TEN STAKES RACES HIGHLIGHT THE UPCOMING FALL MEET AT GOLDEN GATE
The 32-day 2020 Fall Meet at Golden Gate Fields begins Thursday, October 22 and runs through Sunday, December 13. For the first seven days of the meeting, first post is slated for 1:15 PM. Beginning Sunday, November 1, post time for the first race moves to 12:45 PM.
Ten stakes races are spread throughout the eight-week season, beginning on October 31 with the Pike Place Dancer at one mile on turf for 2-year-old fillies. On November 1, the El Dorado Stakes calls attention to California-bred or California-sired sprinters at six furlongs on the Tapeta main track.
The Pike Place Dancer is one of four stakes races for 2-year-olds. On Saturday, November 14, freshman sprinters journey six furlongs in the Golden Nugget. The fillies get their chance to shine two weeks later in the six-furlong Golden Gate Debutante on November 27. The Gold Rush, a one-mile event on Saturday, December 5, rounds out the 2-year-old Fall Meet stakes series.
The Joseph T. Grace, at one mile and a sixteenth on turf, is one of two stakes’ for routers 3-years-old and upward. Horses who compete in the November 7 Joseph T. Grace may also try their hand in the premier race of the meeting, the $100,000 Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap, at one mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta. The Grade 3 Berkeley is scheduled for Saturday, November 28, two days after Thanksgiving.
The six-furlong Oakland Stakes, for 3-year-olds and upward on Saturday, November 21, shines light on top-quality Bay Area sprinters. Two stakes races highlight closing weekend: the six-furlong Bear Fan for California-bred or California-sired fillies and mares on Saturday, December 12, and the Miss America on Closing Day Sunday, December 13, for fillies and mares at one-mile and a sixteenth on turf.
For additional info or to nominate to a stake, please contact Golden Gate Fields Stakes Coordinator Lisa Jones by phone at (626) 388-8062 or by e-mail at lisnpac12@hotmail.com.
FALL 2020 STAKES SCHEDULE
Saturday, October 31: The $75,000 Pike Place Dancer Stakes (2-year-old filles at one mile on turf)
Sunday, November 1: The $75,000 El Dorado Shooter Stakes (California-bred or California-sired 3-year-olds and upward at six furlongs on Tapeta)
Saturday, November 7: The $50,000 Joseph T. Grace Stakes (3-year-olds and upward at one mile and a sixteenth on turf)
Saturday, November 14: The $50,000 Golden Nugget Stakes (2-year-olds at six furlongs on Tapeta)
Saturday, November 21: The $50,000 Oakland Stakes (3-year-olds and upward at six furlongs on Tapeta)
Friday, November 27: The $50,000 Golden Gate Debutante 2-year-olds at six furlongs on Tapeta)
Saturday, November 28: The Grade 3 $100,000 Berkeley Handicap (3-year-olds and upward at one mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta)
Saturday, December 5: The $75,000 Gold Rush Stakes (2-year-olds at one mile on Tapeta)
Saturday, December 12: The $75,000 Bear Fan Stakes (California-bred or California-sired fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward at six furlongs on Tapeta)
Sunday, December 13: The $50,000 Miss America Stakes (Fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward at one mile and a sixteenth on turf)
FREY, WONG, IRVIN RACING STABLE WIN SUMMER MEET TITLES
Jockey Kyle Frey, trainer Jonathan Wong and owner Irvin Racing Stable sat atop their respective divisions’ standings at the recently concluded Golden Gate Fields summer meet.
28-year-old journeyman rider Kyle Frey won the most races out of any jockey with 47 victories from 205 mounts, equating to a strong 23%-win percentage. Represented by agent Fernando “Shoes” Navarro, Frey tallied $803,264 in purse earnings and finished in-the-money with 54% of his rides. Apprentice jockey Santos Rivera finished second in the jockey standings with 27 wins while Irving Orozco and Evin Roman tied for third with 25 wins apiece. Frank Alvarado completed the top five with 23 first-place finishes.
Trainer Jonathan Wong picked up his ninth training title at Golden Gate Fields when saddling 40 winners from 159 starters at the 6-week summer meet. Wong earned $764,062 in purse money and hit-the-board with 58% of his starters. Isidro Tamayo, the conditioner with the second most wins at the summer meet, visited the winner’s circle 21 times. Steve Sherman, who finished third in the trainer standings with 17 wins, had the highest win percentage of any trainer who saddled more than 50 starters, tallying a 27%-win rate.
Owners Betty and Diane Irvin, who race under the name “Irvin Racing Stable”, won more races than any other owner with 6 victories from their 21 entrants. They campaigned 5 additional second place finishers and 4 horses who hit the wire third, finishing in-the-money with 71% of their starters. Irvin Racing Stables has horses with trainers Greg James and Bill McLean in Northern California and Carla Gaines in Southern California.
Betty and Diane Irvin, a mother-daughter team, are strong supporters of California racing. Betty resides in Los Angeles while Diane has residences in Colorado and Nevada. They own C-Punch Ranch in Lovelock, Nevada, and all of their racehorses are Irvin family homebreds. `
CLAIMS REPORT
Below are the list of claims made from last week:
Friday
Race 1: Kayda (New trainer Jamey Thomas…new owner Myles McMahon and Troy Thomas)
Race 7: Plum Wild (Ed Moger Jr…Steve Moger)
Saturday
Race 2: Linfield (Jonathan Wong…Madden Racing and MJVET Stable)
Race 2: One Eyed Robin (Jack Steiner…Randy Marriott and Jack Steiner)
Race 4: Sound Judgement (Owner/Trainer Victor Trujillo)
Race 5: Seventh Wave (Reid France…Francis Lagattuta and Reid France)
Race 8: Arch Prince (Ed Moger Jr…Steve Moger)
Race 8: Premium Forest (Blaine D. Wright…Paula and Tracy Henline and Blaine Wright Racing)
Race 9: Eskimo Roses (Milton Pineda…Lizbeth Medina)
Sunday
Race 2: St. Annie’s Indy (Sammy Calvario,…Mary Tucker)
Race 10: Ocean Fury (Jesus Ramos…Jose C. Ramos)
FINISH LINES: In Race 9 last Saturday, River Rose and Many Roses competed against one another. Why is this noteworthy? Both geldings are full siblings, by Many Roses out of the Bertrando mare Heirloom Rose…The Steve Sherman trained Starlight Stroll, a sibling to Grade 3 winner and Grade 2 placed Sneaking Out, Grade 3 winner Grecian Fire and multiple minor stakes winner Been Studying Her, won her career debut in last Sunday’s eighth race. All four aforementioned siblings are out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Maddie’s Odyssey. Trainer Sherman and winning owner/breeder KMN Racing also campaigned the second-place finisher, Okoye. Both KMN runners were sired by the late Indian Evening…$2,060,144 “new money” was bet into the Golden Pick Six jackpot mandatory payout pool last Sunday. The Golden Pick Six jackpot pool begins anew on Thursday…Race 3 on Friday at Golden Gate is Leg E (the last leg) of the Stronach 5 wager this week…Happy birthday to longtime jockey valet Jay Frey, jockey David “DC” Lopez, and trainer Sherrie Monroe, all who celebrate their special day’s this week.