MANDATORY PAYOUT IN THE PICK SIX ON MONDAY AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS
This Monday, March 7, Golden Gate Fields conducts a nine-race program, with a 12:15 PM first post. The headliner for horseplayers on the day is a mandatory payout in the Golden Pick Six jackpot wager, a 20-cent minimum bet which features the last six races on the card. Heading into Friday’s live program, the jackpot pool sits at $124,190. Of course, the pool will increase by Monday if there fails to be a single ticket jackpot winner by then.
45 horses have entered to compete in the six-race sequence, which goes as Races 4 through 9. The first leg of the Pick Six, Race 4, has an approximate post time of 1:45 PM PT.
This week, Golden Gate Fields races on Friday, Sunday, and Monday. First post on Friday and Sunday is 12:45 PM. Although live racing will not be conducted on Saturday, horseplayers in the area can watch and wager on simulcast racing at Golden Gate. Among the options on the wagering menu is 1/ST Saturday, featuring a combined 15 stakes races from Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita. Both aforementioned tracks, among other promotions, will be offering a pair of “Coast to Coast” Pick 5 wagers, with an industry low 12% takeout for both bets.
EL CAMINO REAL DERBY FOURTH PLACE FINISH IL BELLATOR BACK FOR MORE ON SATURDAY
3-year-old colt Il Bellator, who ran fourth in the El Camino Real Derby behind Blackadder and MacKinnon in the El Camino Real Derby last month, seeks a victory against proven winners while dropping in class in the co-featured seventh race on Sunday, a first level allowance. The one mile and a sixteenth contest is for 3-year-olds.
Il Bellator broke his maiden on November 25. That day, he stalked the pace, drew off from his competition down the stretch and crossed the wire with plenty more in the tank. It was his first try at a route of ground, and trainer Jose Bautista later noted that he always felt the son of Shackleford would be at his best going longer distances.
“We always though Il Bellator would be a better router,” Bautista said in a previous edition of our Golden Gate News and Notes.
A month and a half after the maiden victory, Il Bellator was entered to run in a January 14 allowance race. All good…until a day before the race. Il Bellator came up with a cough.
“He got a little sick and my vet recommended to scratch the horse,” said Bautista. “It was the best thing to do for the horse. It was really unfortunate that we had to scratch, but we always have do what is best for our horses.”
Bautista was forced to roll out Plan B: train Il Bellator up to the El Camino Real Derby. Sent off at odds of 37-1 in the February 12 ‘Derby, the Ed and Theresa DeNike homebred stalked the pace, battled for the lead in upper stretch and hit the wire fourth. It was a better than looked effort-one respectable enough-and something to build off heading deeper into 2022.
“He ran a hell of a race, to be honest. I’m proud of my horse,” said Bautista. “I was a little concerned that he might get a little tired the last eighth of a mile. I thought at the top of the stretch, ‘Is he gonna do it?’ Then he got a little tired.”
This Saturday, Il Bellator gets class relief at the allowance level. He also races on the legal race day medication Lasix for the first time.
”He is definitely going to be more fit for this race [than the El Camino Real Derby],” said Bautista. “He’s on his toes right now. He’s not going to get tired this time. I guarantee you.”
Among the main rivals facing Il Bellator is Midnight Mammoth, who finished behind his aforementioned counterpart in the November 25 maiden race. Most recently, the son of Midnight Lute went to the lead at low odds of 2-5 and ran a career best race, beating a maiden special weight group by a whopping 9 lengths while earning a career high Beyer speed figure (75). Compare the number to Il Bellator’s 72 Beyer in the El Camino Real Derby, and that alone indicates Midnight Mammoth is fast enough to be very competitive in Sunday’s co-feature.
“We’re on the rail, so we’re kind of at the mercy of everybody,” said Midnight Mammoth’s trainer, Steve Sherman. “They all get to look down on us. [Jockey] Armando Ayuso is going to have to play it by the break and see how the race unfolds.”
In past starts, Midnight Mammoth has been keen to race up on the pace. Sherman is hoping that over time, Midnight Mammoth will learn to settle.
“He likes to be up on the lead. There’s no doubt about that,” said Sherman. “That’s where he’s most comfortable. That’s when he mostly relaxes-when he’s out there by himself. Getting to that point…he starts to get pretty racey.
I wouldn’t be concerned [if he was stalking the pace], but it would be interesting to see how the horse would be. When he gets to the point to where he can relax, I think he can be a pretty good horse. Once he figures it out, that it’s not all ‘go’ and there’s ‘stop and go’s’ in a race, then he’ll be a much better horse.”
9-races are scheduled for Sunday, with first post at the usual time of 12:45 PM.
Race 8 on Sunday (First level allowance for 3-year-olds at one mile and a sixteenth)
#1 Midnight Mammoth (Jockey Armando Ayuso…trainer Steve Sherman…morning line odds of 8-5)
#2 Love’em N Leave’em (Evin Roman…Jonathan Wong…5-1)
#3 Nuestro Engreido (Santos Rivera…Felix Rondan…4-1)
#4 Meetmeattheclub (Silvio Amador…Dan Franko…50-1)
#5 Bandera Azteca (Brayan Pena…Victor Trujillo…12-1)
#6 Il Bellator (Alejandro Gomez…Jose Bautista…9-5)
#7 Lying Ghost (Pedro Terrero…Faith Taylor…20-1)
TOM’S SURPRISE CONTINUES TO THRIVE HEADING INTO MONDAY FEATURE
Trainer Jack Steiner is off to a sensational start at the Winter/Spring meet. From 32 starters, Steiner has won 10 times, equating to a 32%-win rate. Steiner looks to keep the good times rolling in Monday’s feature race with 5-year-old gelding Tom’s Surprise.
“What can I say? He’s been a pleasant surprise,” quipped Steiner.
Steiner claimed Tom’s Surprise for $20,000 out of a November 5 sprint-a race in which Tom’s Surprise was all out to win. Since then, the California-bred son of Tom’s Tribute has won 3 of 5 starts for the Steiner barn, including a pair of allowance races. 4 of those 5 races came at a two-turn distance.
Steiner claimed Tom’s Surprise knowing he possessed backclass; in June of last year, he placed second behind talented router Desmond Doss in the Bertrando Stakes at Los Alamitos while under the care of Golden Gate leading trainer Jonathan Wong. The most recent afternoon appearance for Tom’s Surprise, on February 12, resulted in a neck victory at the same condition in which Tom’s Surprise races at this Monday. Sent off as the 3-5 post time favorite, Tom’s Surprise out finished stakes placed Tesoro, who is also entered in this Monday’s eighth race.
In recent races, Tom’s Surprise has sat well off the pace before unleashing a power kick in the stretch. Steiner gives credit to the man who steers the ship.
“[Jockey] Armando Ayuso gets all the credit,” said Steiner. “Ayuso got on this horse and found out how he likes to run best, which is to sit back and make one, well-timed run. Ayuso waits until he hits the lane and then lets him run.”
As fun as it is for race fans to enjoy Tom’s Surprise and his burst of speed late in a race, Steiner noted it is equally as enjoyable to watch him train every morning.
“He bows his head and moves right along. He’s always looks for someone to go with him. He looks for any reason to take off. He starts off relaxed, but by the time he goes around a second time, it’s hard to get him to slow down. He absolutely loves to run.
I’m appreciative for each race that I’ve got from [Tom’s Surprise],” concluded Steiner. “He’s a cool horse. We just take it one race at a time.”
Contention runs deep in the Monday’s marquee event, a one mile and a sixteenth second level allowance for 4-year-olds and upward. Other main contenders include Tesoro, who finished second behind 2021 Arkansas Derby winner Super Stock in the Zia Park Derby last fall, 2021 Snow Chief Stakes winner Jimmy Blue Jeans,and Shadrack, a multiple allowance winner last year who makes his 2022 debut for white-hot trainer Tim McCanna.
Race 8 on Monday (Second level allowance for 4-year-olds and up at one mile and a sixteenth)
#1 Wine and Whisky (Jockey Cristobal Herrera…trainer Felix Rondan)
#2 Dulas (Santos Rivera…Manny Badilla)
#3 Shadrack (Irving Orozco…Tim McCanna)
#4 Tom’s Surprise (Armando Ayuso…Jack Steiner)
#5 Tesoro (Frank Alvarado…O.J. Jauregui)
#6 Jimmy Blue Jeans (Assael Espinoza…Andy Mathis)
#7 Ready Say Go (Pedro Terrero…Sherrie Monroe)
STAKES RACES IN THE FUTURE FOR AMERICAN FARMER
According to trainer Steve Sherman, 5-year-old horse American Farmer, who defeated 2021 Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap winner Freeport Joe in an open allowance race last Sunday, is bound for stakes races later in the meet.
“He came out of his race on Sunday in good shape. That’s all you can ask,” said Sherman. “We’ll shoot for the [Grade 3] San Francisco Mile [on April 30] and the All American [on May 30]. Those are my goals. Those are the races where I want to see if we belong in.”
Whether American Farmer races once between now and the San Francisco Mile remains up in the air.
“We’re still waiting to see what races will be available for him at the end of the month,” said Sherman. “If we have to train him up to the ‘Mile, he should be plenty fit for that.”
Sherman was very pleased with how American Farmer won on Sunday, showing a nice turn of foot when producing a last-to-first rally.
“Like we talked about last week, we gave him some time off after a long year and a half as a 3 and 4-year-old. That [time off] really got his energy level back up,” said Sherman. “I saw a little explosion from him [last week] that I haven’t seen in a long time. Like a real ‘kick and go.’ He’ll never be a horse that wins by a lot because when he hits the lead, he sort of pulls himself up a little bit. I think towards the end of his 4-year-old season, he was running kind of tired, so he didn’t have that ‘oomph’ to him. I believe now that he’s a lot fresher.”
CLAIMS REPORT
Below is a list of claims from last week:
Friday
Race 3: Smokinhotredhead (New trainer Jonathan Wong…new owners Hon Cheung Kum and Hsui Mei Tsai)
Race 6: Arch Prince (Miguel Ramirez…Dave Milburn)
Race 8: Malibu Ghost (Reid France…Goat Racing Stables LLC)
Saturday
Race 2: Get’em Tiger (Isidro Tamayo…Miguel Chavez)
Race 6: Hydrogen (Tim McCanna…Pat LePley)
Sunday
Race 1: Marzonna (Blaine Wright…Halfmoon Thoroughbreds)
Race 2: Austrian Navy (Monty Meier…Browne Cattle Co.)
Race 3: Swanee (Isidro Tamayo…Marron Road Ventures LLC and Tamayo)
Race 4: Bold Article (O.J. Jauregui…Danny Eplin)
Race 7: Honeymoonz Over (D. Wayne Baker…Packsaddle Road LLC, Richard Barton and Baker)
Race 7: Slam Dunk Sermon (Victor Trujillo….Wayne Swisher)
Race 8: Bourbonwithatwist (Eddie Rich…Gary Peasley and Rich)
Race 8: Maybe Sometime (Owner/Trainer Dan Franko)
FINISH LINES: Ultra consistent racer Sadie Bluegrass competes at Santa Anita on Saturday in Race 4, a starter allowance for filly and mare turf sprinters. Local jockey Brayan Pena makes the journey south to ride for trainer Jonathan Wong…Stakes placed Kiwi’s Dream is back on the work tab for trainer Victor Trujillo. The Australian bred ran second in the 2020 Grade 3 San Francisco Mile and finished as the runner up in three additional stakes that year. Kiwi’s Dream has posted a pair of three-furlong drills and will likely be getting to half mile works soon…On Thursday morning’s work tab: Golden Gate Debutante winner Ellamira, who blitzed six furlongs in 1:16 for trainer Steve Specht. Another Specht worker Thursday, multiple allowance winner Sen Sen, drilled the same distance in 1:16.40…Happy birthday to jockey Evin Roman, who celebrates his birthday this week…Leg B (the second leg) of the Stronach Five this week goes as Race 3 on Friday at Golden Gate.