CALIFORNIA DERBY KICKS OFF WINTER/SPRING MEET STAKES ACTION
The California Derby, a final prep race for the El Camino Real Derby in February, attracted a field of eight 3-year-olds and will be run this Saturday, January 20. The California Derby is the first of twelve stakes races that will take place during the Winter/Spring meet.
Leading the list of entrants is Choo Choo, a son of English Channel who most recently ran third in The Eddie Logan Stakes on turf at Santa Anita. Choo Choo is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, who has won The California Derby eight times since 1991. Other major players include Intimidate, winner of The King Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos Racecourse, and Mugaritz and Kylemore, the top two finishers in an allowance race earlier this month.
Trainer Steve Miyadi has a pair of entrants in Campaigner and Ministersdontparty while Southern California conditioner Jeff Mullins ships East Rand from Santa Anita to Golden Gate for The California Derby. Generally Lucky, the second place finisher in The Golden Nugget Stakes last November, rounds out the field.
The California Derby goes as Race 7 on the 9-race card, with a scheduled post time of 3:45 PM PST. A solid number of entrants fill up the Saturday card, with a stellar Late Pick 4 sequence (40 horses in the last four races) to end the day.
Here is the $100,000 California Derby field:
#1 Kylemore (6-1) Eoin Harty/Aaron Gryder
#2 Mugaritz (3-1) Jonathan Wong/Frank Alvarado
#3 Intimidate (9-2) Bob Hess Sr./Abel Cedillo
#4 Generally Lucky (20-1) Steve Specht/Rocco Bowen
#5 Choo Choo (2-1) Jerry Hollendorfer/Juan Hernandez
#6 Campaigner (12-1) Steve Miyadi/Brayan Pena
#7 East Rand (8-1) Jeff Mullins/Heribert “Eddie” Martinez
#8 Ministersdontparty (20-1) Steve Miyadi/ William Antongeorgi III
STATISTICS SIGNIFY COMPETITIVNESS AND TALENT AMONGST THE GOLDEN GATE JOCKEY COLONY
For over 30 years, Russell Baze dominated the Northern California jockey colony in wins, money earned and stakes victories. Baze became synonymous with Northern California racing and went on to win 12,842 races in his 40+ year riding career, which is the most victories by any jockey in North American thoroughbred racing history. For his plethora of wins and achievements, Baze was inducted into the Thoroughbred Horse Racing Hall of Fame at Saratoga in 1999.
When Russell decided to hang up his tack in 2016, a considerable amount of victories was left for the rest of the Golden Gate Fields jockey colony to pick up. Although there is not a dominant presence in the jockey colony to date, riders like Frank Alvarado, Billy Antongeorgi III, Abel Cedillo, Julien Couton, Ricky Gonzalez, Juan Hernandez, Catalino Martinez and Irving Orozco have gone on to produce good numbers on a consistent basis since Baze’s retirement.
“There are a lot of good riders here,” said Billy Antongeorgi III. “Most of the top guys are pretty consistent. It’s tough. Other guys have come from all over the country and haven’t been able to break in. In my opinion, we have an underrated jockey colony [at Golden Gate.] There are a lot of very polished riders here that know what they’re doing.”
At the conclusion of the three meets in 2017, there were three different jockeys who finished on top in the standings: Abel Cedillo, Irving Orozco and Juan Hernandez. At the current Winter/Spring meet, Cedillo and Antongeorgi are tied for first in the standings with 15 victories. Hernandez sits in third with 9 wins heading into Week 4 while Aaron Gryder holds fourth place with 8 wins. Three riders are tied for fifth with 8 wins apiece.
“You’ve got to stay on top of your game all the time,” answered Antongeorgi, when asked about the competitive nature of the Golden Gate jockey colony. “You’re in jeopardy of losing business when you do not perform at a high level because there are so many other good riders here that can take your spot. We’re friendly in the [jockey’s] room but on the track we are competitive. Like anywhere else, we all want to win.”
FINISH LINES: Irving Orozco, leading rider at the 2017 summer meet, returns to the saddle this Saturday after a 60-day hiatus. The 24-year-old journeyman rider hops aboard Whisper the Truth in Race 2 and River Joe in Race 6. “I’m really excited to get back to riding. I feel really healthy,” said Orozco. “My agent (Tom “Bomber” Doutrich) and I are going to work hard every day. I’m really thankful for all the support that is being given to me.”…Congrats goes out to Mended, who ran a terrific second in the $200,000 La Canada Stakes for owners Troy and Maritza Onorato, trainer John Martin and jockey Ricky Gonzalez. The 4-year-old filly set the pace early and fought tenaciously down the stretch late, only to lose the Grade 2 event by a nose. Assistant trainer Reid France posted on Facebook that, “[Mended] made it back [to Golden Gate] and she’s a very happy girl.”…Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has a top Kentucky Derby contender in Instilled Regard, a son of Arch who won the $200,000 LeComte Stakes at The Fair Grounds last Saturday. Instilled Regard earned 10 Kentucky Derby points for the Lecomte score…Happy ‘late’ Birthday to trainer Aggie Ordonez, who celebrated her birthday on Monday.
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