Knaughty Knight’s front-running triumph
Knaughty Knight led the field from the start in Sunday’s $24,000 Muckleshoot Casino Purse for older fillies and mares, winning by a length over Pearl Blue. She covered 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.46, earning $13,680 in her third start of the season. Trained by Howie Gibson and ridden by regular jockey Blake Nunnally, Knaughty Knight opened a significant lead early on and maintained her advantage throughout the race.
As a 3-year-old daughter of Barkley out of Knight Club, Knaughty Knight has been a consistent performer this season. She now has two wins and a second from four starts in 2026, all in allowance races. Her overall record includes three wins and one second in seven career starts, with total earnings of $45,290. Her co-owners, breeders Ron and Nina Hagen of Enumclaw, will be hoping for more success in the coming races as the filly continues to develop.
Amador with 4 wins, Gibson with 2
Silvio Amador rode four winners on Sunday, marking his second four-bagger of the season and extending his lead in the jockeys' standings to 54-45 over Kevin Krigger. Amador’s performance helped solidify his position at the top of the riding charts. Adrian Castellanos also had two wins, which moved him into third in the jockeys' standings with 40 total wins so far this season.
On the trainer side, Howie Gibson picked up two victories, continuing his strong season. His latest wins have helped him maintain a 24-21 lead over defending champion Jorge Rosales in the trainers’ standings. Meanwhile, Joe Toye also had two winners, allowing him to pass Roy Lumm in the all-time Emerald Downs trainer rankings. Toye now holds the ninth position with 444 career wins at the track.
Other standout performers
Good Focus continued his impressive form by winning his third straight race and sixth overall in 2026. Ridden by Allyssa Morales and trained by Jim Gilmour, the 7-year-old Dialed In gelding covered 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.36, paying $3.92 to win. With six wins, two seconds, and a third in 11 starts this year, Good Focus has earned $49,730 so far in 2026. His consistency has made him a favorite among fans and bettors.
The Pick Six Jackpot remained unclaimed on Sunday, leaving a carryover of $1,574.10 for the next opportunity. Those who successfully selected all six winners in the Jackpot Pick Six received only $16.58 each. Sunday’s overall on-track handle totaled $1,155,988 for a nine-race card. Horse racing action returns at Emerald Downs next Saturday, with the first post scheduled for 1:50 p.m.
Front-runners dominate in other races
The day’s first race saw Creative Om lead from the front under jockey Adrian Castellanos, winning by more than four lengths in a time of 1:35.13. The 1-mile race featured a strong field, but Creative Om’s dominance was clear from the start. The horse, trained by Howie Gibson and owned by Tsujikawa Racing and Miranda Gibson, ran a near-perfect race, with J B Books coming in second and Pistol Power in third.
The second race of the day also saw a front-running victory, with 5-2 favorite Playa Luna winning every pole under jockey Frank Alvarado. The 5 ½ furlong race was won in 1:04.33, with Start Dreamin and Alex Cruz finishing second in their debut. Majorical, ridden by Silvio Amador, placed third, while Parade of Dreams completed the superfecta with Adrian Castellanos aboard.
In the fourth race, Ginger in Charge emerged victorious after a tactical race strategy. The odds-on favorite, under the guidance of Silvio Amador, sat just off the pace before engaging with 9-5 Saint Mihiel and jockey Adrian Castellano at the ⅛ pole. She edged ahead to win by ¾ of a length in a time of 1:17.04. Trained by Joe Toye and owned by Terra Firma Farm, Ginger in Charge continues to show strong form in key races.
Thanks and technical updates
Special thanks go to Emerald Downs Media Director Vince Bruun for providing comprehensive track notes and the feature race story, and to Reid Palmer for capturing the feature race photo. Fans were also informed that missing race replays from Saturday have been added to Saturday’s story after a technical issue was resolved. Emerald Downs Producer Cy Labar took responsibility for fixing the problem, ensuring that all content is available for review.