REIWA BACK AT HER FAVORITE TRACK WITH TURF RACING RESUMING ON FRIDAY
This Friday, Golden Gate Fields will run its first turf race of 2022. The fifth race on the Friday program, for fillies and mares four-years-old and upward, is a second level allowance on the Golden Gate grass course.
Most years, Golden Gate is voided of turf racing from mid-January through early April, running solely on the Tapeta main track during those winter months. With projected sunny weather and renovations of the turf course complete, Golden Gate Fields management gave the green light earlier this month to run races on the grass beginning this coming Friday, March 18.
Friday’s fifth features a quality-filled, contentious group of fillies and mares. The race will be run at one mile. Leading Golden Gate trainer Jonathan Wong believes Reiwa, listed at 3-1 on the morning line, will appreciate getting back to the Golden Gate turf course. The California-bred 5-year-old mare freshens up after a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Astra Stakes going one mile and a half at Santa Anita.
With four career wins to her name, Reiwa sports a 4 for 6 record on Golden Gate’s inner turf course.
Yes, all of her winning races have come at the bayside oval.
With that in mind, says Wong, he attributes the trend to Reiwa’s mentality heading into her races.
“She gets really nervous sometimes,” said Wong. “She’s not a great shipper. When she runs out of her own stall [at Golden Gate], she’s a lot calmer and in a much better state of mind.”
Reiwa will likely need to overcome a far from ideal pace scenario, noted Wong.
“It doesn’t look like there’s much speed in this race,” said Wong. “She does her best running when she can sit off a fast pace and make one run. She’s doing well, though, and she definitely likes the course.”
Another leading contender in the race is possible pacesetter Buyback. In her most recent afternoon appearance on February 13, the Blaine Wright trainee stalked the pace and finished as the runner up in a salty starter allowance at Santa Anita Park. Two races ago, Buyback went gate to wire against a first level allowance field.
The morning line favorite, 2-1 shot Sloane Garden, is a two-time stake winner on the Golden Gate grass course; in 2019, she won the Luther Burbank and Golden Poppy Stakes. Sloane Garden exits a pair of off-the-board finishes in Grade 3 races at Santa Anita and receives class relief for Manny Badilla, who also saddles Scherzo. Scherzo won a first level allowance race in January and most recently completed the superfecta in a second level allowance affair on Tapeta. She is arguably getting back to her best surface on Friday.
Joymaker makes her second start off a four-and-a-half-month break for trainer Quinn Howey, having just finished third in a sprint race behind the talented, stakes caliber sprinters Sadie Bluegrass and Rebalation. Like Reiwa, her most effective races have come routing on turf at Golden Gate. She easily defeated first level allowance foes in two separate races last year, though both races were restricted to 3-year-old fillies.
Gettin Sideways, who finished ahead of Scherzo for third in a February 5 second-level allowance, completes the field. The most experienced runner in the race, Gettin Sideways has won or finished in-the-money in 23 of 35 lifetime starts.
Eight races made the Friday overnight. Please note that first post is later than usual on Friday: 1:55 PM PT.
Race 5 on Friday (2nd-level allowance for fillies & mares 4-years-old & upward at one mile on turf)
#1 Scherzo (Jockey Irving Orozco…Trainer Manny Badilla…morning line odds of 5-1)
#2 Buyback (Pedro Terrero…Blaine Wright….5-2)
#3 Sloane Garden (Frank Alvarado…Manny Badilla…2-1)
#4 Joymaker (Alejandro Gomez…Quinn Howey…10-1)
#5 Gettin Sideways (Julien Couton…Dan Markle…6-1)
#6 Reiwa (William Antongeorgi III…Jonathan Wong…3-1)
3-YEAR-OLDS AUDITION FOR GOLD RUSH WEEKEND STAKES RACES
Three fillies, two colts, and one gelding enter a peculiar condition for Saturday afternoon’s fifth race at Golden Gate: a second level allowance restricted to 3-year-olds. The half dozen contestants are auditioning for potential starts against stakes company during the third annual Gold Rush Weekend on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1.
Tim McCanna conditions a contingent in Saturday’s fifth race: colt Unraptured and filly Anthony’s Cleopatra. Unraptured won a first level allowance by four lengths in January before finishing 10 lengths behind race-winner Blackadder in the El Camino Real Derby. Always well regarded, the son of Uncaptured is a half sibling to two stakes winners.
“I didn’t really want to run [my two horses] against each other, but there are limited options at this point,” said McCanna. “Unraptured is doing well. We’re hoping he runs a better race [than he ran in the El Camino Real Derby.] The talent is there. He’s been coming back to the barn after his morning exercise and hasn’t been tired at all. He’s ready to run.”
Anthony’s Cleopatra, another who was well-received by McCanna since the beginning, is a perfect 2 for 2 sprinting. After a debut maiden win over eventual allowance winner Music Festival, Anthony’s Cleopatra won a first level allowance by four lengths while setting fast fractions of 21.2, 44.2 and 56.1. She stopped the clock for five-and one-half furlongs in a crisp 1:02 and 3/5 seconds. Anthony’s Cleopatra is by Grade I route winner Constitution and the first foal out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Luxor Lady.
“We’ve been two-minute licking her [a quick, two-minute mile gallop] and she looks like she’s got plenty of air,” said McCanna. “I think she’ll be okay routing. This is a good test to see how she does. If she runs well, we’ll shoot for the California Oaks [on April 30 at one mile and a sixteenth for 3-year-old fillies].”
Trainer Steve Specht saddles a pair of fillies in Ellamira and Sen Sen. Ellamira won the Golden Gate Debutante sprinting last November before shipping south and finishing fourth in two consecutive stakes: the California Oaks at one mile for California-breds and the Grade 3 Sweet Life Stakes against open company. Both races were run on the grass.
“She got in a ton of trouble in [the California Oaks],” said Specht. “She got bumped at the start and blocked behind horses in the stretch. If you watch the gallop out, she pretty much passed all of them. She didn’t have the smoothest trip in the Grade 3 either. She’ll be coming from off the pace. She’s a solid filly.”
Sen Sen has made all seven lifetime starts at Golden Gate. In her last two races, she beat first level allowance company in gate to wire performances. Both races came routing. Like her stable companion, she faces males for the first time on Saturday. Apprentice Jose Rodriguez rides, meaning Sen Sen will carry 3 to 10 less pounds than the rest of her competition.
“Sen Sen probably won’t go [to the lead] with Tim’s filly because she’s super fast, but we won’t be too far off,” said Specht. “Both my fillies train steady and they’ve been doing well. We’ll see what happens. With both these fillies, it’s been tough finding races for them to run in. The stakes [on Gold Rush Weekend] are on the calendar down the road.”
Kentucky-bred C’Mon Man has danced many dances. As a 2-year-old, he finished third in the Golden Nugget Stakes and came up a length and a half short one month later in the Gold Rush Stakes. This year, he was a non-factor on turf in the Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita and closed good ground to run a better-than-looked fifth in the El Camino Real Derby. C’Mon Man-along with the filly Ellamira-will be running on the legal race day medication Lasix for the first time in Saturday’s fifth race.
“The more pace in front of him, the better,” said C’Mon Man’s trainer, Bill McLean. “He’s a horse that we always thought would be better with time, experience and distance. He’ll be coming from off the pace. We’ll see how he runs. We’re taking it one race at a time, but if he runs well and comes out of this race good then we’ll probably go to the California Derby [for 3-year-olds at one mile and a sixteenth on April 30].”
Nuestro Engriedo rounds out the field. The Felix Rondan trainee finished ahead of Unraptured for seventh in the El Camino Real Derby and most recently ran third behind Il Bellator in a first level allowance on March 6. The aforementioned foe is pointing towards the $100,000 California Derby on Saturday, April 30.
9-races comprise the Saturday live program, with first post at 1:15 PM. Unless otherwise noted on specific race days (ex: this Friday), first post will be at 1:15 PM for the remainder of the Golden Gate Winter/Spring meet.
Race 5 on Saturday (2nd-level allowance for 3-year-olds at one mile on Tapeta)
#1 Ellamira (Jockey Santos Rivera…Trainer Steve Specht…morning line odds of…5-1)
#2 Nuestro Engreido (Ruben Fuentes…Felix Rondan….9-2)
#3 Sen Sen (Jose Rodriguez…Steve Specht…6-1)
#4 Unraptured (Armando Ayuso…Tim McCanna…4-1)
#5 Anthony’s Cleopatra (Frank Alvarado…Tim McCanna…9-5)
#6 C’Mon Man (Irving Orozco…Bill McLean…7-2)
TOP BAY AREA SPRINTERS CLASH SUNDAY
A speedy group of sprinters compete in the feature race of the day on Sunday, a second level allowance for 4-year-olds and upward. Seven runners entered to run at the 6-furlong distance.
The top three finishers in a February 27 race-Clem Labine, Hey Mate and War Games-are all wheeled back three weeks later in Sunday’s marquee race. Clem Labine, who won the February 27 contest, draws the undesirable rail post position this Sunday. The deep closer by Grazen hopes for a rapid pace to chase. On February 27, he was aided by a grueling pace up front.
Hey Mate was an eye-catching winner of a first level allowance race three starts ago, streaking clear to win by open lengths with a career best Beyer speed figure (85). Since then, he has failed to win in a pair of races at the condition in which he races in this Sunday. Most recently, he finished a head behind Clem Labine. Not far off.
War Games dueled on a punishing pace while going at fast fractions of 21, 44 and 56 seconds for the first quarter, half mile and 5 furlongs of the race. He faded to third, but only lost by three-quarters of a length in an admirable try. Cliff DeLima trains and employs Santos Rivera to ride for the first time.
Frank Alvarado has been aboard War Games in his last two starts and opts to ride a new shooter to this condition in Northern California: Perfectionistic. Under the care of Phil D’Amato in Southern California, the California-bred son of Vronsky won a first level allowance sprinting on turf at Del Mar but has since lost three consecutive races at the second level allowance condition at Santa Anita. He cuts back from a route to a sprint after a fifth-place finish behind next out winner Evening Sun in a 9-furlong race last month. Andy Mathis takes over the conditioning duties in Northern California.
The gutsy gelding In Our A threw in a clunker in the El Dorado Shooter Stakes, finishing towards the back of the pack with seemingly no excuses. His other two races this year came against route competition, where he finished third and fourth behind two of the best route horses in Northern California, Freeport Joe and American Farmer. From eight starts in 2020, In Our A won three times, including once at the second level allowance condition, and finished as the runner up in four additional races.
Cool Mountain Lad also exits the El Dorado Shooter. Trained by Victor Trujillo, the son of Unionize finished fourth behind multiple stakes winner Bettor Trip Nick in the aforementioned stakes start. The last time Cool Mountain Lad visited the winners circle, he dead heated with Clem Labine in a first level allowance race lasty December.
Long Lance completes the field. He exits a career best effort, easily defeating a first level allowance group while earning a career high Beyer speed figure (88). Leading jockey Armando Ayuso rides for trainer Tim McCanna; this jockey trainer combo has won at a 24% clip when teaming up together.
An eight-race card on Sunday commences at 1:15 PM PT.
Race 7 on Sunday (2nd-level allowance for 4-year-olds and upward at six furlongs on Tapeta)
#1 Clem Labine (Jockey Irving Orozco…Trainer Isidro Tamayo)
#2 Hey Mate (Evin Roman…Bill McLean)
#3 Long Lance (Armando Ayuso…Tim McCanna)
#4 In Our A (Cristobal Herrera…Ellen Jackson)
#5 War Games (Santos Rivera…Cliff DeLima)
#6 Cool Mountain Lad (Pedro Terrero…Victor Trujillo)
#7 Perfectionistic (Frank Alvarado…Andy Mathis)
CLAIMS REPORT
Below is a list of claims from last week:
Friday
Race 1: Kiss Ride Goodbye (New trainer Jesus Ramos…new owner Candelario Barragan)
Race 3: Absolute Scenes (Jesus Ramos…Candelario Barragan)
Race 3: Maggie Fitzgerald (Leobardo Rivera…Manuela Franco Sosa)
Race 4: Damn the Torpedoes (Victor Trujillo…Jose Paredes and Trujillo)
Race 5: Katzumoto (Jonathan Wong…Madden Racing)
Saturday
Race 1: Cielo Diamante (Mike Lenzini…John Parker)
Race 2: Minsky (Keith Craigmyle…4 Hares Racing Inc.)
Race 3: Walking Boss (Tim Bellasis…Bellasis, Donna Smartt and Cassandra Tschanz)
Race 4: Handsome Gary (Isidro Tamayo…Robert Fernandez and John Tipton
Race 6: Jan Jan Can (Owner/Trainer D. Wayne Baker)
Race 6: St. Annie’s Indy (Jesus Ramos…Roque J. Orta and Luciano Orta)
Sunday
Race 1: Cliffsofthunder (Jack Steiner…Randy Marriott and Steiner)
Race 2: Floyd Knowles (Jonathan Wong…Johnny and Marcel Taboada)
Race 2: Go Thru the Hole (Leanna Ekstrom…Terril Ekstrom)
FINISH LINES: Three turf races are carded for this racing week at Golden Gate: the fifth race on Friday, a starter allowance (Race 3) on Saturday, and a maiden special weight (Race 4) on Sunday…The Blaine Wright trained Maybe I Will drew the rail in Saturday’s feature race at Santa Anita, the $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes for California-bred filly and mare sprinters…In Sunday’s main event at the Great Race Place, Steve Specht campaigns Sacred Rider in the $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes for California-bred colts and geldings. Both stakes at Santa Anita will be run down the hillside turf course at about six and one-half furlongs…$14,381 is carried over into the Rolling Super High Five bet for Race 3 on Friday, which is also Leg E (the last leg) of the Stronach 5 wager…There is also an $8,955 jackpot carryover into Friday’s Golden Pick Six jackpot bet…Happy birthday to jockey William Antongeorgi III, who celebrates his birthday early next week.