Stryker Phd Star of Washington Cup Day

Jim and Mona Hour's Stryker Phd provided the exclamation point to a memorable Washington Cup day for trainers Larry and Sharon Ross Aug. 28 at Emerald Downs.

Inducted into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame before the 10-race card, the Rosses watched as their 7-year-old gelding Stryker Phd overpowered six foes for a 5 3/4-length victory in the $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic. The Classic was the final of six stakes for state-breds as Washington Cup Presented by Xpressbet featured stakes in all six divisions.

The star of the show, however, was Stryker Phd. The 7-year-old Bertrando gelding swept to the lead past the three-eighths pole and cruised home in a very fast 1:41.30 for 1 1/16 miles. Stryker Phd paid $3.60, $2.80, and $2.10 across the board.

For Stryker Phd, it was his third victory in the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic and tied him with Madame Pele as the only three-time Washington Cup winners. Stryker Phd and Madame Pele are both out of the same dam, Striking Scholar, and Char Clark Thoroughbreds bred both.

"It was a bit of a class drop for (Stryker Phd) today," Larry Ross said. "He's a year older, but he's still running good and training good. It was a tremendous honor to (be inducted) in the Hall of Fame."

Stryker Phd, ridden by Leslie Mawing, earned $25,510 to boost his career total to $559,841, which ranks seventh all-time among Washington-bred earners. And his $511,236 earned at Emerald Downs is second only to Wasserman. His overall record is 10-5-6 in 26 starts and includes nine stakes wins at Emerald.

Coming off a fifth in the Longacres Mile (gr. III) two weeks ago, Stryker Phd showed no ill effects of the relatively quick turnaround. Sweeping past Hoody and Westley into the lane, Stryker Phd notched his first win in four starts as a 7-year-old. Grinder Sparksaglo, the longest shot on the board at 45-1, rallied to finish second while Westley finished third.

Also on the Washington Cup program:

The prohibitive 1-5 favorite, So Lucky (by Coast Guard) was never headed and scored a decisive nine-length victory in the $50,000 WA Cup Two-Year-Old Colts & Gelding Stakes Presented by Redhook ESL.

Risque's Legacy led gate to wire to win the $50,000 WA Cup Two-Year-Old Filly Stakes presented by Comcast SportsNet by three lengths while becoming sire Atta Boy Roy  's first black-type winner.

Ethan's Baby (Offlee Wild) shook off Dance With Effie and rolled to a 2 3/4-length front-running victory in the $50,000 WA Cup Filly & Mare Stakes Presented by Xpressbet.

In a one-two finish for Pacific Northwest sire Harbor the Gold, The Press nailed 7-10 favorite Mach One Rules in the final strides for a neck victory in the $50,000 WA Cup Three-Year-Old Stakes Presented by Pegasus Training and Equine Rehabilitation Center.

My Heart Goes On would not be denied in the $50,000 WA Cup Three-Year-Old Filly Stakes Presented by Freight NW. Turning back Three Forks Gold past midstretch, the Albertus Maximus   filly responded gamely with a one-length victory.