Emerald Downs | Margo’s Gift prevails in Pepsi-Cola stakes

AUBURN — Jockey Ricky Frazier capped a winning weekend Sunday by guiding Margo’s Gift inside halfway down the stretch and then to a close victory over Easy Going Cecil and Gallon in the $56,525 Pepsi-Cola Handicap at Emerald Downs.

“Ricky’s been riding great this week,” said Doris Harwood, trainer for Margo’s Gift, “and I said that’s the jockey I want for my horse.”

It was the right choice.

Frazier, who had four wins Friday night and three on Saturday, said he knew Margo’s Gift liked to close at the end of races.

“So I settled him behind the leaders,” Frazier said. “When the time came to move at the sixteenth pole, I had to go along the rail as he was boxed in a little. He ran his heart out down the stretch, and we just got them at the wire.”

“Them” included Easy Going Cecil, ridden by Gallyn Mitchell, who led from the start; Gallon, guided by Juan Gutierrez; and Fear No Evil, with Leslie Mawing up.

Easy Going Cecil held on for second, a neck behind the winner and a head in front of favored Gallon. Fear No Evil faded to sixth in the 6 ½-furlong contest for 3-year-old colts and geldings.

Margo’s Gift paid $6.40, $3.80 and $2.40. Easy Going Cecil brought back $5.20 and $2.80 while Gallon returned $2.20.

Fear No Evil was a surprise winner at 9-1 when these horses met last in the $50,000 Auburn Stakes on May 11. But on Sunday, Margo’s Gift (6-0-2 in nine starts) got it right and won by a neck in 1 minute, 16-1/5 seconds. He finished third in the Auburn, behind Fear No Evil and Gallon, who had finished ahead of Margo’s Gift in their four previous meetings.

The $32,450 share of the purse brings Margo’s Gift’s earnings to $283,664, most of that from winning the $250,000 Favorite Trick Stakes in October in New Jersey. Owned by Ken Alhadeff’s Elttaes Stable, the gelding — a $10,000 yearling purchase — is a Washington-bred, by Polish Gift out of Burgundy Jones.

Harwood said the plan is to race Margo’s Gift in California this fall but the horse will race at Emerald Downs this summer.

Note

• The three jockeys riding for agent Boone McCanna won 24 of the 36 races in the four-day race week ending Sunday. Kevin Radke and Frazier each won nine races, and Seth Martinez won six.

By John B. Saul