-year-old, Baja Sur, a Washington-bred son of California stallion Smiling Tiger showed Sunday that he might be the dominant 3-year-old at Emerald Downs in 2019.
Returning from a 10-month break, Baja Sur stormed to a five-length victory over Runningwscissors in the $50,000 Auburn Stakes for 3-year-old colts or geldings.
The winning time—a sterling 1:07.98—broke the stakes record and is the fastest six-furlong clocking of the meet. Blaine Wright is the winning trainer for owners John and Janene Maryanski and Gerald and Gail Schneider.
Ridden by Franklin Ceballos at 119 lbs, Baja Sur paid $3.80, $2.40 and $2.20.
A Washington-bred gelding by Smiling Tiger-Premo Copy, Baja Sur is now undefeated and virtually untested—winning his three career starts by a combined 20 ¾ lengths. In his two starts at age 2, Baja Sur broke his maiden by 5 ¼ lengths before rolling by 10 ½ lengths in the King County Express.
Sunday’s victory, worth $25,300, boosted Baja Sur’s earnings to $59,950.
Baja Sur broke alertly and took command early, setting fractions of :21.90 for the quarter-mile and :44.50 for the half. Shaking off Fuzzy Dolphin into the lane, Baja Sur opened a three-length advantage past mid-stretch, running five furlongs in a blistering :56.13, and widened his lead to the wire.
Barring something unforeseen, Baja Sur figures to be a prohibitive favorite when 3-year-olds reconvene for the $50,000 Coca-Colas Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on Sunday, June 16.