“HARD TRYER” CODE RIBBON MAKES 3-YEAR-OLD DEBUT IN SATURDAY CO-FEATURE
The developmental stage from two-years-old to three is a crucial time for thoroughbred racehorses. Some horses gradually progress and improve with time. Others are precocious before leveling off and seeing their counterparts catch up to them in racing ability.
With that in mind, trainer Jacqui Navarre is hopeful that 3-year-old filly Code Ribbon has made the necessary jump from two to three to be competitive in the eighth race on Saturday, a first level allowance for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs on Tapeta. The California-bred daughter of Desert Code sports a flashy work pattern, including a fast 1:12 flat six-furlong workout and a sharp half mile blowout in 47 seconds flat. Both drills were the fastest of all workouts at the distance for those particular mornings.
“She’s always been a small filly,” said Navarre. “She’s still her peanut self. She might’ve gotten a little thicker, a little wider…but she’s still a pretty small filly. She trains the same in the mornings. She’s always been a good worker and eager to train. She loves her job. We’ve got a couple six furlong works into her, so hopefully that’s good enough to have her fit and ready off the layoff.”
Last year, Code Ribbon never finished off the board in six starts. Among those efforts: a first level allowance win, a runner up finish in the Golden Gate Debutante sprinting on Tapeta, and a third-place in the Pike Place Dancer Stakes racing two turns on turf. It’s worth mentioning that the winner of the Golden Gate Debutante, Ellamira, most recently won the Campanile Stakes on Gold Rush Weekend Sunday.
“Ellamira has gone on to do pretty well,” said Navarre. “Hopefully that means we’ll be OK.”
Purchased for $4,000 by owner Michael Pollowitz as a yearling, Cody Ribbon has already made $80,052. She sports two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes.
“She’s 10% horse and 90% heart,” quipped Navarre. “When she gallops, as soon as she sees another horse go by her, she wants to catch them. She’s got that type of attitude. She just tries hard every race. For a $4,000 filly to do what she’s done…she’s exceeded expectations. We’re all just so proud of her.”
Code Ribbon could get the right set up to be successful in her first start off about a five and a half month layoff. She is projected to get a fast pace to sit off. Tamara Mine, Iconic Sky and O’Neill’s Legacy are all fillies that entered in Saturday’s eighth race who have shown front running speed in past races. Frank Alvarado has been aboard Code Ribbon in all six lifetime races and retains the mount on Saturday.
“We’re hoping she can get a stalk and pounce type of trip,” said Navarre. “We drew the rail which isn’t the greatest spot to be, but Frank [Alvarado] knows this filly really well. He’s done a lot of work with her in the mornings, too. If we finish in the top three, we’d be tickled to death. I think this is a good starting spot for her.”
Code Ribbon has been installed at 5-1 on the morning line. The likely post time favorite will be Rose Maddox, an extremely versatile filly from the Steve Miyadi barn that has shown the ability to sprint or route on any surface. The Nick Alexander homebred has won two California-bred allowance races at Santa Anita as of late, with one of those races sprinting on the dirt and the other against turf routers.
Nine races made the Saturday overnight. First post is 1:15 PM PT.
Race 8 on Saturday (First level allowance for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs on Tapeta)
#1 Code Ribbon (Jockey Frank Alvarado…trainer Jacqui Navarre…5-1)
#2 Tamara Mine (Catalino Martinez…Steve Specht…8-1)
#3 Iconic Sky (Julien Couton…Andy Mathis…12-1)
#4 Tiz a Tiger (Santos Rivera…Bill McLean…20-1)
#5 Irish Wahine (Irving Orozco…Ed Moger Jr…20-1)
#6 Amaaza (Silvio Amador…Ed Moger Jr…10-1)
#7 Dulce Emma (Pedro Terrero…Jesus Ramos…9-2)
#8 Rose Maddox (Armando Ayuso…Steve Miyadi…9-5)
#9 O’Neills Legacy (Assael Espinoza…Andy Mathis…7-2)
LOAFERS BOY BACK TO TURF AND BACK IN THE ALLOWANCE RANKS
6-year-old gelding Loafers Boy enters a first level allowance on Sunday, Race 8, fresh off a victory at the aforementioned condition on April 23. That afternoon, he sat off a fast pace going a mile and an eighth on the Tapeta and won the contest in the final stride. For trainer Leanna Ekstrom, the win was well overdue.
“He’s a really nice horse,” said Ekstrom. “He’s had some rough luck. I think he was a little bit too far back in some of his past races and just had too much ground to make up.”
Two starts ago, Loafers Boy ran a mile and a sixteenth on the turf-the same conditions he will find this Sunday-and finished third behind Seattle Bold and Black Caspian. Both horses are entered to run in Sunday’s eighth race. That said, Loafers Boy finished ahead of the two aforementioned foes on April 23.
“Loafers Boy can run all day,” said Ekstrom. “I would prefer the race to be at a mile and an eighth. The farther the better for him. But the mile and a sixteenth is fine. It’s better for him than a mile.”
Along with preferred distances, Loafers Boy related discussions have included questioning his preferred surface. For quite a while, most Golden Gate handicappers would tell you that turf was the surface Loafers Boy most enjoyed racing over. Before his last victory, two of his three lifetime wins had come over turf. He also had posted an unflattering 0 for 7 lifetime record over the Golden Gate Tapeta main track.
Ekstrom, in the meantime, thought he could be equally effective on both surfaces. Her longtime opinion may have been proven correct on April 23, as he earned a career high Beyer speed figure (85) on the Tapeta that day.
“For him, it’s more about getting the right scenario,” said Ekstrom. “He can run into a slower pace or a fast pace, but really the key with him is getting him to run fractions he is comfortable setting and then getting in a good stride. You have to time it right with him and if you do, then he’ll run a good race. I thought [jockey] Pedro [Terrero] rode him really well last time.”
A contentious field is signed up in the featured eighth race on Sunday. A nine race programs kicks off at 1:15 PM PT.
Race 8 on Sunday (First level allowance for 3-year-olds and up at one mile on turf)
#1 Shot of a Lifetime (Jockey Silvio Amador…trainer Ellen Jackson)
#2 Draw the Foul (William Antongeorgi III…Greg James)
#3 Black Caspian (Frank Alvarado …Manny Badilla)
#4 Loafers Boy (Pedro Terrero…Leanna Ekstrom)
#5 Sal N Louie (Brayan Pena…Victory Trujillo)
#6 Kowboykabin (Assael Espinoza…Blaine Wright)
#7 Secret Club (Armando Ayuso…Ed Moger Jr.)
#8 Memo Daddy (Irving Orozco…Tim Bellasis)
#9 Seattle Bold (Evin Roman…Jamey Thomas)
CLAIMS REPORT
Below is a list of claims from last week.
Friday
Race 1: Artisan Dancer (New trainer Ed Moger Jr…new owner Bill Meikle)
Race 1: La Popis (Jack Steiner…Gary and Deborah Lusk)
Race 1: Sunset Star (D. Wayne Baker…Richard Barton)
Race 4: Dumb Luck (Isidro Tamayo…Leon Scott)
Race 4: Stanford Bay (Jesus Ramos…Roque and Luciano Orta)
Race 5: Can’thelpfallin (Owner/Trainer Andrew Nguyen)
Race 6: Blushing Bay (Jesus Ramos…Candelario Barragan and Roque and Luciano Orta)
Saturday
No Claims
Sunday
Race 1: Betito (Jack Steiner…Randy Marriott and Steiner)
Race 4: Engee Ombee (Jamey Thomas…Troy Thomas)
Race 5: Exclusive Speaker (Blaine Wright…Wright Racing Stable, Davis Racing, Russell & Strelo)
Race 5: Square Deal (Andy Mathis…William Branch, John Lovett and Mathis)
Race 6: Simply Perfect (Mike Lenzini…John Parker)
Race 7: Love of the Sport (Owner/Trainer D. Wayne Baker)
Race 7: Riviera Champ (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)
Race 8: Amanofmystature (Marcelino Trujillo…Nancy Salas-Ibarra and Floriberta Trujillo)
Race 8: Refi Now (Owner/Trainer Reid France)
FINISH LINES: With about a month left to go at the current Winter/Spring meet, the jockey race is as tight as could be. Jockeys Armando Ayuso and Pedro Terrero are deadlocked in the jockey standings with 63 wins apiece. Evin Roman lurks right behind in third place with 60 victories…Along with an intriguing eighth race on Saturday, the sixth race also adds appeal to the card. An allowance for filly and mare turf routers, the main contenders include local Misty Cat and two horses who last raced in Southern California (Mercy Mercy and Shezaghost)… Eight races kick off the racing week on Friday with first post set for 1:15 PM. $12,926 is carried over into the Golden Pick Six jackpot bet on Friday…Happy birthday to Golden Gate veterinarian Dr. Casille Batten, who celebrates her birthday later this week.