MISS AMERICA SPLIT INTO TWO DIVISIONS, BEAR FAN DRAWS 11 ON SATURDAY CARD
A trio of stakes events highlights a 12-race program on Saturday afternoon, which has a special, early first post time of 11:45 AM.
The Miss America Stakes, a $50,000 ungraded event for fillies and mares going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf, received 18 entries on Wednesday morning. With the overflow of entries, racing secretary and GGF Director of Racing Patrick Mackey opted to split the Miss America into two divisions with nine runners each. The first division goes as Race 7 on the program and begins the Pick Six wager on Saturday. Among the entrants are the Grade 2 placed Sweet Charity from the John Sadler barn and South American Group 1 winner Birdie Gold from the Gary Mandella stable. The second division of the Miss America is Race 9, the first leg of the Late Pick 4 wager. Among the leading contenders are Southern California stakes performers Bernina Star and Pantsonfire, local sharpie Pyscho Sister and Golden Poppy Stakes winner Bella Luma.
Race 10 on the program is the last of the three stakes, the Bear Fan Stakes, a $75,000 six-furlong sprint on the Tapeta for California-bred or California sired fillies and mare. A large field of 11 is set to compete, led by stakes winner Isa Firecracker, Southern California shipper Helen’s Tiger and hard knocking allowance equines Claudia Mae, Impecunious and Spring Heat.
Race 7: Division 1 of the Miss America Stakes
#1 Savannah Slew: Jockey Catalino Martinez/trainer Samuel Calvario
#2 Sweet Charity: Juan Hernandez/John Sadler
#3 Gratzie (GB): Pedro Terrero/Manny Badilla
#4 Birdie Gold: Brice Blanc/Gary Mandella
#5 Dutton’s Legend: Frank Alvarado (alt)/Steve Specht
#6 Fiery Lady: Austin Solis/Anna Meah
#7 Lynne’s Legacy: Alonso Quinonez/Doug O’Neill
#8 Shehastheritestuff: Ricky Gonzalez/Paddy Gallagher
#9 Mybluebell: Abel Cedillo/Bob Hess Sr.
Race 9: Division 2 of the Miss America Stakes
#1 Bernina Star: Jockey Julien Couton/James Cassidy
#2 Impasse: Juan Hernandez/Michael McCarthy
#3 Pantsonfire: Brice Blanc/Richard Baltas
#4 Pyscho Sister: William Antongeorgi III/Ari Herbertson
#5 Fizzy Friday (GB): Aaron Gryder/Phil D’Amato
#6 Blazinbeauty: Javier Matias/Frank Lucarelli
#7 Music Babe: Alejando Gomez (alt)/Isidro Tamayo
#8 Bella Luma: Frank Alvarado/Ed Moger Jr.
#9 Tizno’s Dilemma: Ricky Gonzalez/Andreas Psarras
Race 10: $75,000 Bear Fan Stakes
#1 Meet Miss Kitty: Jockey Austin Solis (alt)/Trainer Clifford Delima
#2 Spring Heat: Juan Hernandez/Clifford DeLima
#3 Isa Firecracker: Alejandro Gomez/Jamey Thomas
#4 Vronilla Parfait: Frank Alvarado/Sergio Ledezma
#5 The Spiral Jetter: Julien Couton/Andy Mathis
#6 Bezzy: Ricky Gonzalez/Victor Trujillo
#7 Helen’s Tiger: Alonso Quinonez/Doug O’Neill
#8 Queen Bee To You: Catalino Martinez/Mike Pender
#9 Bako Sweets: William Antongeorgi III/William E. Morey
#10 Impecunious: Abel Cedillo/Frank Lucarelli
#11 Claudia Mae: Pedro Terrero/Tirso Rivera
MANDATORY PAYOUTS THIS SUNDAY
This Sunday, December 9 is closing day of the 2018 Fall Meet. Horseplayers are sure to be firing away on the Sunday card, which features extra races, an early first post time of 11:45 AM and mandatory payouts in the Golden Pick Six, the Rolling Super High Five and both Pick 4 and Pick 5 wagers.
Heading into Thursday’s card, there is a carryover in the 20-Cent Golden Pick Six jackpot wager of $37,029. If there fails to be a single winning jackpot ticket by Saturday evening, horseplayers are looking at a large carryover pool in the Pick Six on Sunday, with at least a quarter of a million dollars new money projected.
Entries for Sunday afternoon will be taken on Thursday morning. Track officials confirmed the 11:45 AM early first post time on Wednesday. 11 to 12 races are expected to be carded on the Sunday program.
FINISH LINES: With four more racing days to go, journeyman William Antongeorgi III has a two-win lead in the jockey standings over Abel Cedillo. Cedillo, in turn, has 12 victories more than third place rider Juan Hernandez…Jonathan Wong has made 27 trips to the winners circle, the most out of any trainer at the current meeting. Jerry Hollendorfer sits in second in the trainer standings with 13 wins, 2 better than Tim McCanna…There is a Rolling Super High Five carryover heading into Thursday’s first race of $8,256…As mentioned in the last article, there is also a Golden Pick Six jackpot carryover of $37,029 on Thursday…Southern California jockeys Brice Blanc, Aaron Gryder and Alonso Quinonez will be in town to ride on Saturday…Live racing resumes at Golden Gate Fields the day after Christmas, Wednesday December 26. Have a great holiday break!