Saturday at the Fair Grounds, it was Player, who came home first to win

the $100.000 CC Emerald, finishing the 1 1/16 race over the firm turf in a

final time of 1:41.23, which is a new stakes record for the CC Emerald.

Player sat just off the pace in second for the entire race, and then in a

perfectly timed move, was able to take the lead near the one mile mark,

drawing off to win by one length at the wire.

Player, who is trained by Angelos Stable is a four-year-old gelding by

HRP-Tiznow, and he earned $60.000 for his win in the CC Emerald. He

now has career earnings of $181.210, and a race record of 17-5-3-5.

Absolutely Perfect finished 2nd for Chili King Stables, earning $20.000,

while his stablemate To Play came in 3rd, taking home $16.000.

Official Order of Finish:

Scratched: Declan Macmanus

How the race was run:

6   Player: Won by one length. After the break, was sent up to run

     in 2nd, where he was 1/2 a length behind the leader at the 1/4

     mile pole. Continued running in 2nd and by the 5/8 pole, he had

     moved up to be just a neck off the lead, and was able to pass the

     7 horse, and pull a length in front for the win.

    -Ran a beautiful race here. Was never in a hurry and simply made

     his way to the front, making it look effortless, and finishing strong

     with plenty left in the tank. One to watch as he seems to really be

     hitting his best stride now.

7   Absolutely Perfect: Finished 2nd, one length behind the winner.

     Was sent out for the lead immediately after the break, where he

     led by 1/2 a length early, crawling through an opening quarter of

     :24.36. Continued to lead by 1/2 a length until he began to tire a

     bit near the 5/8 pole, and the 6 horse was able to pass him as

     they hit the mile pole, leaving Absolutely Perfect to fall a length

     back to finish 2nd at the wire.

    -Ran well early, but distance was just too much for Absolutely

     Perfect and his front running style. Had the race been shorter,

     he likely would have won here. This was his first in the money

     finish running long, but he set some pretty slow early fractions,

     so think we will see him cut back in distance in the future.

4   To Play: Finished 3rd, one length back, just a neck behind his

     stablemate, Absolutely Perfect who was 2nd. After the break,  

     dropped back to trail the field, running last, eight lengths from

     the lead. Continued to run in 7th, but by the 1/2 mile mark, had

     moved up to be five lengths behind the leader, and shortly after

     moved into 6th. Near the one mile mark, made a huge move to

     get up for 3rd, finishing just one length from the winner.

    -Ran a really nice race here, and made an amazing closing move

     late, but just couldn't catch the first two finishers. Looked like To

     Play just needed a little more distance, and with as fast as he was

     going at the end, he may have been able to catch the winner. Think

     we will see him stretch out and go longer next time.

5   Arsenal Gunners: Finished in 4th, four lengths behind the winner.

     Ran in 3rd early, two lengths off the lead, and then near the 1/2 mile

     pole was passed to run in 5th place, still two lengths back. Began to

     tire near the 3/4 mile pole, dropping to three lengths back, but was

     able to pass a tiring 3 horse to take 4th place, as he dropped back

     another length to finish 4th, four lengths from the winner.

    -Arsenal Gunners just never looked like he was comfortable here.

     The distance may have been a bit long, and he was taken back to

     run further off the lead than he usually does, so those two factors

     may have contributed to his lackluster performance here. Will have

     to see how he comes out of the race, and where he goes next.

2   Elated Aura: Finished 5th, five lengths back from the winner. Ran

     in 5th early, three lengths from the lead, and then at the 1/4 mile 

     mark, he made a move that put him in 3rd, just two lengths behind

     the leader. Was passed by the 3 horse at the 3/4 mile pole, and

     was three lengths from the lead, and then nearing the mile mark,

     he tired and faded back five lengths to finish in 5th.

    -This was the first start on the turf for Elated Aura, and it looks like

     he may prefer the dirt. Very lightly raced and just a three-year-old,

     we could see him improve as he gets some more experience. One

     to keep an eye on in the future.

3   Arbitrary: Finished 6th, six lengths from the winner. After the break

     settled in 4th, three lengths off the lead, and at the 1/2 mile pole he

     had moved up to be within two lengths of the leader. Near the 3/4

     mile pole, he passed the 3 horse to run in 3rd but right after, tired

     badly, and faded six lengths back to finish in 6th.

    -Looked like the stakes level competition was just a bit too tough

     for Arbitrary, who has run best in low level claiming races. Think

     we will see him drop back down in class a bit for his next start.

8   Anchored: Finished 7th, seven lengths behind the winner. After

     the break, dropped back to run 6th early, four lengths from the

     leader. By the quarter pole, was already looking tired and losing

     ground, falling to five lengths back, and getting passed by the 4

     horse near the 1/2 mile pole to run in last, six lengths back. Lost

     another length right before the wire to finish seven lengths from

     the winner, in 7th place.

    -Don't think Anchored is ready for stakes level races right now.

     He has struggled lately, finishing in the money just once in his

     now last eight starts. Seems to run better on dirt, so likely he

     will drop back down in class and possibly switch surfaces for

     his next race.