CRISTIANO’S DREAM A “DREAM COME TRUE” FOR HIS CONNECTIONS
First-time starter Cristiano’s Dream scored a sharp-looking win in Race 7 last Sunday, a California-bred maiden special weight for 3-year-olds. Cristiano’s Dream, conditioned by Mike Lenzini and ridden to victory by Erick Lopez, won the five-and-a-half-furlong contest by three and a half lengths and earned a 68 Beyer speed figure for his effort.
Cristiano’s Dream is owned by John Parker, Lopez’s father-in-law. The horse is named after Lopez’s son, 18-month-old Cristiano.
“[The race] was special,” reflected Erick. “It was really cool that things worked out. How often does this type of thing happen? It was pretty amazing. I was smiling ear to ear when I got back to the [jockey’s] room.
Down the backstretch, he was cruising along. When I asked him at the quarter pole he took off. Turning for home I knew we were going to win. It was impressive. He could have won by more too. I think he’ll enjoy a little more distance and I think he can improve because he’s still learning.”
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Cristiano’s Dream took to the added ground. He is by multiple Grade I winner Tourist, most notably known for winning the Breeders Cup Turf Mile in 2016 at Santa Anita. The dam of Cristiano’s Dream, Dances On Water, is an In Excess mare who’s produced three winners from three foals including Grade 3 Longacres Mile winner Gold Rush Dancer. Gold Rush Dancer also won the mile and an eighth Snow Chief Stakes at Santa Anita in 2016.
SPECHT STARTS OFF WINTER/SPRING MEET WRACKING OFF WINNERS
Veteran Northern California horsemen Steve Specht was ready to roll with his dozen entrants who raced on Opening Week of the 2021 Winter/Spring meet at Golden Gate. From those 12 starters, 5 made winners circle appearances. Two others finished second or third.
On Opening Day Friday, Specht and his go-to rider, Frank Alvarado, picked up the win in Race 2 with 3-year-old filly Good Time Dolly. One day later, Specht won Race 3 with stakes winner Square Deal and the nightcap (Race 10) with 4-year-old filly Persuasive Lips. Both horses were piloted to victory by Catalino Martinez.
On Sunday, Specht equaled his win record from the previous afternoon. Pour On the Cole was well prepared for his 2021 debut and won Race 3 while Slam Dunk Sermon, making his first start against older rivals as a newly turned 4-year-old, hit the wire first under Alvarado in the featured eighth race, an allowance for sprinters.
TRAINER BADILLA WITH TWO TOP CONTENDERS AGAINST CLOCKSTRIKESTWELVE IN SATURDAY FEATURE
Two maiden and three allowance races spread throughout the 9-race card at Golden Gate this Saturday make up a good-quality program. The feature in the sequence, Race 7, is a second-level allowance for fillies and mares routing one mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta.
Trainer Manny Badilla starts 5-year-old Northwest Factor and 6-year-old Ziarah, both of who should be listed as major players. Northwest Factor, claimed by Badilla and owner Debra Medlock for $25,000 last July, has gone on to win a pair of allowance races. In fact, her last start in October resulted in a gate to wire win-a victory in which she defeated Mybluebell and Novella, also entered in Saturday’s seventh race.
“Debra [Medlock] has a farm and breeding operation,” said Badilla. “We claimed [Northwest Factor] because she was already a multiple stakes winner in Washington State. She has black type. Once she was in for a $25,000 tag, it was hard to pass up. She’s been training great. Expect her to be on the lead again. They’ll have her to catch.”
Ziarah, a stakes-placed mare, freshens up almost three months since a fourth-place finish behind Northwest Factor, Mybluebell, and Novella. That afternoon, Ziarah went off favored.
“She came out of that last race with a little cold,” said Badilla. “I really think the time between races will do her well. She had a hard year last year-ran in a bunch of races and had to run hard-and the time off should be beneficial. She’s fresh and ready to go. I think we’re going to see her bring her ‘A’ game.”
The main danger to beat the Badilla-trained pair is Clockstrikestwelve, a Jonathan Wong trainee coming off a sharp allowance win at Los Alamitos in December.
“She likes to make one run,” said Wong. “Last time [at Los Alamitos] she got a good, fast pace that set up for her running style. In this race, it doesn’t look like there’s nearly as much early speed, but she’ll be coming on. She’s a mare that’s really confident, really happy and training well right now.”
FINISH LINES: Maggie’s Magic, the first Golden Gate starter for trainer Miguel Ramirez, won the second race on Saturday. Before taking out his trainer’s license last month, Ramirez was the longtime assistant for Bob Hess Sr., who passed away in December. That win was for you Bob!…2020 San Francisco Mile runner up Kiwi’s Dream makes his first start since August in Race 6 at Santa Anita on Saturday, a starter allowance at one mile and an eighth on turf. Tiago Pereira is slated to ride for trainer Victor Trujillo…Great Britain bred Escape The City makes her first start in North America on Saturday for trainer Manny Badilla and owners Ron Charles and Sam Gordon in Santa Anita’s eighth race, a first-level allowance. She has been training at Golden Gate in preparation for her stateside debut…2019 El Camino Real Derby winner Anothertwistafate is the 5-1 third choice on the morning line in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park. Joel Rosario rides…Assael Espinoza, the newest member of the Golden Gate Fields jockey colony, is off to a good start at the current meeting. The 21-year-old nephew of Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza won with 4 of his 20 mounts last week…Happy birthday to jockey Brayan Pena, who celebrates his 31st birthday on Tuesday…Leg D (the second to last leg) of the Stronach 5 wager goes as Race 3 on Friday at Golden Gate. The Stronach 5 has a carryover of just over $97,000!