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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GOLDEN GATE FIELDS SET FOR DYNAMIC WINTER/SPRING MEET OPENING ON TUESDAY, DEC. 26; FANS TO BE TREATED TO FULL FIELDS & REVAMPED WAGERING MENU

 50 CENT TRIFECTAS, ROLLING SUPER HIGH FIVES & 50 CENT LATE PICK FIVE ADDED AS 50 CENT LATE PICK 4 FEATURES  9.2 HORSES PER RACE; DYNAMIC TALENT MATT DINERMAN TO DEBUT AS NEW VOICE OF GGF

 Berkeley, Calif. (Dec. 22, 2017)–A shining light on the East San Francisco Bay since 1941, Golden Gate Fields will open for its 94-day Winter/Spring Meet on Tuesday, Dec. 26, and will offer fans full fields, top horses, jockeys and trainers.  The Winter/Spring meet, which runs through Sunday, June 10, will also offer a revamped wagering menu that will include 50 cent Trifectas, an additional 50 cent Late Pick 5, rolling Super High 5s and a dynamic new announcer, 25-year-old Matt Dinerman.

Regarded as a dynamic young talent who has made the transition from ardent racing fan to announcer with unbridled enthusiasm and a work ethic to match, Golden Gate fans are in for a treat as Dinerman follows a highly acclaimed three-year stint at Emerald Downs near Seattle.

Not counting horses on the also eligible list throughout the nine-race opening day program, average field size stands at 9.2 runners per race and the card is built to end in a pari-mutuel crescendo, as the 50 cent Late Pick 4, will offer punters no less than 11.2 horses in races six through nine.

GOLDEN GATE FIELDS NINE-RACE OPENING DAY FACT SHEET

-First post time is at 12:15 p.m.

-Admission gates open at 10 a.m.

– Projected weather is for sunny skies with a high temperature of 60 degrees.

– Golden Gate Fall jockey and trainer champions Juan Hernandez and John Martin will be looking to go back to back atop their respective categories, as Hernandez rides six races (1,5,6,7,8 & 9), while Martin will saddle three horses, in races 6, 8 & 9.

– Look for high percentage trainer Jonathan Wong to win a good many races with recent arrival, jockey Heribert Martinez, who rides seven out of the nine opening day races–three in combination with Wong.

– A Bay Area icon, Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has three starters on opening day; Amber Louise in race one, and both Six Cider and Storminside in race eight.

– A revamped wagering menu that continues to include a low takeout 14 percent 50 cent Early Pick 5 on races one through five.  Golden Gate is adding a 50 cent Late Pick 5 on the final five races each day.  In the event no one correctly tabs all five winners in either the Early or Late version, the net pool will carry over to the corresponding Early or Late Pick 5 the following racing day.

– Two dollar Win, Place and Show wagering will still offer fans a low 15.43 percent takeout.

– One dollar rolling Super High Five wagers will be offered throughout each race day.  If no one selects the first five finishers in exact order, the net pool will carry to the next race.  Once the bet is hit, the net pool is paid out and the wager begins anew in the following race.    

– The 50 cent Late Pick 4, which boasts average field size of 11.2 runners per race, will include the day’s two best races:  The seventh, a $26,000 maiden special weight with a field of 12 juvenile fillies going 5 ½ furlongs on the Tapeta main track and the eighth race, a $27,000 allowance for 3-year-old and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

– The popular 20 cent Golden Pick Six, which includes a Single Ticket Jackpot component, will be offered on the final six races each day.

For additional information regarding opening day at Golden Gate Fields on Tuesday and the upcoming 94-day Winter/Spring Meet, please visit goldengatefields.com.

Arcadia, Calif. (December 10, 2017) On November 25, Southern California jockey Brice Blanc flew up to Golden Gate Fields and won the $100,000 Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap aboard Editore. Two weeks later, Blanc traveled back to the Bay Area and found himself in the winner’s circle yet again, this time with three-year-old filly Kathy’s Song. The daughter of Candy Ride sat in midfield before coming with an explosive run down the stretch to get the victory in the $50,000 Miss America Stakes for older fillies and mares on turf.

“I have never ridden [Kathy’s Song] in a race but worked her three furlongs last week. I thought she went in 38 but then I found out she went 36 and change,” said Blanc. “She worked great. She’s a little deceiving because it’s hard to tell how fast she is going. She got a little unlucky in her last few starts and on paper it looked like she would be one of the favorites. Well, she ran like it. She was running against really nice fillies down [in Southern California] but I think it was a step up to run against older mares [today] as well. If she stays healthy, she could definitely move up next year.”

Coachwhip, a perfect 2 for 2 heading into the Miss America, came with a bold rally down the stretch and finished second. Lady Valeur, who encountered traffic trouble in the stretch, wound up third over the consistent mare Central Heat, who surged from last to complete the superfecta.

In The Miss America, Kathy’s Song ended up going off favored at odds of 8-5. She is trained by Richard Baltas, who conditions a large string of horses in Southern California. Owned by Abbondanza Racing LLC, Premier Racing Club and Jerry McClanahan, Kathy’s Song has now won 4 of 12 lifetime starts, with career earnings of $141,955.

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Albany, Calif. (December 9, 2017) Defending champion Fast and Foxy successfully defended her title in the $75,000 Bear Fan Stakes at Golden Gate Fields, when the daughter of Thisnearlywasmine went straight to the lead and scored a gate-to-wire victory in the Saturday afternoon feature for California-bred fillies and mares.

Under the guidance of regular rider Catalino Martinez, Fast and Foxy dueled early on with eventual fourth place finisher Spring Heat, was able to scamper clear of her competitors on the far turn and dug in gamely down the stretch to hold off a late rally from Southern California invader Cuddle Alert.

“[Fast and Foxy] only has one way of going and it’s to the lead,” said Martinez. “I tried to get her [to the lead] and save something for the end. That’s the only way you can ride her. When I took the lead at the three-eighths pole she took a big breath and I knew I had a lot of horse. When we got to the three-sixteenths pole I knew she was going to be tough to beat. She tries hard all the time. That made my Christmas!”

Fast and Foxy, who was bred and is co-owned by Joe Dahling, completed the six furlongs in 1:09.43 seconds and paid $5.00 to win. Cuddle Alert paid $3.40 to place and Run for Retts, who rounded out the trifecta at 11-1, paid $4.00 to show. With Saturday’s win, Fast and Foxy is now a three time stakes winner. Her first stakes triumph came last year in the 2016 Bear Fan Stakes and she also won The Camilla Urso Stakes last March. The bare mare has now earned $513,807 in her 46-race career and is the perfect example of a “horse for course” specialist; all 16 career victories have come over the Golden Gate Fields Tapeta surface.

“I had the mare and grand dam [of Fast and Foxy],” said winning trainer Holly Evans, who was beaming with pride after the win. “For me to have a horse like this…it’s just incredible.”

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THE STRONACH GROUP’S PREMIER BAY AREA RACETRACK WILL OFFER MANDATORY PAYOUTS ON CLOSING SUNDAY IN THE PICK FIVE, PICK SIX AND SUPER HIGH FIVE. THE VERY POPULAR .50 CENT PICK 5 WAGER, WHICH COVERS THE DAY’S FIRST FIVE RACES, WILL ALSO FEATURE A PLAYER-FRIENDLY 14% TAKOUT RATE

 ALBANY, Calif. (Dec. 7, 2017)–Golden Gate Fields will offer an early first post-time of 12:15 p.m. on both Saturday, Dec. 9 and Sunday, Dec. 10 of Closing Weekend of the 2017 Fall Meet. The early first post will accommodate two very competitive 10-race cards that are sure to test horseplayers.

The weekend will begin with a challenging Pick Five sequence on Saturday that includes 43 total horses, separated into legs of 7/10/10/8/8. Additionally, the ever-popular Pick Five will include a player friendly 14% takeout rate.

Set in the most picturesque of landscapes that includes bay views and cool breezes, Golden Gate Fields’ Closing Sunday will excite fans and players alike with not only a 10-race card but also mandatory payouts in the Pick Five, Pick Six and Super High Five. The $50,000 Miss America Stakes, which boasts a 14-horse field, will serve as Sunday’s feature at 1 1/16 miles on the turf for fillies and mares, ages three and up.

For more information regarding Closing Weekend, visit www.goldengatefields.com. For entries, visit http://www.goldengatefields.com/horseplayers/. Golden Gate admission gates will open at 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SHIPPERS SCORE BIG ON BOTH COASTS

Last Saturday, Bay Area equine stars Mended and Krsto Skye represented the Golden Gate Fields racing community in a big way.

Mended, trained by John Martin, shipped east to run in the $110,000 Claiming Crown Glass Slipper at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The Kentucky bred daughter of Broken Vow went off at odds of even money, shot to the front from the opening bell and pulled away from her 13 rivals down the stretch. Mended won the race by 6 and three-quarter lengths and earned an 87 Beyer speed figure for her effort. Regular rider Ricky Gonzalez flew to Florida to ride the 4-year-old filly and was still on cloud nine after returning home from the stakes-winning trip.

“We had a great trip,” said Ricky. “She is so confident right now and I was really confident the whole way around there. She was doing it easy so I was comfortable. I took a look behind me at one point and saw everyone was pumping on their horses. I knew right there we had it. What she has done in one year is unbelievable. She is one of my favorites for sure. It’s really fun to ride her.”

Owned by Troy and Martiza Onorato, Mended may be one of the best claims in North America this year. Since being claimed for $12,500 in January, Mended has won 10 straight races and earned $185,900 for her “new” connections.

“She’s turned into a nice filly,” said John Martin. “She came [to Gulfstream] and did nothing wrong. She has a lot of confidence right now…I started training her and ever since then she started getting better and better and better.”

About six hours after Mended’s stakes triumph, Krsto Skye raced in an allowance optional claimer at The Los Alamitos Thoroughbred meet in Cypress, California. The Ari Herbertson trainee scored a 13-1 upset after stalking the pace under Southern California jockey Stewart Elliott. Krsto Skye earned an 86 Beyer for his victory, which was his fourth win from nine starts in 2017.

“I knew he’d take to the dirt but it was a pretty tough race,” said Ari. “I told Stewart [Elliott] to take a hold early and make one run late. He gave him a great ride. Krsto Skye does nothing but try hard every time for us. I’m really proud of him.”

Krsto Skye is owned by Ari’s father, Scott Herbertson, who is currently the leading owner at the Golden Gate Fields Fall Meet. The Herbertson’s claimed Krsto Skye for $8,000 in April and have won 4 races and earned $72,875 since the 5-year-old gelding joined their barn. His biggest win to date came on June 10 in The Albany Stakes, a five furlong turf dash. That afternoon, Krsto Skye went off at astronomical odds (62-1) and won the contest by a length and three-quarters. The Los Alamitos win was the first Southern California victory for Ari Herbertson. Coincidentally, last Saturday was Ari’s 26^th birthday.

“It’s really tough to win in Southern California, no matter what the level is,” Ari said. “It was really cool to get that win. It was a great birthday present, that’s for sure.”

MANDATORY PAYOUTS AND 2 STAKES’ HIGHLIGHT CLOSING WEEK OF THE FALL MEET

There are plenty of items on the agenda for closing week of the 2017 Fall Meet at Golden Gate Fields.

Horseplayers will have one final chance to win big before the holidays on closing day Sunday, December 10; there will be mandatory payouts in the “player-friendly” 14% takeout Pick 5 wager, The Golden Pick 6 Jackpot wager, and The Super High Five. The Super High Five, where horseplayers must pick the first five finishers in order, is featured in the last race every live racing day.

The $75,000 Bear Fan kicks off the stakes action on closing weekend. A field of nine is set to compete in the six-furlong contest. Among the leading contenders are multiple stakes winner and defending champion Fast and Foxy, Tapeta win machines Princess Ashlyn and Spring Heat, and Southern California shippers Cuddle Alert, Dis Smart Cat and Obey. The $50,000 Miss America Stakes, a mile and a sixteenth turf event for older fillies and mares, is the final stakes race of the fall meet. The Miss America is expected to draw a large field and is the feature race on the closing day card this Sunday.

Golden Gate Fields will run more races than usual during the last three days of the meet. Friday has a 9-race card, with the opener set to go off at the usual first post of 12:45 PM. Saturday features a very strong 10-race card, with first post time at 12:15 PM. According to general manager David Duggan, Golden Gate may also run 10 races on closing day Sunday.

FINISH LINES: Heading into the final four days of live racing this fall, jockey Juan Hernandez has a 33-29 lead over Frank Alvarado in the jockey standings. Trainer Jonathan Wong won four races last week and holds a 5-win advantage over John Martin in the trainer standings…Golden Gate Fields will be adding a  $1 Rolling Super High Five and a 50 Cent Late Pick 5 to the wagering menu beginning December 26, opening day of the big winter/spring meet. According to a press release, “If no one selects the top five finishers in exact order, 100 percent of the net pool carries over to the next race…” The Super High Five, which has been featured in the last race every day, will now be offered in every race. The 50 Cent Late Pick 5 sequence will be offered on the last five races of each day. Please note that The 50 Cent Early Pick 5 (Races 1-5) will still be on the wagering menu this winter….Good luck and best wishes to track announcer Frank Mirahmadi, who completes his Golden Gate Fields announcing tenure this week. The veteran race caller will be heading to Aqueduct in Queens, New York, where he has been hired as the backup announcer and racing analyst on the TV show “Talking Horses” for the remainder of the Aqueduct meet. Matt Dinerman, former track announcer at Emerald Downs and the current Golden Gate Fields TV racing analyst, will be the new track announcer beginning the day after Christmas…January 7 is the last day Golden Gate will card turf racing until mid-April….All Golden Gate Fields backstretch workers (grooms, hotwalkers, etc.) are warmly invited to attend the annual Grooms Christmas Party, held in the turf club after the races this Thursday, December 7. The Golden Gate Fields jockey colony will be serving dinner throughout the evening.

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ALBANY, Calif. (December 2, 2017) Southern California shippers have dominated in stakes races at the 2017 Golden Gate Fields Fall meet and that trend continued on Saturday when City Plan, trained by Eoin Harty, flew up north and proceeded to beat nine other rivals in The $75,000 Gold Rush Stakes for 2-year-olds. City Plan stopped the clock for one mile in 1:39.01 seconds and paid $51.20 to win.

“I got hung wide most of the way but he was full of run so it didn’t matter,” said jockey Tyler Connor, who rode the bay colt to victory. “Down the lane he was all over the place. He was lugging in the whole way. If he figures things out, he will get even better.”

City Plan is owned by Godolphin Racing LLC, the racing operation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Makotum. Sheikh Mohammed, the Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, also bred City Plan. By top sire Street Sense, City Plan has an outstanding female family. His dam, Interior Design, is by A.P Indy and out of a mare who won a Group 2 in Europe and placed in The Grade I Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park in 1991.

“I’ve never rode him in a race before but worked him a few times and he worked well,” said Connor. “Galloping out, he was rolling. I think he can definitely go further.”

Ayacara, who most recently ran fourth in The Grade I Frontrunner Stakes at Santa Anita, went off as the 4-5 favorite under Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux. The Del Mar maiden winner broke a bit slowly, came with a late rally down the stretch but finished three-quarters of a length behind City Plan in second. Respect the Hustle, the winner of The Oak Tree Juvenile Stakes at Pleasanton, stalked the pace and wound up third over recent maiden winner Afleet Ascent.

With the Gold Rush Stakes score, City Plan has now won 2 of 4 career starts with earnings of $72,690. The next 2-year-old stakes race at Golden Gate Fields is the $100,000 California Derby on January 20. City Plan is “possible” for the mile and a sixteenth contest.

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By Matt Dinerman

Albany, Calif. (November 29, 2017) $43,854 carried over in The Golden Gate Fields 50 Cent Pick 5 for Thursday, November 30! The pool is expected to get to at least $250,000 and the wager features a low 14% takeout…talk about “player friendly.” A winning ticket will turn into a good chunk of cash in your pocket and a nice way to start off your racing week on The West Coast!

Here is how I am playing the Pick 5 at Golden Gate tomorrow:

LEG 1: Six $6,250 claimers go one mile in the first leg of the Pick 5. #4 Volkonsky is the one to beat after finishing second at this level on November 5; the rival who finished in front of him came back to win (again) in an 8k claimer on November 17.  One concern, though…Volkonsky has 4 wins from 53 starts, with 24 second or third place finishes. Obviously he hits the board more often than he wins. #3 On Fire easily won for $3,200 last time out and was claimed by Isidro Tamayo, who is 3 for 9 first-off-the claim. On Fire could take a step forward for the new connections, though his “A” race probably makes him competitive against this group anyway. We’ll use #3 On Fire and #4 Volkonsky to kick things off.

LEG 2: Eight 2-year-old fillies will travel five and one half furlongs in this $12,500 claimer. #2 Chiefs Lil Pearl would be hard to leave off tickets; the daughter of Bold Chieftain is the only entrant that has won at this level and comes into this off a nice second place finish behind a filly who would be odds on if she were entered in this spot. #6 Gambler’s Appeal drops in class after running fourth in a $25,000 claimer and #3 La Classic Gold can improve in her second lifetime start. In the career debut, she overcame a slow start and wide trip to break her maiden in a “better than it looks on paper” effort.

LEG 3: A six furlong, $8,000 claimer on Tapeta features a field of eight. #4 Kochees makes his second start off a nine-month vacation for trainer Blaine Wright, who hits at a 25% clip with horses making the second start in their form cycle. In his first afternoon appearance since the lengthy break, Kochees finished fourth in a tough starter allowance race, which featured stakes winner Kristo Skye and a hard knocker named Thirty Pepperonis, who came back to win a $16,000 event two weeks ago. Interestingly, Thirty Pepperonis is 5-2 on the morning line in a $20,000 claimer later on in the day. Note that Kochees moves from the turf to his preferred Tapeta surface; he is 1 for 11 on turf and 5 for 11 on Tapeta. We’re taking a stand and singling this guy on our ticket.

LEG 4: Eight $12,500 claimers to contest one-mile on the turf course. The top pick is #4 Peaked, who ran at this level on November 9. That day, she made a premature move on the far turn and got a little tired late, eventually losing by a length. If she gets a better ride, she can win this time. She is 0 for 2 on turf, yes, but her first start on the green (back in September of 2016) was solid and she was overmatched when racing on the lawn the second time. #1 Enchanted Jasmine drops from the starter allowance level to this $12,500 condition, which should help put her over the top, while #5 Gilded finished ahead of our top pick last time out and has run second in 3 of 4 starts at this level for high percentage trainer John Martin. We’ll use all three fillies on our ticket.

LEG 5: If we’re lucky enough to make it this far, we’re using 3 of the 8 runners in the last leg, a six-furlong $6,250 claiming sprint. #6 Tuesday’s Supernova is the only confirmed front runner in a race that lacks front-running speed. She cuts back from a route to a sprint after a poor effort going two turns last time out, but she has never routed well so we’ll cross that race out. ‘Supernova has finished second or third in her past four sprint races and the last time she ran at this level, she lost by a head to Passion For Papa, who came back to run second against a tough group of $12,500 claimers. #7 Pattin for a Dance just ran third at the $16,000 claiming level at Del Mar and would be awfully tough with a repeat of that effort. #1 Jersey Buns takes a significant drop in class from the starter allowance level to this $6,250 condition, so she faces a lot easier than what she is used to seeing.

THE 50-CENT TICKET ($27 investment)

R1: 3,4
R2: 2,3,6
R3: 4
R4: 1,4,5
R5: 1,6,7

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

WIN MACHINE MENDED TO PARTICIPATE IN CLAIMING CROWN RACE AT GULFSTREAM PARK

Wednesday afternoon, trainer John Martin was en route to Gulfstream Park, where he’ll watch one of his stable stars, Mended, compete in The Claiming Crown Glass Slipper Stakes this Saturday. The Glass Slipper Stakes, with a $110,000 purse, is for fillies and mares which have raced for a claiming tag of $12,500 or less since January 1, 2016. Mended drew Post 6 of 14 in the one-turn mile event, which goes as Race 2 on the 11-race card. Ricky Gonzalez, who rides year-round at Golden Gate Fields, has guided Mended to victory in her eight most recent races and will fly in to Florida to ride once again.

The Claiming Crown, an annual event held every year at Gulfstream Park, are a series of stakes races for horses that have or used to participate in claiming races throughout North America. Mended, a former claimer herself, fits the condition of The Glass Slipper like Cinderella’s foot. The daughter of Broken Vow was claimed for $12,500 on January 7 and since then, has won nine races in a row and earned $125,400 for owners Maritza and Troy Onorato. Mended’s biggest win for the Martin stable came at Del Mar on July 27, when she defeated second level allowance foes.

“We liked her when we claimed her, obviously, but we couldn’t have predicted she’d turn out to be this good,” said Reid France, assistant to John Martin. “She started to win one race after another and now she’s just gotten super confident. She’s a lovely filly to train and be around. She enjoys racing and wants to win.”

Heading into this Saturday’s stake, Reid France believes the 4-year-old filly has what it takes to pick up her first stakes win.

“If she runs her best race, I think she’ll be right there contending for the win,” said France. “She can run on anything. Synthetics, dirt…she’s won on turf too. She’s got such a great mind and always ships well. The whole barn has a lot of confidence in her.”

Post time for The Glass Slipper Stakes is 12:30 PM Eastern time and 9:30 AM Pacific time.

10 SET TO START IN THE GOLD RUSH STAKES FOR 2-YEAR-OLDS THIS SATURDAY

A field of ten 2-year-olds are expected to go postward in Race 7 on Saturday, The $50,000 Gold Rush Stakes. The race, a prep for the Grade 3 $200,000 El Camino Real Derby in February, attracts a solid contingent of runners.

Among the likely favorites is Ayacara, a Southern California shipper from the Keith Desormeaux stable who was last seen finishing fourth in The Grade 1 Frontrunner Stakes behind Bolt D’Oro, one of the best 2-year-olds in the nation. Ayacara broke his maiden at Del Mar under the guidance of jockey Kent Desormeuax last summer, and the Hall of Fame rider will fly up to Northern California to ride the son of Violence in The Gold Rush.

Hall of Fame conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer has a strong 1-2 punch in the 2017 Gold Rush with Afleet Ascent, a $300,000 sale purchase who comes off a 5-furlong maiden score on turf at Del Mar, and Night At the Opera, who ran second in The Oak Tree Juvenile at Pleasanton. Respect the Hustle, the winner of the Oak Tree Juvenile, is also entered in the Gold Rush and drew Post 7 for jockey Juan Hernandez and trainer Bill McClean.

The Gold Rush Stakes oversubscribed with 11 runners. Zippy Groom, who raced to his first career win in a 30k maiden claimer at Santa Anita last month, was put on the also-eligible list. There will need to be a defection by scratch time on Saturday morning in order for him to race in the one-mile contest. Post time for The Gold Rush Stakes is 3:45 PM Pacific Time.

FINISH LINES: A PICK 5 CARRYOVER of $43,854 highlights the Thursday card at Golden Gate Fields. The sequence: Races 1-5, and the wager has a “player friendly” 14% takeout. 38 horses are entered in the five-race sequence, which averages out to 7.6 horses per race. Track officials estimate the pool will climb to at least $250,000 by the time the gates open for Leg 1….Trainer Frank Lucarelli saddled a pair of talented 2-year-olds in a maiden special weight race last Saturday. Whatwasithinking, a 2-year-old son of Violence purchased for $20,000 at Keeneland last year, rallied from off the pace to win his debut by 3 lengths. Although well-regarded by The Lucarelli barn, Whatwasithinking went off at odds of 14-1. C.R. Bullitt, the second Lucarelli entrant in the race, was purchased at the 2016 Washington Yearling sale for $30,000. The son of Atta Boy Roy checked at the start after but ran on strongly for second, giving The Lucarelli barn a 1-2 finish in the Saturday nightcap. The Lucarelli exacta paid $316.40…The well-regarded Coachwhip, a Calumet Farm homebred, won her second lifetime start on Saturday, just one month after an extremely impressive maiden score in early October. The daughter So You Think beat a group of experienced older fillies and mares on Saturday and may run in Southern California in the future, according to trainer Jedd Josephsen… Congrats to jockey Kevin Orozco, who was recently named the “Jockeys Guild Jockey of the Week.” According to a press release, “the award is voted on by a panel of experts for riding accomplishments by members of the Jockeys’ Guild, the organization which represents over 950 riders in North America.” Orozco won ten races at Portland Meadows in two days (November 20 and 21) and has won a pair of races at The Golden Gate Fields Fall Meet…Juan Hernandez has taken a 29-24 lead over Frank Alvarado in the jockey standings after winning a quintet of races last week. Hernandez and Ricky Gonzalez are tied for the highest win percentage amongst all riders at Golden Gate, both journeymen scoring at a 24% win clip this meet …Jonathan Wong has the most victories of any trainer at the 2017 Fall Meet with 13 trips to the winners circle. John Martin, who won the Fall Meet training title last year, is second in the standings with 11 wins.

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