Albany, Calif. (May 13, 2017) — Lady Valeur, trained by Patrick Gallagher, pressed the pace to the half then fought gamely to win the $50,000 Golden Poppy stakes. Lady Valeur was ridden by Ricardo Gonzalez and completed today’s 1 1/16 miles on the turf in 1:43.17. The betting favorite awarded players $3.60 for her efforts. Street Surrender, ridden by Julien Couton, was the runner up, but rallied in the stretch to challenge today’s victor. Jockey Couton gave a stellar ride on Street Surrender and paid $5.20 to place. Trained by Simon Callaghan, the third place finisher was Sweet Dragon Fly, who stalked the pace to the second turn, but couldn’t catch leaders to finish 4 lengths back. She rewarded bettors $5.60 for the show.

“The jockey Ricardo put her in a great spot throughout. The second filly ran very well. It was a good stretch battle. When you get second, third and fourth you get disappointed, but then she comes up and wins. Those consistent horses are hard to find,” said Patrick Gallagher.

“She was a really nice filly and I’ve ridden her a couple times before here, but that was on the main track. And on the turf, she steps it up way more. She got out of there really nice and I just sat behind the leader and made my run. The other horse was coming after her, but she was game. I had too much horse for that horse to come back. She kicked right back under as soon as that horse got next to me,” said Jockey Ricardo Gonzalez.

The Golden Pick 6 jackpot was also hit today at Golden Gate Fields with a single ticket paying out $218,795. The Golden Pick 6 Jackpot requires a single winning ticket to take home the grand prize. The Golden Pick-6 was hit today by a unique serial number at Twin Spires Portland. The cost of the winning ticket was $1,152.00, and was worth $218,795.84 to the Winner. The ticket went as follows:  1,2,3,4,5,6/1,3,4,5,7/2,3,4,5,6,7/6/2,5,6,7,8,9,10,11/2,3,4,5

Tomorrow, May 14, is Dollar Day; enjoy a  $1 Mimosa, $1 Beer, $1 Hot Dog, $1 General Admission, $1 General Parking, and $1 Program all day long. Live music will run now through the end of the meet on June 18^th. Tickets are available online for our Belmont Wine Festival. Come out and celebrate the last leg of the Triple Crown and taste wines from around the world.

Albany, Calif. (April 30, 2017) — The first stakes race of the Cal-Bred Turf Festival was the $100,000 Campanile. It was for three year old California-sired fillies. Miss Sunset, ridden by Juan Hernandez, was today’s betting favorite, and took the race wire to wire, but it wasn’t a stroll. Breaking alertly, Miss Sunset had problems on the first turn and was caught in the stretch, but fought back gamely to win late by ¾ lengths.  Miss Sunset is trained by Jeff Bonde and bred by Premier Thoroughbreds. She is a product of Into Mischief out of Tuscan Sunset. Coming second in today’s first stake was Radish, trained by Doug O’Neill. Radish pressed the pace, but fell short in the late stretch duel. The 1 mile turf race was completed in 1:39.20 and Miss Sunset paid $3.20 for today’s efforts.

“She’s been a fun horse, given everybody a lot of thrills. I figured that this filly would clear my other horse, who was stalking nice, but got intimated on rail. She’s Cal-bred so she’ll get a lot more opportunities. She’ll be a fun horse at Del Mar. You always wonder if a couple speed horses will hurt each other because pace makes the race no matter where you run, but that filly, Lucky Christiana, didn’t break so it made it easier on our horse. She still jumped at the half mile pole. She has a habit of seeing better than the average Joe and that hurt her in a couple races, but today it wasn’t enough to make a difference and she came with her best race,” said trainer Jeff Bonde.

“The plan was, I had the speed horse and they sent me. I thought the six horse was going to be with, but I was alone on the front and it was slow pace so it was really nice. She ran nice on the turf. She is a nice filly,” said jockey Juan Hernandez. Hernandez was also the winner of yesterday’s GIII San Francisco Mile.

Today’s second Cal-bred stake race was the Silky Sullivan and was for California-sired three year olds. The betting favorite, B Squared, also took this one home. B Squared was ridden and trained by Kentucky Derby winning duo, jockey Mario Gutierrez and trainer Doug O’Neill. B Sqaured ran off the pace to the second turn, but responded determinedly in the stretch to win by a length and ¼. Elwood J ran just off the pace, before taking the lead at the ½ mile pole. Elwood J tried to hold off B Squared, but was overtaken in the stretch. The 1 mile turf race was completed in 1:37.56 and B Squared paid $5.60 for today’s efforts.

“What a great ride and we got to thank Paul Reddam and the guys who did all the work. What a beautiful race. In this sport no matter what the purse is with all the hard work that goes in when horses do well, it’s very rewarding.  We’re so proud of the whole team. It’s expensive to breed and raise a horse so it’s so important to have this program (Golden State Series). You’ve really got to incentives the breeding. It’s a great program. It’s great to be part of Square Eddie Bloodlines,” said trainer Doug O’Neill.

“We broke out of the gate really sharp. I didn’t have to hustle my horse out of the gate. I didn’t have to fight him to relax him. I think that was the key to today; he relaxed beautifully. Turning for home he was a little bit green, and the horse on the inside kept the fight going, which made him motivated. My horse was very game though. I just called on him, and I could feel him pushing forward and I was not afraid of who was coming close after that,” said jockey Mario Gutierrez.

Next Saturday, May 6, is the 143^rd running of the Kentucky Derby. Join us for a day of Derby Festivities, including a hat contest, cigar bar, and plenty of Mint Juleps. The following Sunday, May 7, is the start of the concert series and live music will run every Sunday until June 18^th. It was also be Dollar Day; enjoy a  $1 Mimosa, $1 Beer, $1 Hot Dog, $1 General Admission, $1 General Parking, and $1 Program all day long.

Albany, Calif. (April 29, 2017) — Alert Bay, trained by Blaine Wright, pressed the leader before digging in to win the $100,000 GIII San Francisco Mile. This is the first time in 59 years that a horse has won back to back San Francisco Miles; the last time it happened was in 1957 and 1958, and it was accomplished by a horse named Battle Dance. The San Francisco Mile was for three year olds and upwards, at a distance of 1 mile on the turf, and was completed in 1:35.12.

Many Roses, trained by Ellen Jackson, set the pace early in the race, but was once again outkicked, leaving fans empty handed. G. G. Ryder stalked the pace and in a driving finish, nipped Many Roses to take second. The remaining horses finished 7 lengths off the leaders. Alert Bay, the heavy betting favorite at race time, paid $3.20 for today’s efforts.

“It is pretty neat to wake up and see him every day. I am very thankful for him. He is a once in a lifetime for me. When I read it hadn’t been done back to back in 59 years, I got awfully nervous. I thought it was a walk over for us, but I know that there are good horses and trainers, and they’re going to give us a fight. So I feel very lucky to be standing here. I felt pretty confident the whole way, but I just needed to know what G. G. Ryder was going to do. Hollendorfer sent him off the pace and we kind of figured that if he went hard from the one hole, we would know what the four horse was going to do and we could back off of him. And I told Juan we got to be the ones to put the pace on the four horse if that horse don’t go. And with our post position it worked out to our advantage,” said trainer Blaine Wright.

“I was just having fun with him. He broke fast. I was sitting waiting for the stretch to make my move.  When I saw the cutoff point, I asked him and he started running again.  He’s a really good horse. He does everything. Yeah, no one was passing – so I stuck close,” said jockey Juan Hernandez.

Tomorrow, April 30, is Dollar Day; enjoy a  $1 Mimosa, $1 Beer, $1 Hot Dog, $1 General Admission, $1 General Parking, and $1 Program all day long.

ELKTON, Md. – For the third consecutive year, tracks and racing venues will participate in a
Kentucky Derby Day Silent Auction to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys’ Fund (PDJF) on
Saturday, May 6.

Proceeds from the collaborative effort by the Thoroughbred Racing Associations (TRA), PDJF,
JockeyTalk360, and the Jockeys’ Guild will provide aid for permanently disabled jockeys’ health
care and living expenses.

Each track will hold a silent auction with three beautifully framed photos, including Arrogate
winning the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic (autographed by jockey Mike Smith), “3 for the Ages” of
Triple Crown winners Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed (signed by jockeys Ron Turcotte, Jean
Cruget, and Steve Cauthen), and Secretariat “Flying” to victory in the 1973 Kentucky Derby (signed
by jockey Ron Turcotte). Fans who contribute to PDJF during the auction will be offered a racing
souvenir such as a gold-plated replica Secretariat horse shoe, classic photos from the Tony Leonard
Collection, or Kentucky Derby lapel pins.

“The Derby Day Silent Auction continues to build momentum in its third year as an important
fundraiser for the PDJF,” said PDJF President Nancy Lasala. “It gives horse racing fans an
opportunity to collect priceless memorabilia while supporting a worthwhile cause. We would like to
thank the Tony Leonard Collection, Reed Palmer Photography, Skip Dickstein, Penny Chenery,
Secretariat.com, Mike Smith, Ron Turcotte, Jean Cruget, Steve Cauthen and all the tracks. Without
their generous support, this would not be possible.”

Auctions will be held at the following locations: Arlington Park, Belmont Park, Churchill Downs,
Ellis Park, Finger Lakes, Golden Gate Fields, Gulfstream Park, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town
Races, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race
Course, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs, Laurel Park, Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie, Louisiana Downs,
Parx Racing, Prairie Meadows, Remington Park, Sam Houston Race Park, Santa Anita Park, Tampa Bay
Downs, Turfway Park, Wyoming Horse Racing, and Zia Park.

Those who wish to contribute to the fundraising effort for disabled jockeys may do so by sending
checks payable to: PDJF, P.O. Box 803, Elmhurst, IL 60126 or visit www.pdjf.org. PDJF is a
501(c)(3) public charity providing financial assistance to 60 former jockeys who have suffered
catastrophic on-track injuries. Since its founding in 2006, the fund has disbursed approximately $8
million to permanently disabled jockeys, most of whom have sustained paralysis or brain injuries.

Through the years, the TRA has played a leading role in the establishment of many programs
beneficial to the member associations conducting racing at 40 racetracks in the United States and
Canada. Visit www.tra-online.com for more information about the TRA.

 

THE WORLD’S RICHEST THOROUGHBRED HORSE RACE COMES BACK TO MIAMI

Miami, Florida, April 5, 2017  – Fresh off the heels of the inaugural running of the $12 million USD Pegasus World Cup Invitational, The Stronach Group announced today that the world’s richest Thoroughbred horse race is about to get even richer. On January 27^th, 2018, the world will again turn its attention to South Florida in anticipation of an extraordinary, new record-setting $16 million USD purse.

The 2018 Pegasus World Cup Invitational, to be held at The Stronach Group owned Gulfstream Park, is open to twelve domestic and international owners who will put in $1 million USD each for a spot in the starting gate.  The additional $4 million USD will be contributed by The Stronach Group.

“The 2017 Pegasus World Cup Invitational surpassed our expectations and we believe took the sport of Thoroughbred racing to an exciting new level”, said Belinda Stronach, Chairman and President, The Stronach Group.  “Our company is committed to building on the momentum that was inspired by our Founder and Honorary Chairman, Frank Stronach. In 2018, we will bring an even bigger, more modern and unforgettable entertainment experience to a global audience.”

With the commitment to an enhanced purse, The Stronach Group aims to attract the attention of an international audience marking the resurgence of North American Thoroughbred racing.

Follow all of the excitement and details of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational at pegasusworldcup.com and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @pegasusworldcup.

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The Stronach Group

The Stronach Group (TSG) is an industry leader in world-class horse racing, entertainment and pari-mutuel wagering technology. Within our portfolio of racing and gaming businesses, the Company holds some of the greatest brands in the industry including; Santa Anita Park, “The Great Race Place”; Pimlico Race Course, home of the legendary Preakness Stakes; Gulfstream Park, one of Florida’s newest entertainment destination centers, and home to the $16-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational, the world’s richest Thoroughbred horse race; Laurel Park; Golden Gate Fields; Portland Meadows; and Rosecroft Raceway.  TSG is an industry leader in pari-mutuel technology through its subsidiaries AmTote and Xpressbet and is a major distributor of horse racing content to a global audience through Monarch Content Management. The award winning Adena Springs is the breeding and training facility of The Stronach Group with stables in Kentucky, Florida and Ontario.  For more on The Stronach Group, visit www.stronachgroup.com.

Media Contact:

Dave Joseph, Gulfstream Park, david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com

Tiffani Steer, The Stronach Group, tiffani.steer@stronachgroup.com

Albany, Calif. (March 18, 2017) — Fast and Foxy, trained by Holly Evans and ridden by Catalino Martinez, broke clean and set the pace on the rail to take the victory in the $50,000 Camilla Urso stakes. Turkish Tabby, saved ground in the stretch, but wasn’t able to get there in time, taking second. Code Warrior ridden by Anne Sanguinetti, was forced four wide, but also rallied in the stretch to finish third. Today’s race was for fillies and mares four years old and upward and was completed in a time of 1:09.20. Fast and Foxy, the betting favorite, paid $4.40 for today’s efforts.

Trainer Holly Evans: “I was just hoping she would hold on. She’s easy to handle she does what you want. She really is. She just never stops she just keeps going. They hook her she keeps going, they finish she keeps going she’s just tough. I don’t know. One time I was going to sell her because there weren’t any races. I’ll take those ones any day. I hope she didn’t get claimed because I like her personally. But Joe said it’s a lot of money. We needed to run. Absolutely incredible. I’m so lucky to have a horse like that. So many horse people never get a good horse and I get one dropped in my lap.”

Jockey Catalino Martinez: “I know the two horse showed a lot of speed in her races so my only choice was to go to the lead. I sent her and I knew the other horses didn’t have the speed to go with me, so I got her to relax and by the 3/16 pole, I knew the race was over. It was close, but we hung on to win.”

Tomorrow, March 19, is Dollar Day; enjoy a  $1 Mimosa, $1 Beer, $1 Hot Dog, $1 General Admission, $1 General Parking, and $1 Program all day long. The $100,000 San Francisco Mile is April 29th. All paid admissions will receive a SF Mile themed ball cap.

$50,000 Camilla Urso Stakes
Race 7 at Golden Gate Fields
Saturday, March 18, 2017 (Post time: 3:45 PM Pacific Standard Time)

Analysis by Matt Dinerman

The feature race on Saturday’s program, the $50,000 Camilla Urso Stakes, features the best filly and mare sprinters in The Bay Area. Let’s take a look at each contender.

On February 24, #1 PRECIOUS TIME came off an eight and a-half month layoff and scored an 11-1 upset, sitting off the pace before making one run from the back of the field. It’s a whole new ballgame now, as this gal is facing much tougher company. The good news is she’s 6 for 11 over this track, so at least she’ll be making her stakes debut over a footing she really enjoys. Whether she has the class to compete for the win is a question mark though. I’ll side with others in this spot.

#2 B C Z MIDDLETON has won two stakes races in her career: The Washington State Legislators Stakes at Emerald Downs and The Princess of Palms Stakes at Turf Paradise, both stakes on dirt. In her most recent race, coming off a three-month vacation, she took a starter allowance field gate to wire at Turf Paradise. Second start off the layoff, she’ll probably be even more fit, but the best rivals signed on here look more intriguing. She always gives an honest effort, so we can expect her to try hard again, but I have a feeling she’s another that may be a bit outclassed.

#3 TURKISH TABBY has finished behind (likely favorite) #5 Fast and Foxy in her past two starts. In both races, she attempted to pressure the aforementioned rival on the front end, but was put away both times. In her most recent effort, she ran gallantly to hold on for second after going at a fast pace with ‘Foxy, but ‘Tabby still has to figure out a way to finish in front of ‘Foxy this time. If she runs back to her last race, she has a big chance to hit the board, but she’ll need to run an all-time best to have a shot at winning this. One of two runners from the Jerry and Janet Hollendorfer stable.

#4 CASTELLANI hasn’t been seen since November 18^th and she has never sprinted six furlongs before. The vast majority of her races have been going a route of ground and her four most recent races have resulted in off-the-board finishes; not the greatest recent form. It would be a surprise if she won.

#5 FAST AND FOXY certainly is fast. All 14 career wins have come over this track and she holds terrific recent form. She has run five times since a six-month break from May to November, with four of those races resulting in wire-to-wire victories. Her only loss was a third place finish behind Quick and Silver, one of the best male sprinters at Golden Gate. This mare has one way of going: to the lead. Nobody is quick enough to go with her unless they want to be a rabbit and it sure looks like she’s clearly the one to beat in this race.

#6 CONIAH moves back to the barn of Bill Morey after a short stint with Carla Gaines in Southern California. This gal has been under the care of four different trainers, but she’s been the most consistent with Morey, who conditioned her twice: once in 2015 and again in 2016. In 5 starts for The Morey barn, she holds a 2-1-1 record. Highlights of her career include a third place finish in The Rancho Bernardo (G3) at Del Mar and another third in The Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland, so she has back class, and even though her two most recent races have been poor, she gets a three month freshening for this start (her last race was in December.) It’s also worth noting this one sports a nice work tab for trainer Morey, who wins at a 27% clip with his trainees making their first start off a layoff between 61-180 days. A sneaky contender if she runs back to her best races.

#7 CODE WARRIOR has been a consistent filly for The Manny Badilla stable since her career debut, when she won by seven lengths. This gal actually finished in front of #5 Fast and Foxy on January 7^th, in the allowance race that Quick and Silver won, but ‘Foxy was able to turn the tables on #7 Code Warrior when she beat her by 2 and a half lengths in their most recent battle on January 29. ‘Warrior will need to rebound, but note she is the only one entered in this race that has finished in front of #5 Fast and Foxy, and she holds two stakes wins and a Grade 2 placing on her resume. Must be respected.

#8 CALM THE SEA is the second Hollendorfer runner signed on. Like the runner to her inside, this gal won her very first start (on February 5, 2016), but was given 11 months off after the maiden breaker. She returned in 2017 to run third in two allowance races at Santa Anita and most recently finished fourth in an allowance at Golden Gate. She has shown front running speed in past starts, including in that last race at Golden Gate, so this ‘capper wouldn’t be all that surprised if she ends up being a rabbit for her stablemate (#3 Turkish Tabby). Could impact the race significantly, from a pace scenario standpoint, if she does indeed go out with #5 Fast And Foxy.

THE PACE: We all know what #5 Fast and Foxy is going to do. Two questions to try and answer:

• Is anybody going to go out with #5 Fast and Foxy?
• Is anybody even quick enough to go to the lead with #5 Fast and Foxy?

 

This handicapper thinks #8 Calm The Sea could be the rabbit to pressure #5 Fast and Foxy. She has shown front running speed before and sometimes one Jerry Hollendorfer runner will go out with a projected lone leader to help the other entrant out.  We have seen this scenario before. #6 Coniah has some early gas as well, but she has been effective stalking the pace before pouncing on the leaders down the lane, so I’d have to imagine that will be her strategy with a speedster like #5 Fast and Foxy signed on.

THE CLASS: #5 Fast and Foxy won a stake in December and runners #6 Coniah and #7 Code Warrior placed in two separate Grade 2 stakes last year (though it’s worth mentioning both Grade 2’s were restricted to three-year-olds fillies.)

Selections:

Top pick: #5 Fast And Foxy– She might just be too quick for this bunch

Second choice: #7 Code Warrior– Quality filly puts up a good fight every race

Third choice: #3 Turkish Tabby-Finished second to the top pick last month

Longshot To Consider: #6 Coniah- Grade 2 placed filly’s best race makes her a logical contender

Albany, Calif. (Feb. 20, 2017) — Quick and Silver, trained by William Delia, ran gate to wire in today’s $50,000 Lost in The Fog stakes. Breaking from the rail under jockey William Antongeorgi III, Quick and Silver, the betting favorite, set the pace early and no one caught him as he won by ¾ lengths. Star Student came from the back of the pack to take second with a driving effort on the stretch. The race was for four year olds and upwards going six furlongs and was completed in a time of 1:09.18.  Quick and Silver paid $4.40.

Named for the legendary sprinter–who touched the hearts of the nation–the featured Lost in the Fog marked the 11^th win for Quick and Silver. Trainer Greg Gilchrist, who did a masterful job conditioning Lost in the Fog was on hand to make the presentation.

William Delia: “The horse is awful sharp right now.  He loves this track and he’s got tremendous amount of speed and that’s dangerous at any time. He’s kind if you’ve got a carrot in your hand, but if you just go up and pet him he’ll nip at you. He’s kind of aggressive. He loves to train. He goes out there and gallops nice. He’s not easy. He’s got a personality, he’s getting better and faster and faster. I could probably take him down south but he is just so much better on this track that I don’t want to move. He’s running so good we just want to keep him up there for now. He’s kind of really coming into his own now. He knows his business, when he runs he runs.”

William Antongeorgi III: “We were the speed on paper. There really wasn’t much thinking to do. Just get him out of there and on his way. He’s a free running horse. When he gets that easy lead, he is tough to run down and that’s exactly what happened today.”

Live racing will resume Friday, February 24. Don’t forget ever Sunday is Dollar Day; enjoy a  $1 Mimosa, $1 Beer, $1 Hot Dog, $1 General Admission, $1 General Parking, and $1 Program all day long.

 

$50,000 Lost In The Fog Stakes
Race 7 at Golden Gate Fields
Monday, February 20, 2017 (Post time: 3:45 PM Pacific Standard Time)

Analysis by Matt Dinerman

Golden Gate Fields has a special race card this Monday: Presidents Day! Our feature race is the $50,000 Lost In The Fog Stakes, named after the legendary Bay Area based sprinter. Let’s take a look at the seven contenders entered in the 2017 Lost In The Fog and come up with a winner!

#1 QUICK AND SILVER is exactly what his name indicates. The grey gelding by Dunkirk is clearly the fastest horse signed on here and with the inside post position, we can expect jockey Billy Antongeorgi III to send hard out of the gate and try to take this field gate to wire. His best races have been on the lead but he showed a new dimension last time out, when he sat off a blazing fast leader, made a move, took the lead at the quarter pole, and drew off to win nicely. That race was against a salty bunch of allowance/stakes winning runners and it’s worth noting the third place finisher (Fast and Foxy) has since come back to win. Two starts ago ‘Silver finished sixth in The Oakland Stakes behind a few runners entered back in this spot, though he got pace pressure that day and he may be able to have the lead to himself this time around. Dangerous, especially if he gets loose on the lead.

 #2 INDIAN BRUT cuts back in distance after a fifth place finish going a route of ground. He finished behind three multiple stakes winners that day (Bronze Star, G.G. Ryder and Stryker PHD) and routing isn’t ‘Brut’s best game, so you can probably toss the race. If anything, that afternoon appearance helped him stay super fit for this. #2 Indian Brut’s last win came sprinting five furlongs over this track in October, and he ran huge to finish second two starts ago in The Oakland Stakes, finishing behind #4 Star Student. Worth a second look.

 #3 CHIPS ALL IN freshens up for this run after a sharp victory over #4 Star Student in an allowance race last December. This guy has a great record over synthetic surfaces; 3 wins from 5 starts, with 2 of those victories coming here at Golden Gate. He has shown versatility throughout his career, too, and looks to still have plenty left in the tank at the ripe age of 8. Yet another horse that shouldn’t be ignored.

 #4 STAR STUDENT is another that has a great record on synthetic tracks. In fact, all 7 career wins have been on this Golden Gate Tapeta. His effort in The Oakland Stakes three starts ago was terrific, when he beat #1 Quick and Silver, #2 Indian Brut, and #6 Mah Gellin in a game effort. Since then, however, he has regressed and finished second and fourth, respectively, in two separate allowance races. A nice horse, no doubt, but his form isn’t trending upward. Playing against.

 #5 MALIBU ALEX  broke the maiden impressively in his career debut on January 31, 2016. After a fifth place finish going a route of ground against winners, he was given a 10-month layoff. Obviously something happened after that allowance try, but no need to worry, as the son of Afleet Alex came back and easily won an allowance last month, sprinting this six-furlong distance. The second place runner in that race came back to run second in a starter allowance and the third place finisher is 2 for 24, so you can make a case that the allowance group ‘Alex faced off the layoff wasn’t the strongest bunch. That said, he could be more fit in start #2 off the lengthy vacation and it looks like this guy has talent. May run well at a price.

 #6 MAH GELLIN ran three times this fall and finished behind either #1 Quick and Silver, #3 Chips All In, #4 Star Student or #8 Indian Brut in that trio of starts. All 7-career victories have come over this track and he was only ¾ of a length away from winning The Oakland Stakes in November. At the end of the day, though, this ‘capper thinks he might be best used in exotics, if anywhere.

 #7 PURE COMEDY has always been well regarded by his connections. After a few unlucky situations in past starts, he finally put it all together and scored big at 14-1, defeating five others runners in a second level allowance race. This is a whole new ballgame, however, as the runners he faces here are much better than what he’s been seeing. Siding with others, though another big effort wouldn’t be a total surprise.

THE PACE: #1 Quick and Silver looks like the quickest horse in the race and may be able to get a loose lead. If anyone decides to take it to ‘Silver from the get go, it might be #7 Pure Comedy, who went head and head for the lead while going at a solid clip two starts ago. This is a stakes sprint with some fast horses…so of course the pace will be rapid. The question really becomes: is anybody going to go out and pressure #1 Quick and Silver? I’m just not sure anyone is quick enough.

 THE CLASS: #3 Chips All In and #4 Star Student are the only stakes winners in the field, so they look like the class of the race.

Top Pick: #1 Quick and Silver-From a pace scenario standpoint, he looks to have a big advantage

 Second choice: #3 Chips All In-Loves this track

 Third choice: #2 Indian Brut– His last two sprints have been awesome and the cutback from a “route to a sprint” angle can be a very profitable one.

 Longshot to consider: #5 Malibu Alex- Certainly has talent; could be ready for a peak performance here.

Albany, Calif. (Feb. 18, 2017) — Zakaroff, trained by Steve Specht, ran them down in the stretch to win the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby by half a length. Settling in at the half mile pole, Zakaroff drove determinedly down the stretch to become the second highest paying winner in Northern California’s premier Kentucky Derby prep race, paying $99.60, second only to Autism Awareness, who paid $126.00 in 2008. Zakaroff was just one horse in a string of upsets today, resulting in a .20¢ Pick 6 jackpot payout of a cool $240,030. And a late .50¢ Pick 4 payout of $33,018.

Zakaroff, with jockey Kyle Frey aboard, beat the shippers, including even money favorite Ann Arbor Eddie. Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mario Gutierrez, Ann Arbor Eddie stalked the pace until the second turn then dueled in the stretch before being caught. More Power To Him, trained by local trainer Faith Taylor, ran third, but was fanned four wide before closing nicely in the stretch. The second betting favorite, Sheer Flattery (5/2), was a no-show in today’s race, giving way in the final furlong. The El Camino Real Derby was for three year olds, at a distance of 1 and 1/8 miles and was completed in 1:51.34.

Steve Specht: “They didn’t give me much credit even though I didn’t finish that far behind some of these horses the last two times. I really thought this race was too far, that 1 mile or 1 1/16 miles was his limit. When he got to the stretch he showed a little extra that I didn’t think he had. I actually entered him in a first-level allowance sprint but the race didn’t go so I got stuck running here. Not a bad stick. I wasn’t out of my league but somebody has to be favored and somebody has to not be. That last race he was inside all the way and when it rains the inside is the deepest part of the track. He was kind of spinning his wheels. He’s turned out to be a little better than I thought he was going to be.”

Jockey Kyle Frey: “I’m kind of star struck. I’ve never been on the horse before, a complete pick up mount. I think we picked it up at the draw if I’m not mistaken. Everything happens for a reason. So thank God. We sat uncomfortably and I honestly thought we were going to be sitting a little further off, but they were walking at the front, so we were kind of just sitting right there pretty comfortable. I just tried not to mess it up. Steve did all the work. With how easy the fractions were and how calm the horse was. We were able to get out so smoothly and swiftly right at the perfect time. I almost thought I might have caught Ann Arbor sleeping, but when we got up to him our momentum was really moving and we got there.”

Tomorrow, February 19, is Dollar Day; enjoy a  $1 Mimosa, $1 Beer, $1 Hot Dog, $1 General Admission, $1 General Parking, and $1 Program all day long. Monday, Presidents’ Day will feature special Holiday Racing with a usual first post time of 12:45 PM.