Gold Rush Dancer cruises to dominant win in Longacres Mile
Published 1:30 am Sunday, August 13, 2017
Herald news services
AUBURN — Returning to the track where his career began two years ago, Gold Rush Dancer raced to a dominant 4¾-length victory Sunday in the 82nd running of the $200,000 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by 19-year-old Evin Roman, Gold Rush Dancer ran one mile in 1:33.85 under 120 pounds and returned $8.40, $4.20 and $3.80. Vann Belvoir is the winning trainer for owner/breeder John Parker of Lake Bay, Washington.
A 4-year-old California-bred colt, Gold Rush Dancer earned $110,000 to push his bankroll to $510,613. He has won six of 18 starts including five stakes wins — three vs. state-breds in California and the Longacres Mile and Gottstein Futurity at Emerald Downs.
Mach One Rules, ridden by Isaias Enriquez at high-weight of 123 pounds, rallied from sixth to edge Dedicated to You for second by a head and paid $4.40 and $3.60. Winner of the Budweiser and Mount Rainier Stakes, Mach One Rules was favored by a scant $77 over Gold Rush Dancer in the wagering—$42,698 to $42,571—and earned $40,000 Sunday for owner R.E.V Racing.
Dedicated to You, with Leonel Camacho-Flores riding at 117 pounds, held on well for third at odds of 82-1 and paid $16.20 to show, while Barkley turned in another solid effort for fourth. Point Piper, the defending champion, finished fifth, and 2014-15 Mile winner Stryker Phd closed ground to finish sixth.
Belvoir becomes the first person to win the Longacres Mile as both a jockey and trainer, and Sunday’s victory was never in doubt. Tracking Dedicated to You through fractions of :22.86, and :45.81, Gold Rush Dancer took command a half-mile from home, opened a three-length lead on the turn and poured it on through the stretch.
“When he broke well and was in a good position going into the first turn I thought he had a good chance,” said Roman, a native of Puerto Rico and current leading rider at Del Mar. “When we started going down the backstretch I had a lot of horse. When we hit the half-mile pole I knew he was the winner. “
Belvoir said the Mile victory culminated a plan that began last winter.
“This was our goal for a long time,” he said. “(Gold Rush Dancer) had no issues but we gave him a break. This was his third start back and he ran his best race.”
For Parker, leading owner the last two years at Emerald Downs, winning The Mile naturally is a great thrill.
“My horse has been awesome, and Vann has done a great job with him the last two years,” Parker said. “It was awesome to have the horse come back home to win the big race.”
