Rare Triple Dead Heat At Yakima Three Claiming Horses Deadlock In Third Race

For just the 20th time in thoroughbred racing history, a three-way dead heat was run Sunday at Yakima Meadows.

In the day’s third race, a trio of $8,000 claimers - Fly Like A Angel, Allihavonztheradio and Terri After Five - all hit the wire together after running one mile.

The last triple dead-heat occurred in 1990 at Arlington Park in Illinois, according to the Daily Racing Form’s Racing Manual.

Research by Yakima Meadows officials turned up only one similar finish previously on the West Coast, a triple dead-heat at Hollywood Park. The date of that race was not available.

Only one of the nation’s triple dead heats has occurred in a stakes race.

Sunday, at Yakima Meadows, Lively Lucy set the early fractions in the seven-horse field before giving way in the stretch.

The three winners completed the eight furlongs in a time of 1:39 on a fast track.

Vicky Aragon, who rode four winners out of the 10 local races, was aboard Fly Like A Angel. Nate Thacker had the mount on Allihavonztheradio. Gallyn Mitchell was astride Terri After Five.

The dead heat forced six exacta payoffs in the race.

The featured $25,000 Railbird Handicap, all but overshadowed by the triple dead-heat, went to Reasonably Royal.

Reasonably Royal pulled clear to win the six-furlong sprint by 3-1/2 lengths with Aragon on her back.

The victory pushed Reasonably Royal’s earnings to more than $55,000 from just 12 career starts. Candles N Moonlight finished second. Cider Slew took third.