OCASIO TO RIDE AT GOLDEN GATE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FALL MEET
Luis Ocasio, a native of Puerto Rico who won the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice jockey in 2016, will ride at Golden Gate Fields for the remainder of the fall meet. Ocasio, represented by agent Gersom Rodriguez, won with 2 of his first 7 Golden Gate Fields mounts and has primarily ridden for leading trainer Jonathan Wong since moving his tack to Northern California.
“I recruited him from Pennsylvania,” said Wong on Wednesday morning. “He obviously has talent. He works hard and is a very patient rider. We’ll see how he does this meet and then go from there.”
As an apprentice, Ocasio won 108 races and earned $2.8 million in purse money-strong statistics which, as previously mentioned, led to a prestigious Eclipse Award for top apprentice jockey. The majority of his riding success in America has come at Parx and Penn National. Before moving to America, Ocasio attended Escuela Vocacional Hipica, a Puerto Rican school for aspiring jockeys. Top young riders such as Irad Ortiz Jr., Jose Ortiz and Evin Roman also learned their craft at Escuela Vocacional Hipica.
GOLD RUSH STAKES FILLED WITH PROMISING 2-YEAR-OLDS
Nine 2-year-olds have been entered to run in the 2018 edition of the $75,000 Gold Rush Stakes. The Gold Rush, a one mile event on Tapeta, goes as Race 7 on the 10-race Saturday afternoon program. First post on Saturday is 12:45 PM PT, with the Golden Rush set to go off at approximately 3:45 PM PT.
Leading the list of local contenders is the Jerry Hollendorfer trained Tivan, winner of the Golden Nugget Stakes on November 10. The son of Indian Evening is undefeated in two career starts and makes his route debut in the Gold Rush. Hollendorfer has always thought highly of Tivan, who will once again be ridden by veteran journeyman Frank Alvarado.
Leading trainer Jonathan Wong saddles a duo of runners in Mad Luther and Mayor Cobb. Mad Luther, private purchased by Wong and co-owners Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano in late September, ran last of six in the 6-furlong Golden Nugget but had previously won an allowance route race at Presque Isle Downs when racing for trainer Teresa Conley. The “other” Wong entrant, Mayor Cobb, faces winners for the first time in the Golden Nugget after a sharp maiden special weight score on turf.
Gobsmack and Rally Cat are two local runners who route for the first time. Gobsmack, trained by Mike Lenzini, broke his maiden in a California-bred six furlong sprint while Rally Cat, conditioned by Blaine Wright, picked up his first career win in a November 4 maiden special weight against open company. Rey Coliman, the runner up finisher in an October 27 allowance race on grass, completes the list of Bay Area-based horses set to battle in the Gold Rush.
A trio of Southern California shippers travel north to compete in the Gold Rush. The Creep, who won a starter allowance at Golden Gate two races ago, recently finished fourth in a salty allowance race at Del Mar for trainer Doug O’Neill and returns to the bayside track for his stakes debut. Meanwhile, Spin Lightning, from the Jeff Mullins barn, broke his maiden at first asking in August at Del Mar before finishing off the board in two straight stakes races: the Grade I Del Mar Futurity and the Zuma Beach Stakes. Sueno rounds out the list of Southern California entrants; the Keith Desormeaux trainee broke his maiden at the 80k maiden claiming level at Del Mar on August 31 and races for the first time since the aforementioned maiden triumph.
The 2018 $75,000 Gold Rush Stakes
#1 Mad Luther: Jockey Catalino Martinez/trainer Jonathan Wong
#2 Sueno: Abel Cedillo/Keith Desormeaux
#3 Spin Lightning: Ricky Gonzalez/Jeff Mullins
#4 Rally Cat: Julien Couton/Blaine Wright
#5 The Creep: Juan Hernandez/Doug O’Neill
#6 Tivan: Frank Alvarado/Jerry Hollendorfer
#7 Mayor Cobb: William Antongeorgi III/Jonathan Wong
#8 Rey Coliman: Cristobal Herrera/Felix Rondan
#9 Gobsmack: Kevin Orozco/Michael Lenzini
WINNING BEYER SPEED FIGURES
***Winners of last week’s races***
THURSDAY
Race 1: Tangled Up in Ju-54
Race 2: Neon Gypsy-54
Race 3: Perfect Come Back-77
Race 4: Taima the Hawk-75
Race 5: Coastal Starlite-47
Race 6: Rprettyboyfloyd-74
Race 7: English Royality-49
Race 8: Fire to the Wire-74
FRIDAY
Race 1: Night of Idiots-68
Race 2: My Audubon-62
Race 3: Coco Bee-68
Race 4: Tizno’s Dilemma-67
Race 5: Anitanewmercedes-55
Race 6: Cedar Rapids-67
Race 7: King’s Peak-70
Race 8: Tomlin-79
Race 9: Run Like Rhett-76
Race 10: Private Marini-72
Race 11: Ice Cream Fame-61
SATURDAY
Race 1: Hot N Breezy-42
Race 2: Fort Courage-77
Race 3: C I M Sweet-44
Race 4: Blueberry Acclaim-63
Race 5: Mr. Gee’s Journey-80
Race 6: Music Babe-69
Race 7: Touched by Autism-88
Race 8: Sequentially-74
Race 9: Editore-95
Race 10: Gallant Heat-60
SUNDAY
Race 1: Courtship-75
Race 2: Giant Mark-81
Race 3: Capall-74
Race 4: Native Chieftain-59
Race 5: Joejoe’s Kingdom-64
Race 6: Rideo-83
Race 7: Blessed Lady-66
Race 8: Clem Labine-57
Race 9: Oh Marvelous Me-75
Race 10: She’s an Eagle-54
FINISH LINES: With eight racing days left at the current meet, William Antongeorgi III sits atop the jockey standings with 23 victories, three ahead of Abel Cedillo…Jonathan Wong has run away with the trainer standings; the 2018 winter/spring and summer meet leading trainer has made 23 trips to the winners circle, 13 more than second place conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer…Jockey Frank Alvarado is six wins shy of 3,500 career wins…Oakland Stakes winner Touched by Autism is named for a great cause; Johnny Taboada, who owns the chestnut horse, frequently names his horses to spread awareness for autism. In fact, 62-1 shot Autism Awareness won the 2008 El Camino Real Derby for Taboada in what is considered to be the biggest upset in El Camino Real Derby history…Trainer Bill Delia claimed Rideo for $5,000 in 2017. The son of Candy Ride most recently won a second level allowance race last Sunday for Delia, who also co-owns the gelding with owner Ray Pagano. Rideo is 5 for 9 in 2018 with earnings of $70,080 this year. Great claim…The Golden Pick Six jackpot wager carryover has climbed to $15,506 heading into Thursday’s card…Happy birthday to trainer Ari Herbertson, who turns one year older this Sunday.