GOLDEN GATE FIELDS STABLE NOTES
Thursday, December 28, 2017
FULL, COMPETITIVE FIELDS AND NEW WAGERS HIGHLIGHT OPENING WEEK OF THE WINTER/SPRING MEET
Full fields and additional wagering options kick off the 2017 winter/spring meet this week. The winter/spring meet, which runs through June 10, features 94 days of live racing.
“We had a great fall meet and look to carry that positive momentum into 2018,” said general manager David Duggan. “Our dedicated horsemen and frontside staff have been working very hard and we will continue to do so. We are lucky to have the support of many loyal fans and everyone is optimistic that this meet is going to be strong.”
Golden Gate Fields has added two new options to the wagering menu: $1 Rolling Super High Fives and the 50 Cent Late Pick 5. The Super High Five wager will be offered in every race in which there are 7 or more starters. If the Super High Five is not hit in a particular race, then the pool will be carried over into the next race which offers the high five. That process will continue until the wager is hit, in which case the pool will be paid out and the wager/pool will begin anew. The 50 Cent Late Pick 5 sequence will take place during the last five races on every card.
Field sizes have been strong the first week of the meet. On Opening Day Tuesday, 75 horses competed on the nine race card, which averages out to 8.3 starters per race. 90 horses were entered in the main body of 9 races carded this Friday; that’s 10 horses a race, which excludes 6 also-eligibles that could draw into races. Saturday continues the trend of large fields, with 96 horses entered in the main body of 9 races (10.6 horses per race, excluding 6 also-eligibles) while Sunday drew 77 runners on the 9 race card, equating to 8.5 horses per race.
NEW TRACK ANNOUNCER MATT DINERMAN SETTLING IN
Matt Dinerman, who announced races for three seasons at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington, began his stint as the new Golden Gate Fields track announcer this past Tuesday, calling the 9-race card in fine style.
“We got through the first day in good order, which is nice,” said Dinerman with a chuckle. “It took a few races to get used to some things but all in all it was a wonderful first day and I’m really excited for the future.”
Dinerman, a 25-year-old native of San Diego, is the youngest track announcer in North America. Since last fall, Dinerman has served as the Golden Gate on-air handicapping analyst and will continue to carry out those duties from the announcer’s booth before each race.
Before his three-year tenure at Emerald Downs, Matt worked for trainer John Sadler for four summers and worked with The Del Mar publicity team for an additional two seasons. He went to Chapman University College and graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies.
“I’m ecstatic to be calling races at Golden Gate,” said Dinerman. “We have a lovely track here and I’ve really enjoyed the people I have met in this community. It’s an honor to be the next voice in a booth that has occupied many great announcers like Larry Collmus, Trevor Denman, Michael Wrona and Frank Mirahmadi. That’s a pretty nice list.”
2018 CALENDAR GIVEAWAY THIS SATURDAY
This Saturday, December 30, race fans in attendance will receive a 2018 Golden Gate Fields Racing Calendar with paid admission. The calendar features beautiful actions shots taken by track photographers Bill Vassar and Shane Michelli of Vassar Photography, as well as jockey photos and statistics.
“The calendar giveaway is always popular,” said media representative Sam Spear. “We are very excited to, once again, give away a little treat for our fans before the New Year.”
Gates open on Saturday at 10 A.M., with the first race scheduled to go off at approximately 12:45 PM.
FINISH LINES: Jockey Abel Cedillo scored a hat trick on Opening Day Tuesday. Cedillo, who won the 2016 winter/spring meet riding title, has switched agents since the end of the fall meet and is now represented by Tom “Bomber” Doutrich…Kathy’s Song and Coachwhip, the top two finishers in The Miss America Stakes on December 10, are slated to run on Saturday in the $300,000 Grade I American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita. The mile and a quarter event, which will be run on turf, attracted a field of 10 entrants. Kathy’s Song drew post position 2 while Coachwhip drew the outside post. The latter filly is making her first start for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. Coachwhip was previously in the barn of Jedd Josephson at Golden Gate…Multiplayer, who won The Pike Place Dancer Stakes in October, is also scheduled to run at Santa Anita this weekend. The Tim Yakteen trainee drew post 11 in the $75,000 Blue Norther Stakes, a one mile turf race for 2-year-old fillies on Sunday…Congrats to Golden Gate trainers Jerry Hollendorfer and Bill Morey Jr. for big wins at Santa Anita this Tuesday. Hollendorfer won Race 2 with Kanthaka, a 2-year-old colt by Jimmy Creed who beat 11 other rivals in a maiden special weight, and Race 7 with stable star Unique Bella, who defeated Grade I winner Paradise Woods in The $300,000 Grade I La Brea Stakes. Morey Jr. picked up a victory with Red Lightning, a 3-year-old colt who won Race 5, an allowance optional claiming event, by 5 lengths….Two carryovers heading into Friday’s card: $17,392 in the Late Pick 5 (which begins in Race 5) and $7,997 in The Super High Five wager.
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