E Z Kitty wins the $50,000 Washington State Legislators Stakes | Emerald Downs

E Z Kitty stepped up in class but continued her winning ways Sunday at Emerald Downs.

With Leonel Camacho-Flores riding at 117 lbs, E Z Kitty led all the way for a three-quarter-length victory over Class Included in the $50,000 Washington State Legislators Stakes for older fillies and mares.

Breaking from the No. 4 post-position, E Z Kitty ran 6-? furlongs in 1:14.61 and paid $24.60, $6 and $4.20. The winning time equaled the stakes record set by Gadget Queen in 2009.

Recording her sixth win in nine career starts, E Z Kitty set fractions of :21.97, :43.98 and 1:08.03. Owned by Tige Too Racing Stable and trained by H. R. Gibson, E Z Kitty earned $27,500 to increase her bankroll to $75,016.

Class Included, the 11-to-10 betting favorite ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 122 lbs, chased the winner from second-place virtually the entire race, but had to settle for the runner-up position. Class Included paid $3.40 and $2.40 and kept alive her streak of never finishing worse than second in 12 career races.

It was four lengths back to Special Holiday, the third-place finisher ridden by Leslie Mawing at 119 lbs, and a $2.60 show payoff.

Sweet Nellie Brown was a neck back in fourth place, and was followed by Rewritten Playful Argument, Elusive Noise and Stephanie Plum.

E Z Kitty, whose previous stakes victory was in the 2011 John & Kitty Fletcher Stakes at one mile, continues to surprise nearly everybody at the track. Although she?s won two-thirds of her races, E Z Kitty has never been favored and her $2 win prices are $38.20, $20.40, $8, $10.80, $16 and $24.60.

Camacho-Flores said he talked strategy with Gibson earlier Sunday, and that the race played out perfectly.

?I went to H.R. (Gibson?s) barn this morning, and he told me, ?if you break well, hustle for the lead,? ? Camacho-Flores said. ?This filly is fast, so I just wanted to save something for the end.

?She was so tired, but she has a lot of heart. I asked for everything she had, and she just kept trying and trying.?

Gutierrez said Class Included fired her typical good effort, but was compromised by E Z Kitty?s solo lead.

?I was in the perfect spot, but that?s horse racing for you,? he said. ?(E Z Kitty) went fast up front, but she had an easy lead. (Class Included) will favor the distance more as the races get longer.?

The $50,000 Boeing Handicap at one mile is next up for older fillies and mares on Sunday, July 8.

NOTES: Gutierrez rode two winners and finished the week with a 31-27 lead over both William Antongeorgi and Eliska Kubinova in the jockeys? standings*Jose Zunino also rode two winners*Ron Crockett Inc. finished first and second in race four, a $17,000 maiden special weight for fillies and mares, as Once Upon a Song ($37) opened a long early lead and held off 7-to-5 betting favorite Ever Ready Carrie for the victory*Marvin?s Magic ($3.40) romped by eighth lengths in the eighth, running six furlongs in 1:08.58, and has won his last two starts by a combined 17 ?-lengths. And for the second straight time, the 4-year-old gelding was claimed, this time going to owner John Parker and trainer Howard Belvoir*At Hastings Racecourse, Evelyn?s Dancer ($3.30) notched a 3-?-length victory in the $50,000 Emerald Downs Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, running the 1-1/16 miles in 1:44.30*Live racing resumes Friday at 6 p.m. The seven-race card includes the first race of the season for 2-year-olds.

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