Gdanz Express wins feature in a photo finish at Emerald Downs

It took a photo finish and a stewards’ inquiry to render a decision Friday evening at Emerald Downs, but Gdanz Express ultimately prevailed in the $13,300 feature race for 3-year-olds.

Gdanz Express finished first by a nose over Carr Creek following an elongated duel between the sophomore geldings. They hooked up in the opening strides, with Gdanz Express on the inside and Carr Creek to his outside, and battled virtually the entire way.

Ridden by Robert Skelly for trainer Doris Harwood and owner Vital Signs Stable, Gdanz Express ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.41 on a wet-fast track and paid $5.40, $3.20 and $3.20.

Carr Creek, ridden by A. L. Gutierrez, paid $7.60 and $5. It was 1 1/2 lengths back to Landed On the Moon, with Gallyn Mitchell riding, and a $5 show payoff.

Praise a Native, the 7-to-5 favorite, finished fourth, and Topper’s Trooper was last.

The stewards reviewed a bumping incident into the stretch, but made no change, ruling mutual interference by Gdanz Express and Carr Creek.

A Washington-bred by Liberty Gold, Gdanz Express is 2-0-2 in five starts with earnings of $25,868 for Mullen & Patricia Chinn (Vital Signs Stable) of Federal Way. The gelding was stakes placed twice last year at Emerald Downs.

Harwood had two winners and needs just two wins to become the sixth trainer at Emerald Downs to win 400 races.

NOTES: Jockey Marijo Terleski scored her second win at Emerald Downs and her first in nearly 13 years with a victory aboard Brother Man ($12.60) for trainer Billy Christian in the fourth race. Terleski rides mainly in Oregon, and 340 of her 397 career wins are at Portland Meadows. Her previous EmD victory was May 21, 1998, aboard Lajara Irish Miss .

Trainer Billy Christian saddled a pair of long shot winners: Brother Man and Warren’s Player ($17.60) in the nightcap…Trainer Howard Belvoir won the early daily double with Taking Liberties ($11.80) and Paddy’s Pot’o Gold ($7.40)…Eight different jockeys won races on the eight-race card.

Blind Luck, co-owned by Mark Dedomenico of Redmond, rallied from last to capture the $300,000 La Troienne Stakes (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks under-card.

Trainer Frank Lucarelli finished first and second in the fifth race at Golden Gate Fields as Remmah Racing’s Dugan Bill ($38.20) led all the way and Mutiny Bay rallied for second.

Live racing continues Saturday with first post at 2:15 p.m…Simulcast activity, of course, is highlighted by the 137th Kentucky Derby at 3:24 p.m. Gates open at 7 a.m. with the first Churchill Downs race at 7:30.

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