From Emerald Downs Publicity
AUBURN, Wash. (June 25, 2023) – California-bred Bridleuptothebar used his dazzling speed for a one-length victory Sunday in the $50,000 Budweiser Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs.
In winning the first stop on the road to the Longacres Mile, Bridleuptothebar sizzled six furlongs in a stakes record 1:07.57—besting a 1:07.71 clocking by Papa’s Golden Boy last year—and paid $9.40 as second choice in a full field of 12 older horses. Niccolo Troiani, saddling his first Emerald Downs stakes winner, is the trainer for owner/breeder Holly Rydman of Olympia, Wash.
Ridden by Isaias Enriquez at 122 lbs., Bridleuptothebar controlled the pace while setting fractions of :21.40 and :43.61 for the quarter and half-mile, repelled a strong bid from Canadian invader Aquitania Arrival in the stretch, and proved best to the wire.
A 4-year-old gray by Fullbridled bred in California by Mark Rydman and owner Holly Rydman, Bridleuptothebar improved to 5-1-0 in nine career starts with earnings of $91,189—including $27,500 for the Budweiser triumph. Bridleuptothebar had encountered traffic problems in his Emerald Downs four weeks ago, finishing second to Smiling Goodbye in a fast 1:02.45 for 5 ½ furlongs.
In his 2023 debut, Slew’s Tiz Whiz rallied from the clouds to snatch second by a nose over Aquitania Arrival. The 2022 Emerald Downs Horse of the Meeting and Washington Horse of the Year earned $10,000 and is now 6-3-2 in 16 career starts with earnings of $195,357. Ridden by Jose Zunino at 120 lbs., the defending Longacres Mile champion was a slight favorite in the wagering at odds of 7 to 2.
Aquitania Arrival, a 21 to 1 long shot ridden by Amadeo Perez, ran a smasher in his Emerald Downs debut to finish third. An allowance winner last month at Hastings Racecourse, Aquitania Arrival reached even terms with the winner past mid-stretch and just missed holding off Slew’s Tiz Whiz for second place.
Zestful, the leading earner in the field with $697,780, rallied belatedly to finish fourth and was followed by Coastal Kid, Itsallabouttheride, Smiing Goodbye, Miussed the Boat, A Man’s Man, Prayer of Jabez, You’re the Cause, and Coastal Jazz.