Albany, Calif. (Jan. 21, 2017) — So Conflated shipped in from Southern California to bring back to back $100,000 California Derby victories to trainer Doug O’Neill. Ridden by Kentucky Derby winning jockey, Mario Gutierrez, the 1 and 1/16 miles was completed in 1:44.71. So Conflated sat just off the pace for the majority of the race before rallying to the lead to beat More Power to Him. Betting favorite Vending Machine and 6 to 1 Secret House fought for the lead early with blistering fractions of 24.18, 48.92, and 1:13.32 before fading in the stretch to finish last and second to last. So Conflated’s last win came as the result of a disqualification at Santa Anita on December 26 where he was placed first in his $56,000 Maiden Special Weight.

“We were pretty excited after the last race. I know it was a win by DQ, but he still showed real good promise in that race. I figured this track would suit him really good,” said Gutierrez, who had a near perfect trip all the way around. “Halfway through the race everything was according to plan, but from the 3/8 to the ¼ pole I started worrying a little bit because all of the horses were moving, so I waited for a hole, and thankfully one opened. When I asked him to go, he responded.”

Assistant trainer Leandro Mora has been working with this horse from the start alongside trainer Doug O’Neill. “He was a late bloomer. He was not a Nyquist type horse. We had to babysit this horse. He wasn’t a professional mentality. He has good quality we need to just put him on the right track and make sure he is doing the right thing. I would love to repeat what we did last year with Frank Conversation, but that’s up to the trainer and owner for what’s up next for him. This is horse can run on dirt and Derby fever is right around the corner. Why not us?” said Mora.

Tomorrow, January 22, will be Dollar Day with $1 Beers, $1 Hot Dogs, $1 General Admission, $1 General Parking, and $1 Programs. The Pegasus World Cup Invitational will be January 28. Come out and join us for the richest horse race ever run, $12,000,000 and California Chrome’s last race. Our Chinese New Year Celebration will be February 4; Golden Gate Fields will be offering $2 Tsingtao beer, Wokitchen Food truck, Red Envelope Giveaway of over $12,000 in vouchers and Lion Dancer entertainment.

$100,000 California Derby
Race 8 at Golden Gate Fields
Saturday, January 21, 2017 (Post time: 4:15 Pacific Standard Time)

Analysis by Matt Dinerman

The 2017 edition of the $100,000 California Derby at Golden Gate Fields features five runners shipping in from Southern California and three locals trying to win for the Bay Area faithful. Let’s take a look at each contender:

#1 SONATEER is still a maiden. His last race came on November 27, when he finished second behind a highly regarded runner (Royal Mo) at Santa Anita. His three-career route tries were all solid, in-the-money efforts. That said, he’ll need to pick up the pace to win it.

#2 ZAKAROFF broke his maiden impressively two starts back when sprinting five and one-half furlongs. In his most recent race (12/31/16) he made his first start going a route of ground and against winners. He sat in midfield, picked up the pace in the final furlong and finished third, a length and a quarter behind #3 More Power To Him. He gets a sixteenth of a mile more to negotiate today and maybe he can take a step forward in his second start going long. There’s upside here.

#3 MORE POWER TO HIM was the victor of that allowance race on December 31. Unlike #2 Zakaroff, this guy already had a couple of route races under his belt. Two starts back he ran a respectable third in The Gold Rush Stakes behind #6 Colonel Samson and broke his maiden three starts ago, at this distance. He’s improved with racing experience, but he’ll need to turn the tables on ‘Samson and beat some new shooters from Southern California.

#4 SO CONFLATED has only two starts. In his debut, he finished third behind American Anthem, who came back to lose a photo finish in The Sham Stakes (G1). Last time out, So Conflated finished second, a head behind a Bob Baffert runner named Dabster, but was declared the winner via disqualification. This will be So Conflated’s first try going a route of ground. His pedigree suggests he’ll love going farther and he runs like a horse who wants more ground. It’s also worth noting Dabster came back to win last week, which is a positive endorsement for So Conflated. He races for Reddam Racing, Doug O’Neill and Mario Gutierrez: the team who won last year’s California Derby with Frank Conversation.

#5 VENDING MACHINE was last seen winning The Eddie Logan Stakes on the lawn at Santa Anita. Usually turf runners transfer their form to the Golden Gate Tapeta nicely and this horse has run well on dirt and turf, so I’d imagine he’ll be OK on Tapeta too. The son of Hard Spun is a half sibling to the Grade I winner and million dollar earner Comma To the Top, so he’s bred to be nice, and his last few races have been terrific. In fact, three starts ago he won an allowance race and the second and third place finishers came right back to win. The morning line favorite for good reason.

#6 COLONEL SAMSON won the Gold Rush Stakes in early December, finishing in front of #3 More Power To Him. On January 7, he ran against Gormley and American Anthem in The Sham Stakes (G3) and was beaten by over 22 lengths. You can cross that last race out; it was against much tougher over a sloppy track, which he didn’t take kindly to. The quick turnaround is a minor concern and this is a little tougher field than what he saw in The Gold Rush last month, but he merits respect.

#7 SECRET HOUSE is the second runner shipping in from Southern California for trainer Doug O’Neill. This $125,000 sales purchase finished second in his most recent start, an allowance race for two-year-olds in October. He hasn’t been seen in almost three months and O’Neill is only 3 for 58 with runners making their first start off a 61-180 day layoff. This colt’s lone win came in his debut six starts ago, which was a four and a half furlong sprint all the way back in May. Hard to gauge.

#8 ABERDEEN ISLAND makes his first start against winners while also running in his first route race. He started off his career with a fourth place finish behind #2 Zakaroff and came back to win by a length and a quarter as the favorite in his second and most recent start to date. Now he’ll have to deal with winners who have route experience. This is a significant step up in class; not going to be an easy task.

THE PACE: There’s no confirmed front-runner so there will be some jockeying for position early on. #8 Aberdeen Island stretches out to two turns for the first time and sometimes these types are a little more forwardly placed than if they were in a sprint. #3 More Power To Him draws inside of other speed contenders, so he may be closer to the pace, similar to when he went to the lead in the Gold Rush Stakes. #7 Secret House should be within the top three early, considering he has shown speed in past starts and runners who are “fresh” sometimes show a little more early foot than they normally would. I’d expect the pace to be contentious, but not necessarily fast.

THE CLASS: #5 Vending Machine and #6 Colonel Samson are the two classiest horses. Each has a stakes win, something the others do not have.

Top Pick: #5 Vending Machine- Class of the field and the one to beat

Second choice: #4 So Conflated-I’m looking forward to seeing him run longer

Third choice: #6 Colonel Samsen- Looked good winning over this track in The Gold Rush

Longshot To Consider: #3 Zakaroff-Improving with racing experience; has talent

Win bet: #3 Zakaroff
Exacta Box: #3 Zakaroff and #4 So Conflated and #5 Vending Machine

2017 inductees to be honored at the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame Enshrinement Banquet on Monday, April 24, 2017 at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame is proud to announce it has selected the 2017 induction class. The inductees will be honored at the 38th Annual Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame Enshrinement Banquet on Monday, April 24, 2017 at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, Ca.

Each year, the Bay Area Sorts Hall of Fame (BASHOF) prepares a ballot and solicits votes from all major media outlets in the Bay Area. There are three ballots: Contemporary (after 1980), Veteran (Prior to 1980) and Distinguished Service. From the results of the ballots, 4-5 new inductees are selected annually. Through 2016, there have been 165 persons inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. We are very honored to present the following inductees for 2017.

 2017 Inductee Class

Russell Baze (Horse Racing)
Bill Cartwright (Basketball)
Carmen Policy (Distinguished Achievement)
Kerri Walsh Jennings (Volleyball)
Matt Williams (Baseball)

The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that began in 1979 with the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce’s Sports Committee and Lou Spadia, former president of the San Francisco 49ers. Now in its 38th year and adhering to its goal of honoring local athletic legends in the name of benefiting youth sports, BASHOF has donated close to $4 million to youth sports programs in the Bay Area to over 600 youth organizations in the Bay Area.

We are very pleased to continue our tradition with the new 2017 Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame induction class.

Joe Fink Kevin O’Brien
Chairman President/CEO
415-405-0744

Golden Gate Fields will offer Holiday racing on Monday, January 16.  First post is slated to go off at 12:45 p.m. Gates will open at 10:00 a.m. for early bird wagering on the action taking place across the country.

Following the conclusion of the Holiday card, live racing will resume at Golden Gate Fields on Friday, January 20 and run through Sunday, January 22.

Derby season kicks off on Saturday, January 21 with the running of the $100,000 California Derby – a prep for the Grade III $200,000 El Camino Real Derby (to be contested Saturday, February 18).

ALBANY, CALIF. – The 99-day Golden Gate Fields Winter/Spring Meet will begin Monday, Dec. 26 with racing conducted four days a week through June 18.

Regular post time will be 12:45 p.m. every race day with five exceptions: 12:15 p.m. on Dec. 26 (Opening Day), 11:15 a.m. on Feb. 5 (Super Bowl Sunday), and 11:45 a.m. on May 6, May 20, and June 10 (Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont).

Golden Gate will conduct twelve stakes races during the Winter/Spring Meet, highlighted by the three GIII races: $200,000 El Camino Real Derby on February. 18; GIII $100,000 San Francisco Mile on April 29; GIII $100,000 All American on May 29.

Notable events for the Winter/Spring Meet are our annual Wall Calendar giveaway that will take place on New Year’s Day, Sunday, January 1; on Saturday, February 4, come celebrate the Year of The Rooster at Golden Gate Fields and receive a red envelope filled with a mystery mutual voucher that may be worth $500; Join us this St. Patrick’s Day, Friday, March 17, for your chance to win $100,000 in our annual Horseshoe Pitch Contest. Entries and drawing will be done that day; online packages for the Kentucky Derby experience and the Belmont Wine Festival will be available on our website: www.goldengatefields.com. Lastly, beginning April 30, enjoy live music on Dollar Days with bands from around the Bay Area performing between the races until the end of the Meet, June 18.

Receive admission coupons for Saint Patrick’s Day at the El Camino Real Derby on Saturday, February 18 and admission coupons for the Belmont Wine Festival on Saturday, May 6, during the Kentucky Derby.

General and Clubhouse admission are $6 and $10, respectively. Turf Club admission is $12 on Thursdays and Fridays and $15 on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Frequent admission discounts and lower pre-paid rates are available to THOROUGHBREDS club members. Every Friday is Senior Friday, with free clubhouse admission offered to THOROUGHBREDS club members 62 years and older. The popular Dollar Day is held every Sunday, with Golden Gate offering $1 general admission, $1 general parking, $1 programs, $1 beers, $1 sodas, and $1 hot

The Winter/Spring Meet racing/post time schedule
Week 1 (Dec. 26-Jan 2): Monday 12:15 p.m., Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m., Monday 12:45 p.m.
Week 2 (Jan. 6-8): Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.
Week 3 (Jan. 12-16): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m., Monday 12:45 p.m.
Week 4 (Jan. 20-22): Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.
Week 5 (Jan. 26-29): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.
Week 6 (Feb. 2-5): Thursday 12:45 a.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 11:15 a.m.
Week 7 (Feb. 9-12): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.

Week 8 (Feb. 16-20): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m., Monday 12:45 p.m.

Week 9 (Feb. 24-26): Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.

Week 10 (March 2-5): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.

Week 11 (March 9-12): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.

Week 12 (March 16-19): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.

Week 13 (March 23-26): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.

Week 14 (March 30-April 2): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.

Week 15 (April 6-9): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.

Week 16 (April 14-16): Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.
Week 17 (April 21-23): Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.

Week 18 (April 27-30): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 12:45 p.m., Sunday 12:45 p.m.

Week 19 (May 4-7): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 11:45 a.m., Sunday 1:15 p.m.

Week 20 (May 11-14): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 1:15 p.m., Sunday 1:15 p.m.

Week 21 (May 18-21): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 11:45 a.m., Sunday 1:15 p.m.

Week 22 (May 25-29): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 1:15 p.m., Sunday 1:15 p.m. Monday 12:45 p.m.

Week 23 (June 2-4): Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 1:15 p.m., Sunday 1:15 p.m.

Week 24 (June 8-11): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 11:45 p.m., Sunday 1:15 p.m.

Week 25 (June 15-18): Thursday 12:45 p.m., Friday 12:45 p.m., Saturday 1:15 p.m., Sunday 1:15 p.m.

Albany, Calif. (Dec. 10, 2016) — Lady Valeur, shipped in from Southern California by trainer Patty Gallagher, ran the others down in the stretch to win the $50,000 Miss America stakes by 1 and ¼ lengths. The race was for fillies and mares, threes years old and upward, at a distance of 1 and 1/16 miles and was completed in 1:43.35. Lady Valeur was well placed just off the speed by jockey Ricardo Gonzalez and waited until mid-stretch to rally to the front and then held off the others with a driving finish. “The ride played out beautiful. I sat right behind the speed just like we talked about and she relaxed really good for me. And I knew when she came to the stretch she was going to have a lot of run. She kind of waited for them and when they came she kicked back in. Trainer Patrick Gallagher said in the paddock that he thinks the 12 is going to clear and drop over and he did so I just sat right behind her. And it was beautiful,” said winning jockey Ricardo Gonzalez.

Mon Petite, ridden by Abel Cedillo, was never far back and came on late to take second. She was followed home by Hijra, who needed to swing wide for room, but still finished willingly for third with Catalino Martinez aboard.  Glory, a horse trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and ridden by lead jockey Juan Hernandez, set the pace all the way to the stretch but weakened quickly after the second turn and finished off the board. Lady Valeur paid $4.40 for her efforts today.

Trainer Patty Gallagher instructed Ricardo Gonzalez to let Lady Valeur run her race and it couldn’t have worked out any better. “Ricky rode her very good, it was nice. He put her in a perfect spot and after that she was good enough. We thought today if someone wants to go then let her stay comfortable if she is in and run her own race,” said Gallagher. The race, originally scheduled for the turf, was switched to the Tapeta due to rain, but this didn’t affect Gallagher’s decision to run. “Turf to dirt is a big gamble and it has been for years. But turf horses seem to take to this course and just run on it like it is grass.”

Tomorrow, December 11, will be closing day of the Fall Meet and Dollar Day with $1 Beers, $1 Hot Dogs, $1 General Admission, $1 General Parking, and $1 Programs. Live racing will resume for the Winter/Spring Meet on December 26 and run through June 18. Opening week will be highlighted with the annual Wall Calendar giveaway on January 1.

Albany, Calif. (Dec. 4, 2016) — Fast and Foxy, with jockey Catalino Martinez aboard, spent no time waiting for the group as she took off in the stretch to win by 4 ½ lengths. Trained by Holly Evans, Fast and Foxy, is the winner of the inaugural $75,000 Bear Fan stakes race named by Racing Secretary, Patrick Mackey. The race was for California bred or California sired fillies and mares three years old and upward. The race leader took the victory in a wire to wire performance in 1:09.48 proving herself much the best. Favorites, Desert Steel and Toomuchisnotenough, never offered closing responses and placed 3^rd and 4^th respectively. Light One circled five wide to the stretch, but still managed to get the nod over Desert Steel to place 2^nd. Fast and Foxy paid $14.60 for today’s effort.

Catalino Martinez hadn’t ridden the horse before, but had ridden against the horse and knew its style. “I saw the two and the five horse had a lot of speed so Holly told me send it and if they go with you it is nothing to worry about. And when they took back I saw I was in the lead and it was perfect. Then at the 3/16 pole I knew I still had a lot of horse and they would have to run to beat me. I was loaded and she was still wide open even at the end,” said Martinez.

This is Holly Evans’ second stakes race victory; she picked up her first in Santa Rosa with Sing and Tell. “She likes this track and it has been hard to hold her on the ground. I knew she was going to have speed today,” said Evans. Fast and Foxy had traveled down to Santa Anita, but didn’t do well and returned to Golden Gate Fields to rest. “She needed a vacation, she’d been running a long time. She just needs a jockey who will leave her alone and let her run.”

Next week, December 8-11, will be closing weekend of the Fall Meet. The weekend will be highlighted by the $50,000 Miss America on Saturday and a Mandatory Payout on Sunday. The pick six pool is currently at $47,000. Dollar Day is every Sunday at Golden Gate Fields with $1Beer, $1 Hot Dog, $1 General Admission, and $1Program. Golden Gate Fields will be running until December 11^th. The First Post time Thursday – Sunday is at 12:45 PM.

Albany, Calif. (Dec. 3, 2016) — Juan Hernandez captured his third stakes race victory of the 2016 Fall Meet aboard Colonel Samsen in the $75,000 Gold Rush. Trained by Eoin Harty, Colonel Samsen, though never far back from the lead, was caught behind Tipo Duro. Hernandez had to wait patiently for his move, but in mid-stretch the opportunity came and he ducked inside Aqua Frio and More Power To Him to close hard for the victory. Tipo Duro dueled with More Power To Him for the lead until the ¼ pole, but was out kicked in the stretch and then gave way. The mile race for two year olds was completed in 1:38.59 with favored 9-to-5 Colonel Samsen paying $5.60.

Juan Hernandez, winning jockey of both the $75,000 Pike Place Dancer and the $50,000 Golden Nugget, celebrated his third stakes victory today and remains atop the jockey leader board with 32 victories for the Fall Meet, claiming over $580,000 in purses. “I expected more speed in the race because it looked like a lot of the horses were coming from sprints. But then when the gate opened, the pace was slow. My horse was pulling hard and wanted to go, but I didn’t have anywhere to go on the backside. So I waited for my move on the stretch. The horse responded very well. And we won. He’s a nice horse, a very nice horse,” said Hernandez. Hernandez had a hat trick on the day.

Runner up jockey, Kyle Frey, still looking for his first stakes victory of the Fall Meet, finished strong, but was caught by Hernandez to finish ½ a length back from the winner. “My horse gave an amazing effort, it’s such a classy horse. It’s too bad, we kind of got out front too early then I was looking for a second and Juan came. Just one of those things, timing. But I tired, and the horse gave an honest effort,” said Frey.

Tomorrow, December 4^th, is the inaugural running of the $75,000 Bear Fan stakes race. Dollar Day is every Sunday at Golden Gate Fields with $1Beer, $1 Hot Dog, $1 General Admission, and $1Program. Golden Gate Fields will be running until December 11^th. The First Post time Thursday – Sunday is at 12:45 PM.

Albany, Calif. (Nov. 26, 2016)– In a well-timed ride by jockey Leslie Mawing, Stryker PhD, got up to win by a head over G. G. Ryder to capture the $100,000 GIII Berkeley Handicap. Trained by Larry Ross, Stryker PhD, rallied from last to first on the stretch to overtake Bronze Star and Southern Freedom; both were on the pace for the first five furlongs, but weakened quickly in the stretch. The 1 and 1/16 mile was completed in 1:43.67. Stryker PhD paid $4.60 and was favored by the betting community as a 13-to-10 shot by race time.

Mawing wasn’t at all surprised by the results. He knew the competition would be tough, but that Stryker PhD was going to produce the winning effort. “We clicked from the beginning. He’s got his own running style. He gives you that big quarter of a mile kick and that is just the way you got to ride him. I was so confident with today because he usually throws his antics prior to the race, sometimes he freezes up and won’t want to load. But this time he was pretty calm, cool, and collected. So I knew he was bringing his game face today. And I was pretty confident once that happened. When the gates opened I knew there was going to be some early speed, but I was patient and waited until he told me. This horse you have to wait for him to tell you. There was one time I came from 20 lengths behind to win the race by 3 lengths,” said Mawing.

Ricardo Gonzalez also gave an impressive effort up to the end, but the wire just couldn’t come soon enough for him.
“He ran so great. I knew the five horse, Stryker PhD, would be coming, so I was just hoping the wire would come up first, but we got caught in the final strides. He really gave me a strong finish,” said Gonzalez.

Trainer Larry Ross, knowing his horse was going to show late per usual, was happy to see him run as quick as he did today and wouldn’t want the excitement any other way. “He’s been a very cool horse and a lot of fun to train. Those closers like him always give you a thrill because you don’t know if they’re going to get there. When you have a closer like him, he just has to get there. Today, that’s about as close as you want it to get,” said Ross.

Dollar Day is every Sunday at Golden Gate Fields with $1Beer, $1 Hot Dog, $1 General Admission, and $1Program. Golden Gate Fields will be running until December 11th. The First Post time Thursday – Sunday is at 12:45 PM.