LATE PICK 4 SEQUENCE ENTICING ON SATURDAY’S 9-RACE PROGRAM
Saturday’s Late Pick 4 sequence attracted 38 entries, with three additional “also eligible” entrants in Race 7. With healthy field sizes, competitive races and good quality throughout the sequence, bettors nationwide will likely be enthused to play.
Race 6, a one mile and a sixteenth starter allowance race, drew eight runners. The 5-2 morning line favorite is #1 Chief Jackson, who ran at this condition last time and suffered an unlucky trip racing behind horses. Even so, he managed to run second and earned a career high Beyer speed figure for the effort. Although Chief Jackson is arguably the one to beat, one could make a strong case for pretty much every horse in the race. Six of the eight entrants are 6-1 on the morning line or lower.
Race 7 is a 5-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies. Second time starter Savage Love is the mild 7-2 morning line favorite in a race that appears as a real “grab-bag.” Nine of the 13 entrants in the race are 8-1 or lower on the morning line. With a maximum of 10 runners eligible to race, the three outside entrants (#11 Grazie Daisy, #12 Don’t Tell Hydee and #13 Midnight’s Girl) sit on the also eligible list and will draw into the race if there are defections.
11 routers take to Tapeta in Race 8, a first level allowance at one mile and a sixteenth. #9 Pour On the Cole is tabbed as the lukewarm 7-2 morning line favorite while making his first start off the claim for trainer Victor Trujillo. The son of Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist comes off a decisive win at this level and will prove tough to beat if he can duplicate his last race. The Richard Mandella trained Explosive, who makes his first career start going a route of ground, broke his maiden at Golden Gate earlier in the year and will likely get bet, as will synthetic specialists #8 Claim of Passion and #6 Friday’s At Shady. The former gelding comes off a layoff while the latter has won five of his last six afternoon appearances.
A field of nine enters the starting gate in the finale, Race 9, a maiden 25k claimer for 2-year-olds at 5 and a one-half furlongs. #3 Lying Ghost finished as the runner up in his last start and has been awarded the morning line favorite status. Quirky Chaos, making his second career start for the Jonathan Wong barn, had to settle for second in his first career race and looks to take a step forward while bumping up in class. Southern California conditioner Peter Miller sends class dropper Summanus to Northern California in search of a maiden win while first time starters Klimtoglory and Will is Chill look to make an impact in their career debuts.
No races were carded for turf this week owing to projected wet weather. Golden Gate Fields officials will continue to monitor the weather and turf course’s condition with the hopes of returning to the lawn for next week’s races.
COWBOYS DAUGHTER GETS THE ACID TEST IN SUNDAY FEATURE
4-year-old filly Cowboys Daughter has been a productive claim for trainer Reid France and owners Hat Trick Racing and Jose Valle. Since being purchased for $20,000 at Del Mar, the daughter of European stallion Hampton Court has won three consecutive races: a starter allowance and a pair of first level allowance races.
In Sunday’s eighth race, Cowboys Daughter bumps up in class to the second level allowance condition in what figures to be the acid test for the 4-year-old filly. Six other runners line up to face Cowboys Daughter, who races over the Tapeta main track for the first time.
A pair of Southern California contenders travel north and are set to race on a surface they have had success over in the past. Paige Anne is the classier of the two shippers. The Simon Callaghan trainee ran third in the Grade I Clement Hirsch at Del Mar in August and hit the board in two subsequent stakes starts. Earlier in her career, she won an allowance race at Golden Gate and finished in-the-money in two additional races over the Tapeta. Pizazz, a 3-year-old filly facing older in Sunday’s feature, won the California Oaks in April against her own age group and seeks to remain unbeaten on Tapeta for Hall of Famer Richard Mandella.
Among the local contenders competing against Cowboys Daughter are 2019 All American stakes winner Blue Diva, stakes placed Clockstrikestwelve, likely pacesetter Dutch Painting, and hard-knocking mare Babe Didrikson.
Race 8 on Sunday (2nd level allowance for fillies and mares at one mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta)
#1 Blue Diva (Jockey Catalino Martinez, trainer Isidro Tamayo)
#2 Dutch Painting (Santos Rivera, Manny Badilla)
#3 Paige Anne (Irving Orozco, Simon Callaghan)
#4 Cowboys Daughter (Evin Roman, Reid France)
#5 Pizazz (Assael Espinoza, Richard Mandella)
#6 Babe Didrikson (William Antongeorgi III, Jose Bautista)
#7 Clockstrikestwelve (Ruben Fuentes, Jonathan Wong)
TEN STAKES RACES ON THE DOCKET FOR 2021 GOLDEN GATE FIELDS FALL MEET
A total of ten stakes races will be offered at the upcoming 8-week fall meet at Golden Gate Fields.
Next Saturday, the one-mile, $75,000 Pike Place Dancer for 2-year-old turf fillies kicks off the stakes action. On Sunday, main-track sprinters take center stage in the feature race of the day, the $75,000 El Dorado Shooter. The El Dorado Shooter is one of two stakes at the fall meet restricted solely for California-bred or sired runners. The other, the $75,000 Bear Fan, is slated for Saturday, December 11. Both California-bred stakes will be run at six furlongs on the Tapeta main track, with the El Dorado Shooter for 3-year-olds and up and the Bear Fan for fillies and mares.
Any “older horses” (3-year-olds and upward) game to take on stakes company can enter in a pair of races in November. On Saturday, November 6, the marquee event of the afternoon is the Joseph T. Grace, run at one mile and a sixteenth on turf. On Saturday, November 27, the $100,000 Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap at one mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta goes as the signature race of the fall meet.
2-year-olds will be given opportunities to shine on the Tapeta throughout the fall. The Golden Nugget, scheduled for Saturday, November 3, is a six-furlong sprint. On Saturday, December 4, the $75,000 Gold Rush at one mile will attract youngsters who wish to stretch out in distance. 2-year-old fillies play their hand sprinting on Friday, November 26 in the $50,000 Golden Gate Debutante at six furlongs.
Other stakes on the schedule include the $50,000 Oakland for 3-year-olds and upward at 6 furlongs and the Miss America Stakes on Closing Day Sunday, December 12 for filly and mare turf routers.
First post each live race day of the fall meet is 1:15 PM PT unless otherwise noted. The upcoming fall meet is a 25-day meeting, which begins this Friday and runs through Sunday, December 12.
GOLDEN GATE FIELDS FALL MEET STAKES SCHEDULE
- Saturday, October 30: $75,000 Pike Place Dancer (One mile on turf for 2 YO fillies)
- Sunday, October 31: $75,000 El Dorado Shooter (Six furlongs on Tapeta for CA bred or sired 3 YO and up)
- Saturday, November 6: $50,000 Joseph T. Grace (One mile and a sixteenth on turf for 3 YO and up)
- Saturday, November 13: $50,000 Golden Nugget (Six furlongs on Tapeta for 2 YO)
- Saturday, November 20: $50,000 Oakland (Six furlongs on Tapeta for 3 YO and up)
- Friday, November 26: $50,000 Golden Gate Debutante (Six furlongs on Tapeta for 2 YO fillies)
- Saturday, November 27: $100,000 Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap (One mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta for 3 YO and up)
- Saturday, December 4: $75,000 Gold Rush (One mile on Tapeta for 2 YO)
- Saturday, December 11: $75,000 Bear Fan (Six furlongs on Tapeta for CA sired or bred fillies and mares 3 YO and up)
- Sunday, December 12: $50,000 Miss America (One mile and a sixteenth on turf for fillies and mares 3 YO and up)
FINISH LINES: There is a $76,823 carryover in the Stronach 5 wager on Friday. Leg E (the last leg) of the Stronach 5 wager is Race 3 at Golden Gate…Indian Peak, who has raced at Golden Gate Fields 10 times, won the California Flag Handicap at Santa Anita last Sunday for trainer Peter Miller and jockey Juan Hernandez. With the stake win, Indian Peak improved his lifetime record to 6 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third from 20 starts, with career earnings of $333,532.Indian Peak was trained by Quinn Howey for much of his career before being privately purchased by his current connections in June…Happy birthday to trainer Leanna Ekstrom, jockey valet Jay Frey and jockey D.C. Lopez, all who celebrate their birthday’s this week… Good luck to Golden Gate Vice President/General Manager David Duggan and track announcer Matt Dinerman, both who compete in the second annual 1/ST Charity Handicapping Challenge on Friday. For more information on this handicapping challenge for a great cause, please visit the link: https://www.santaanita.com/events/1-st-charity-handicapping-challenge/#.YXJbZNbMJ-U.