From Emerald Downs Publicity
AUBURN, Wash. (June 16, 2019) – Baja Sur, a Washington-bred son of California stallion Smiling Tiger, remained undefeated with his latest impressive victory in the $50,000 Coca-Cola Stakes for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.
Scoring his third stakes win and fourth victory overall, Baja Sur held off Runningwscissors for a 1 ¾-length victory in 1:15.60 for 6 ½ furlongs. Ridden by Franklin Ceballos at 124 lbs, Baja Sur paid $2.60 as the 3 to 10 betting favorite.
Baja Sur, bred by John Roche and sold at the WTBA Yearling Sale for $67,000, set fractions of :22.58 and :45.12, shook off Perfect Dude into the stretch and held sway to the wire.
Runningwscissors was clearly second best, 5 ¼ lengths clear of Perfect Dude in third, while Verynsky and Fuzzy Dolphin rounded out the order of finish. Baja Sur, Runningwscissors and Perfect Dude also finished first, second and third in the Auburn Stakes last month.
Baja Sur improved to two for two this year with wins in the Auburn and Coca-Cola Stakes, and also was two for two last year with wins in a maiden special weight and the King County Express. He now has wins at 5 furlongs, 5 ½ furlongs, 6 furlongs and 6 ½ furlongs—all gate to wire—by a combined 22-½ lengths.
A Washington-bred gelding by Smiling Tiger-Premo Copy, earned $27,500 and increased his overall ledger to $87,450 for the ownership of John and Janene Maryanski and Gail and Gerald Schneider, all of Auburn.
The $50,000 Seattle Slew Stakes at 1 1/16 miles is next for 3-year-olds on Sunday, July 14.