Category: News

ADDITIONAL JOCKEYS JOIN GOLDEN GATE RIDING COLONY WITH ENDING OF EMERALD DOWNS RACE SEASON  

A handful of riders will be migrating from Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington to Golden Gate Fields after Emerald completed their 2023 live race meet last Sunday afternoon. Among those arriving are a trio of jockeys who Bay Area racing fans will be familiar with.

Veteran Kevin Radke, who tied with William Antongeorgi III for most wins at last year’s Fall Meet, returns to the Bay Area after a successful tenure in the Pacific Northwest. A winner of just over 1,300 races, Radke has one riding engagement each race day this week. He will be represented by agent Tom “Bomber” Doutrich.

“I’m looking forward to getting back [to the Bay Area],” said Radke. “I’m there to work. I’m ready to get back in the mix.”

Another known face returning to the Bay Area is Kevin Orozco. The younger brother of Golden Gate mainstay Irving, Kevin has finished in the top three spots in the Emerald Downs jockey standings numerous times and has ridden at numerous Golden Gate meetings since beginning his jockey career in 2016. Moving back to Northern California for the upcoming fall and winter seasons, he will be accepting mounts beginning next week.

“It feels good to be returning to Golden Gate,” said Orozco. “I’ve known a lot of people there for a long time. There are a lot of people at Golden Gate who have given me chances and been supportive. It will be great to see everyone. Monty and I are going to work as hard as we can.”

A regular at Golden Gate since 2014 is Silvio Amador, who for the first time in his career opted to ride at Emerald Downs this summer. He returns to the Bay Area having won with 20% of his Emerald mounts while cracking the top three in the jockey standings. Both Amador and Orozco will be represented by agent Monty Hanna.

Veteran Carlos Montalvo is well traveled and will be riding over the Golden Gate Tapeta surface for the first-time beginning Monday. The native of Mexico City has competed at venues across the country over a career that has extended over multiple decades, and has appeared at top racecourses like Gulfstream Park, Keeneland, and Oaklawn. One of his most significant wins came aboard 2015 Breeders Cup Turf Sprint winner Mongolian Saturday in the 2016 Grade 3 Woodford Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select at Keeneland. Montalvo is one win shy of 1,300 lifetime trips to the winner’s circle.

A possible, but at this point not definite, addition to the riding colony is Alex Cruz, who has been the leading rider at Emerald since 2019. The native of Puerto Rico won 69 races at the recently concluded Emerald Downs meeting, 90 in 2022, 75 in 2021, and 72 in 2020. Cruz is the first rider in Washington State history to win four consecutive riding titles.

OTHERS ENTERED IN SATURDAY FEATURE WILL NEED TO BEAT TAMAYO PAIR 

The feature race on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields is Race 6, a first level allowance for three-year-olds and up at one mile on the Tapeta. The race goes through leading trainer Isidro Tamayo, who saddles both Anitanewmercedes and Vantage Point in the contest. Both runners are projected to garnish support in the wagering.

Anitanewmercedes has found his comfort zone at the first level allowance condition. His last two victories came at the first level condition on turf and dirt, respectively, at two different racetracks. Six of Anitanewmercedes’ 11 lifetime wins have come over the Golden Gate Tapeta main track.

“He can run on anything. He’s a pro,” said Tamayo.

Tamayo is keen to get Vantage Point started off a ten-month vacation. We last saw Vantage Point competing in 10 and 12 furlong races in 2022. One of those efforts resulted in a gate to wire win, at this first level allowance condition, while the others ended in second and third place finishes. All three runs were very respectable efforts.

“He’s good in the mornings. He gets a lot out of his works,” said Tamayo. “I think he’s fit enough. The key is before the race. Sometimes he acts up with the pony. He’s got a mind of his own. I’d like to see him laying close [early in the race].”

The Tamayo pair have five challengers lined up to play spoiler. Ecologist gets back to a surface in which nine of his 10 lifetime wins have come over. The last time he raced at an allowance condition in July, he placed second behind eventual Robert Dupret Derby runner up finisher Cousin Richie.

Trinidad ran third in the Robert Dupret Derby for three years old but failed to fire in his most afternoon appearance, losing by double digit lengths at this condition on grass earlier in the month. He returns to the surface in which he broke his maiden over as a 2-year-old. The Roger Hansen trainee has run effectively employing multiple running styles and figures to work out a good trip with his versatility in mind.

Like Vantage Point, Buenisimo returns off a layoff in Saturday’s signature race. The Steve Sherman trainee broke poorly in his last start, at this level, and came with a flying finish for a length and a quarter loss. He sports a steady series of morning works leading up to his first start since February.

Moogie Son wheels back in less than three weeks after an off the board finish at the first level allowance condition on turf. He makes his first lifetime start over a synthetic surface for trainer Ed Moger Jr. Starter allowance winner Cut Across Shorty is expected to go off at a price and rounds out the field.

Eight races are on the docket for Saturday. First post is 1:45 PM.

Race 6 on Saturday (First level allowance at one mile for 3-year-olds and up)

#1 Cut Across Shorty (Jockey Hugo Herrera…Trainer Gloria Haley…Morning line odds of 12-1)

#2 Vantage Point (William Antongeorgi III…Isidro Tamayo…5-2)

#3 Moogie Son (Luis M. Jimenez…Ed Moger Jr…6-1)

#4 Ecologist (Catalino Martinez…Sammy Calvario…9-2)

#5 Buenisimo (Cristobal Herrera…Steve Sherman…8-1)

#6 Trinidad (Frank Alvarado…Roger Hansen…10-1)

#7 Anitanewmercedes (Evin Roman…Isidro Tamayo…8-5)

FULL FIELD IN SUNDAY FEATURE APPEARS WIDE OPEN ON PAPER

Racing Secretary Steve Martinelli and his crew have compiled an 8-race card this Sunday that is most certainly one of the strongest programs of the current summer meet-if not the strongest. Race 7, a first level allowance run at one mile and a sixteenth on turf, is a perfect sample as to what kind of day racing fans should expect. A full field of 12 is entered in the seventh race, with many more contenders than pretenders.

If Stone’s River runs back to his last start, he’ll be tough to beat. On September 4, the California-bred son of Acclamation went to the lead, set a solid tempo, drew off from the competition, and hit the wire five lengths in front while earning a career best 90 Beyer speed figure. It was a huge effort, especially given he was making his first start off a five month break that day. He wheels back in about three weeks. Will he bounce? Can he run as well as he did 20 days ago? Trainer Isidro Tamayo hopes the answer to both questions is a decisive “yes.”

“He was impressive last time. We liked him, but he ran even better than we expected,” said Tamayo. “When he gets going on the lead, he’s game. He’s a horse who’s hard to keep weight on, so we jog him a lot. In the three times he’s galloped [since his last start], he’s looked good, so I hope he doesn’t bounce. That’s always something you think about after your horse runs big like he did.”

Tamayo also campaigns Heat N Reheat, who placed third behind Stone’s River on September 4. Earlier this year, Heat N Reheat won a starter allowance on turf. Two of his last three starts at this level resulted in off the board finishes.

“In those [off the board] races, he was too far back,” said Tamayo. “He needs to be closer to the pace. I’d like to see him laying third or so this time. He can’t be given too much to do.”

Among the 10 challengers set to face the Tamayo trained pair is One Fast Bro, last seen beaten a neck as the favorite in a $25,000 claiming event at Del Mar last month. While in the barn of Quinn Howey this past spring, One Fast Bro won at this level at Golden Gate in April and hit the board in a pair of other first level races.

Southern California invader Birth of Cool came up a half-length short in his last afternoon appearance, a starter allowance race at Del Mar. The Jesus Nunez trainee outfinished Caisson for second that day. Caisson is also entered in Sunday’s seventh race. Trained by Southern California conditioner Manny Ortiz, Caisson competed at this first level condition at Golden Gate earlier in the year and finished within a half-length of the winner in two separate races.

After wracking off four consecutive victories from March to May, Auspicious Style lost three in a row. He got back to winning form in an August 27 starter optional claimer, stalking the pace before out finishing five other rivals over the turf course he competes over this Sunday. He takes a bump up in class for high percentage trainer Jack Steiner.

Rounding out the list of main contenders is Robie, who outfinished Heat N Reheat for second on September 4. The Faith Taylor trainee was victorious at this first level allowance once before earlier in the year, though that effort came against sprinters on Tapeta.

The first of eight races on Sunday kicks off at 1:45 PM. 70 horses are entered on Sunday, equating to 8.75 horses per race.

Race 7 on Sunday (First level allowance at one mile and a sixteenth on turf for 3-year-olds and up)

#1 Buttonwood Tree (Jockey Francisco Duran…Trainer Tim Bellasis)

#2 Stone’s River (William Antongeorgi III…Isidro Tamayo)

#3 One Fast Bro (Frank Alvarado…Ruby Thomas)

#4 Caisson (Catalino Martinez…Manny Ortiz)

#5 Robie (Assael Espinoza…Faith Taylor)

#6 Bid On the Prize (Hugo Herrera…Terri Eaton)

#7 Supermazel (Francisco Monroy…Jesus Ramos)

#8 Heat N Reheat (Irving Orozco…Isidro Tamayo)

#9 Table for Ten (Santos Rivera…Bill McLean)

#10 Auspicious Style (Alexander Chavez…Jack Steiner)

#11 Birth of Cool (Brayan Pena…Jesus Nunez)

#12 Silent Sunday (Julien Couton…Andy Mathis)

CLAIMS REPORT

Saturday

Race 1: Naughty Niko (New trainer Ruby Thomas…New owner William Heck)

Race 6: Boss of Themoss (Simon Hobson…Mean Girls Racing Stable)

Sunday

Race 2: El Joy (Isidro Tamayo…Taboada Racing Stables LLC)

Race 2: Wellswort (Isidro Tamayo…Raymond Brogliatti and Michael Fried)

Monday

Race 2: Chaokoon (Ruby Thomas…TAK Racing)

Race 5: Stein’s Girl (Ruby Thomas…Clay Sides)

Race 7: Hey Mate (Sheldon Paldanius…Stanley Spano)

Race 7: Lil Miracle Man (Isidro Tamayo…Taboada Racing Stables LLC)

Race 7: Rackataptap (Ruby Thomas…Clay Sides)

FINISH LINES: In Race 7 last Sunday, the top five placers finished in post position order. If you bet a $1 Rolling High Five on 1 to win, 2, to place, 3 to show, 4 to run fourth, and 5 to run fifth, you would have made a $69.70 profit…Jockey Frank Alvarado remains at 3,994 lifetime wins. Six more to the big milestone…Fillies and mares take center stage in the two co-featured races on Monday’s eight race card. The first leg of the Late Pick 4, Race 5, is an allowance that attracts filly and mare turf sprinters. About 30 minutes later, Race 6 is an allowance for filly and mare routers on Tapeta. First post on Monday is 1:45 PM.

BADILLA TRIO UP AGAINST THE “NOW HORSE” STOIC LUNA, CLASSY CLOCKSTRIKSTWELVE, AND STAKES PLACED ASSIGNATION IN GOLDEN GATE FIELDS TURF DISTAFF

A half dozen fillies and mares take center stage in the featured seventh race at Golden Gate on Saturday, the $50,000 Golden Gate Fields Turf Distaff at one-mile and a sixteenth on grass. In what appears as a wide-open affair, handicappers could make a strong case for any entrant in the race.

Trainer Manny Badilla will be busy in the paddock pre-race. He saddles half the field. Badilla has been in this position before: he ran three fillies and mares in the 2019 Miss America Stakes.

“My three all have different running styles,” said Badilla on his contenders in the 2023 GGF Turf Distaff. “It’ll be easy for me to watch each of ‘em during the race. We’re looking for a stake win. If not a win, then a stakes placing.”

Madeira Wine, fresh off a neck loss in a second level allowance race on August 27, will be prominent in the early stages. Assuming she breaks, she’ll be up on the pace, says Badilla. Over the summer, Madeira Wine won a second level event at Pleasanton over dirt. That day, she set a slow pace and took advantage of the cozy scenario.

“There’s going to be one way for her to do it,” said Badilla. “She needs to be up there [on the lead].”

Badilla expects his 4-year-old filly Naughty Nadine to lay just off her stablemate in a stalking position early on. A Great Britain bred, Naughty Nadine has done her best work at Golden Gate, with her last two starts at the bayside oval resulting in trips to the winner’s circle. Her two most recent afternoon showings resulted in poor finishes, though those races came away from home.

“I think she’ll work out a good trip,” said Badilla.

Hard knocking Cal-bred Momma Mocca is projected to bide her time off the pace before, Badilla hopes, she makes a strong move down the stretch. Momma Mocca comes off a confidence booster last month, handily defeating next out winner Derrygoolin in a first level allowance at Santa Rosa. Her lone career try against stakes competition in the Moscow Burning Stakes last fall resulted in a fourth-place finish behind Golden Poppy Stakes winner Rose Maddox and multiple stakes winner Chancery Way.

“She’s just a hard tryer,” said Badilla.

Badilla’s contingent goes up against a trio of others, including recent second level allowance victor Stoic Luna. The daughter of Fed Biz has won four of her last six races, including a recent second level allowance victory in which she beat Madeira Wine on the square. This will be Stoic Luna’s stakes debut.

“She’s on fire right now,” said Stoic Luna’s trainer, Jack Steiner. “She’s doing super well. She’s going to have to run her best though. Everyone in this race is going to have to if they want to win. It’s an evenly matched group.”

Stakes placed Clockstrikestwelve was beaten a half length for the top prize in the August 27 second level allowance won by Stoic Luna. Four starts ago, she came a head short of beating Naughty Nadine in a June 11 race. Assignation, third place finisher in the Luther Burbank Stakes at Santa Rosa behind top quality runners Ascendancy and Ever Smart, completes the field. If she were to run back to that effort, a case could be made for her as a legit contender. That said, she regressed off her two-back stakes effort with a four-place finish behind Stoic Luna, Madeira Wine, and Clockstrikestwelve on August 27.

First post on an 8-race card on Saturday is 1:45 PM. The Golden Gate Fields Turf Distaff goes as the seventh race.

Race 7 on Saturday (The $50,000 Luther Burbank Stakes for fillies and mares at one and a sixteenth miles on turf)

#1 Stoic Luna (Jockey Evin Roman…Trainer Jack Steiner…morning line odds of 9-5)

#2 Clockstrikestwelve (Alexander Chavez…Ruby Thomas…4-1)

#3 Momma Mocca (Irving Orozco…Manny Badilla…8-1)

#4 Assignation (Cristobal Herrera…Steve Sherman…6-1)

#5 Madeira Wine (Santos Rivera…Manny Badilla…2-1)

#6 Naughty Nadine (Assael Espinoza…Manny Badilla…10-1)

SWALL SEEKS TO EMULATE MAIDEN WIN IN SUNDAY ALLOWANCE

Dropping the hammer at $240,000 in the 2022 OBS 2-year-old in training sale, bay filly Swall obviously worked well to bring solid money at auction. After a year of preparation, she made her long-anticipated debut at Golden Gate for trainer Andy Mathis and owners Little Red Feather Racing in an April 22, 2023 maiden special weight. A full field assembled in the gate, Swall broke last, and ran towards the rear throughout. The comment line for the race simply reads, “Dull effort.”

If you don’t succeed, try again. Right? Three weeks later, Swall returned at the same level and looked like a totally different filly, dueling on the lead at a rapid pace before easily shrugging off a rival and pulling clear for a visually impressive, four-length winning effort. Tessa, who finished second that day, returned to break her maiden in her next start and has turned into a formidable allowance caliber sprinter since.

Swall was ambitiously spotted in a two-turn allowance against older foes in her next start, her first try against winners, and placed fourth after stalking the pace. Her last two starts, both at Del Mar, resulted in off the board finishes.

Still in search of her second lifetime trip to the winner’s circle, Swall returns to the scene of her eye-catching maiden win in Sunday’s co-featured seventh race, a first level allowance for fillies and mares at six furlongs on Tapeta. Mathis is crossing his fingers in hopes that his filly gets back to her winning form while employing similar tactics and finishing ability to what she displayed in her maiden breaking triumph.

“We’ve tried a few different things with her,” said Mathis. “At this point, I think she’s a little better sprinting. 

“We want to try to get her back to her best race,” continued Mathis. “[This Sunday], we want her to break out of there running. I’d like to see her get into the race early.”  

Swall retains the services of jockey Francisco Duran, who was aboard for the 3-year-old filly’s lone career win in April. All that said, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Ghostzapper will need to bring her ‘A’ game to win. She faces seven rivals.

Pleasanton Oaks runner up finisher Big Sis Little Sis adds blinkers for trainer Reid France. The last we saw her compete at Golden Gate, she placed fifth in the Dream of Summer Stakes behind the likes of Sadie Bluegrass, Sassy Nature, and Chancery Way. Big Sis Little Sis put up better than looked showings in her last two starts at Del Mar and faces easier company in Sunday’s main event.

The well-bred Lady’s Sermon has finished second or third in six different races at this level. Most recently, the Steve Specht trainee had to settle for second as the favorite behind none other than Tessa, who of course finished behind Swall when they met as maidens. Coincidentally, Specht lost another contender in this race, Tamara Mine, three starts ago at the claim box. Tamara Mine makes her first start sprinting since moving to trainer Isidro Tamayo’s stable and should be fit cutting back from a route to a sprint. On the day she was claimed, she sprinted six furlongs at Pleasanton and beat Lady’s Sermon by a length and three-quarters.

A California-bred taking advantage of her chance to win at the first level allowance condition twice is J and K Express. We last watched J and K Express display grit and determination for a nose victory at this level in April of 2022. She makes her 2023 debut for new trainer Jose Puentes and retains the services of jockey Cristobal Herrera, who guided J and K Express to victory 17 months ago.

Pappy’s Girl finished third at this level on August 27 and sports a bullet workout since her last start. City Glitter gets back to Tapeta after rounding out the superfecta behind next out turf sprint allowance winner Queen Molotov at Santa Rosa last month. Lady Wolf, a maiden winner and subsequent 28 length loser in the Pleasanton Oaks, completes the lineup of entrants. She is the most lightly raced equine in the race with just two starts to her name.

Another 8-race card this Sunday, with first post time slated for 1:45 PM.

Race 7 on Sunday (First level allowance for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at six furlongs)

#1 Tamara Mine (Jockey Assael Espinoza…Trainer Isidro Tamayo)

#2 Big Sis Little Sis (Evin Roman…Reid France)

#3 Lady’s Sermon (Catalino Martinez…Steve Specht)

#4 Swall (Francisco Duran…Andy Mathis)

#5 City Glitter (William Antongeorgi III…Alberto Ruvalcaba)

#6 Pappy’s Girl (Irving Orozco…Monty Meier)

#7 J and K Express (Cristobal Herrera…Jose Puentes)

#8 Lady Wolf (Luis Jimenez…Marcia Stortz)

CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week:

SATURDAY

Race 1: Performative (New trainer Ruby Thomas…New owner William Heck)

Race 3: Azure Star (Owner/Trainer Jose Bautista)

Race 3: Berolijean (Ruby Thomas…Madden Racing)

Race 4: Gallant Warren (Ruby Thomas…TAK Racing)

Race 4: Lookin for Revenge (D. Wayne Baker…Baker, Bergounous, Decamilla and Hansen) 

SUNDAY

Race 1: Beachgrass (Isidro Tamayo…Brian Parker)

MONDAY

Race 1: Spun Beautiful (D. Wayne Baker…Richard Barton)

FINISH LINES: The co-featured third race on Sunday afternoon is an allowance sprint for first level allowance caliber colts and geldings…9 races end our racing week on Monday. The marquee event of the day, Race 7, attracts the Bill McLean trained pair of Hey Mate and Shot of a Lifetime and well-bred Rackataptap. First post is 1:45 PM…Jockey Frank Alvarado is six wins away from career victory #4,000. He has four mounts at Golden Gate on Saturday, one on Monday, and nine at Emerald Downs on Sunday. Among his mounts in Washington State is the Tim McCanna trained Anthony’s Cleopatra in the 1/ST Bet WA Cup Filly and Mare Stakes Presented by Pegasus Training and Rehabilitation Program…Pedigree note: The first Golden Gate starter sired by 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify makes her career debut in Race 5, a maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies, on Sunday. Justivar, a Larry and Marianne Williams homebred, breaks from post 3 for trainer Jack Steiner and jockey Evin Roman…According to a recent article written by Steve Anderson of the Daily Racing Form, the Ed Moger Jr. trained Stilleto Boy, who was eased in an uncharacteristically poor performance in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, came out of the race with a clean bill of health. Moger told Anderson that he will breeze the son of Shackleford before deciding on whether to run him in the Santa Anita’s Grade I Awesome Again Stakes on September 30.

BERKELEY, CA (September 16, 2023) – 1/ST RACING announced that they expect to file a request with the California Horse Racing Board for an allocation of race dates for the first half of 2024 at Golden Gate Fields. The request is tied to extending the announced closing date of the track located in the cities of Albany and Berkeley to June 30, 2024.

The decision follows the passage of AB 1074 at the end of the 2023 legislative session in Sacramento, which authorizes the reallocation of purse and commission revenues generated in the Northern zone of California to support racing in the Southern and Central zones should there be unallocated weeks in future years. The bill will not be law until signed by Governor Newsom.

“We are pleased we could work out a solution with our industry stakeholders to be able to keep Golden Gate Fields open for an additional and final meet,” said Aidan Butler, Chief Executive Officer, 1/ST RACING & GAMING.

This extension follows extensive consultation with various industry constituents, including the Thoroughbred Owners of California, the California Authority of Racing Fairs, California Thoroughbred Trainers and the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, who urged an extension in the interest of developing a statewide transition plan based upon thoughtful consideration of the challenges facing racing in California and across the country.

1/ST RACING is committed to a final race meet at Golden Gate Fields that reflects a proud commemoration of the sport of Thoroughbred racing in Northern California.

Media Contacts

Tiffani Steer, tiffani.steer@stronachgroup.com

Stefan Friedman, sfriedman@actumllc.com

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core.  The Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland).

For more information, visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.

ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR JAUREGUI TRAINED DREAMFYRE IN SATURDAY’S DEL MAR DEBUTANTE

Trainer O.J Jauregui and owner Danny Eplin have a good one in 2-year-old filly Dreamfyre, a $140,000 2-year-old in training sale purchase that has wracked off back-to-back wins to kick off her career. This Saturday at Del Mar, Dreamfyre goes up against the fastest 2-year-old fillies on the West Coast in Race 10, the Grade I, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante at 7 furlongs on dirt.

So impressed with Dreamfyre’s workouts in her first couple months residing in Northern California, Jauregui and Eplin opted to run their filly against stakes company on debut. In the Everett Nevin Stakes at Pleasanton on July 9, Dreamfyre stormed out of the gate, charged to the lead, and never surrendered, hitting the winning post three and a half lengths ahead of the second-place finisher. Jockey Francisco Duran was aboard for the win.

In her next and most recent start in the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes on August 12, the Kentucky bred daughter of Flameaway proved her Everett Nevin performance was no fluke. Sent off at 7-2 odds, she flew to the lead and set quick fractions of 21.74, 45.10, and 57.57 before repelling a challenge from race favorite Benedetta. Dreamfyre finished three and a half-length ahead at the finish. Southern California based rider Hector Berrios was aboard for the Sorrento Stakes win and retains the mount in this Saturday’s Debutante.

Since the Sorrento, Dreamfyre has posted one published workout: a four-furlong drill on the morning of August 28. In Jauregui’s training program, normally he would have worked Dreamfyre once more before the Debutante. Instead, he is galloping her into the race.

“I’ve made this same move with some horses over the years,” said Jauregui. “I don’t want to put too much speed into her. I don’t want her to be too keyed up going into this race. So, rather than working her again, she’s been two-minute licking [a mile]. She’s fit.”

Jauregui is not only confident that Dreamfyre can go the seven furlongs, but firmly believes she is multi-dimensional.

“There’s a lot of speed in this race,” said Jauregui. “She’s very fast. I’m not going to tell Hector [Berrios] what to do. He’s going to have to ride the race. This filly can rate if she needs to. I know she can. You can work her a minute change or 1:03 and she’ll do it no problem.”

Dreamfyre draws post position 7 in a full field of 14 and is the second choice on the morning line at 4-1. The morning line favorite, Tamara, is 7-2. The Richard Mandella trainee won impressively on debut last month and is royally bred: by Bold d’Oro out of the brilliant Grade I winning mare Beholder. Post time for the Debutante is 5:59 PM PT.

WILD JEWELS TRIES TAPETA FOR THE FIRST TIME

When 2-year-old gelding Wild Jewels won his career debut by 5 lengths in a maiden special weight at Pleasanton, trainer Steve Specht was far from shocked.

“He can run,” said Specht. “I thought he was going to win his next start too, but we ran into a really good horse.”

That good horse, named Dreamfyre, easily defeated a solid group in the Everett Nevin Stakes. Wild Jewels had to settle for second, beaten three and a half lengths

Specht and owners/breeders Larry and Marianne Williams opted to give Wild Jewels another go against stakes company in his next and most recent start, the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar against state-bred 2-year-olds. Bet down as the 7-2 second choice in the wagering, Wild Jewels raced wide throughout and placed fifth in the August 11 event.

“He was pretty much 7-wide the whole way,” said Specht. “It was his own doing. He was eyeing the other horses inside of him the whole time. He was more focused on the others horses than running his race.”

Wild Jewels reappears one month later in this Monday’s feature at Golden Gate: a first level allowance for 2-year-olds. The signature event of the day is carded as the third of eight races. Although Wild Jewels has made all three lifetime starts on dirt, a recent September 4 spin around the track, working the fastest five furlongs from 33 workers, may indicate Tapeta won’t be an issue.

“He had a really good work the other morning,” said Specht. “He should be tough.”

Wild Jewels is the 7-5 morning line favorite. 2-year-old filly Union Coach is 9-5 on the line and also sports fast works leading up to her second lifetime start. In her lone afternoon appearance on August 5, Union Coach wired a maiden special weight field at Santa Rosa. Isidro Tamayo trains the California-bred by Coach Bob.

Another Santa Rosa maiden special weight winner is Autism Puzzle, who defeated next out winner Homer Wells on August 4. Sammy Calvario trains Autism Puzzle and another contender in Drum Bunny, a recent fourth place finisher at this condition on August 12. Maiden Coral Cat rounds out the field.

First post this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday is 1:45 PM. All three race days are comprised of 8 races.

Race 3 on Monday, September 11 (First level allowance for 2-year-olds at six furlongs)

#1 Drum Bunny (Jockey Alexander Chavez…Trainer Sammy Calvario…Morning line odds of 6-1)

#2 Autism Puzzle (Santos Rivera…Sammy Calvario…6-1)

#3 Coral Cat (William Antongeorgi III…Dan Franko…5-1)

#4 Wild Jewels (Catalino Martinez…Steve Specht…7-5)

#5 Union Coach (Evin Roman…Isidro Tamayo…9-5)

LAMMAS SHOWS HE’S MORE THAN A SYNTHETIC SPECIALIST AFTER ALL

Heading into the Sam Spear Memorial last Monday, 6-year-old European bred gelding Lammas had never won on turf. In fact, in five lifetime starts on the lawn, Lammas had never even hit the board.

That statistic changed this past Labor Day Monday. The winner of last year’s Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap stalked a decent pace, hunted for racing room while inside of horses turning for home, split rivals in midstretch and kicked away for a length and three-quarter victory. Lammas earned a 93 Beyer speed figure in the Sam Spear, his second highest lifetime Beyer.

Always flashy in the mornings, Lammas had posted numerous quick workouts leading up to his return to the races off a five-month vacation last Monday. Although his past performances indicated he was not competing over his favorite surface, trainer Manny Badilla was not surprised Lammas ran well.

“He wants a dry, firm course,” said Badilla. “In most of his races on turf, they were over soft ground. He ran once at Del Mar and ran fourth, but the winner ran 1:33. That was over dry turf, and he ran well that day. He’s such a good horse…he’s got the biggest heart. [Jockey] Billy [Antongeorgi III] rode him perfect.”

A long-term goal for Lammas will be defending his title in the Grade 3 Berkeley, to be run in mid-November on the Tapeta. 5 of 6 lifetime wins for Lammas have come over synthetic surfaces. That said, Badilla now knows for sure that Lammas can run well on turf…as long as Mother Nature cooperates.

CLAIMS LIST

Below is a list of claims from last week’s races.

SATURDAY

Race 5: Black Caspian (New trainer Victor Trujillo…new owner[s] James McIntyre and Colin Murray)

SUNDAY

Race 2: Dino’s Dixie (Jack Steiner…Melvin Simonovich)

MONDAY

Race 4: Little Casino (Monty Meier…Brown Cattle Co. and William Branch)

DEL MAR WATCH LIST

Below is a list of Northern California horses and human connections competing at Del Mar this week:

FRIDAY

Race 4: Love Candy (Trainer Sammy Calvario…Jockey Armando Ayuso)

Race 6: Tiger in My Tank (Jack Steiner…Armando Ayuso)

Race 8: I’m a Risque Girl (Andy Mathis…Umberto Rispoli)

SATURDAY

Race 2: Blackened (Quinn Howey…Ricky Gonzalez)

Race 3: Princess Belle (Andy Mathis…Ricky Gonzalez)

Race 8: Mars on Fire (Steve Miyadi…Tiago Pereira)

Race 10: Dreamfyre (O.J Jauregui…Hector Berrios)

SUNDAY

Race 3: Cardiff Crack (Bill McLean…Juan Hernandez)

Race 6: Larry’s Legend (Sammy Calvario…Armando Ayuso)

Race 6: Windribbon (Isidro Tamayo…Umberto Rispoli)

Race 8: Mr. T’s Thirsty (Sammy Calvario…Armando Ayuso)

Race 9: Golden Ae (Ed Moger Jr…Hector Berrios)

FINISH LINES: The marquee race on Saturday is Race 7, a first level allowance for filly and mare turf routers, while a first level allowance route on Sunday, Race 4, is the marquee event of the day with five geldings and one horse…Congratulations to jockey Frank Alvarado, who won four races in a row on Sunday. Alvarado is approaching a milestone: he is 7 wins away from career victory 4,000…Trainer Tim McCanna also had a big day on Sunday, with three victories. Alvarado was aboard for all three…17 fillies and mares are nominated for next Saturday’s Golden Gate Fields Turf Distaff at one mile and a sixteenth on grass. Among the nominees are Golden Poppy Stakes winner Rose Maddox, Santa Anita stakes winner Freedom Flyer, Emerald Downs invader Daffodil Sweet, and recent second level allowance winner Stoic Luna.

HIGH LEVEL TURF CLAIMER ON SATURDAY APPEARS LIKE COMPETITIVE ALLOWANCE

In Race 7 on Saturday, all seven contenders are entered for a $40,000 claiming tag. Yet on paper, the quality of competition reads as a highly competitive, salty allowance race. In an affair with old pros and class racers, horseplayers can make a case for any entrant in the race.

The well-bred Nolde was a dominant winner of a super strong starter allowance race on turf at Santa Rosa last month. He won the race by just under four lengths while geared down in the final sixteenth of a mile. A repeat effort would tab him as one of the horses to beat in Race 7 on Saturday, although the field he faces this time around is significantly tougher.

The last time we watched Kennebec compete on the Golden Gate turf course, he comfortably defeated a second level allowance field. Since then, he has failed to fire in two consecutive races: the Pleasanton Mile on dirt and a 50k claimer at Del Mar last month. In both losses, Kennebec went off at high odds. He appears well spotted for a much more competitive run this weekend.

The gutsy gelding Honos Man has finished first or second in his last four starts. The 7-year-old by Afleet Alex recently stalked, pounced, and pummeled over a first level allowance group at Santa Rosa. He returns to the races one month later with consistent form for one of the leading trainers at Golden Gate, Isidro Tamayo. Tamayo also campaigns Anitanewmercedes, who has strung together back-to-back first level allowance victories on two different surfaces as of late. The chestnut gelding enjoys racing on the lead; expect him to gun for the front and try to wire the field.

Dulas sports a pair of fast workouts leading up to his first start in almost seven months for trainer Manny Badilla. Beginning his career in Great Britain, Dulas broke his maiden overseas on a soft turf course and, since moving to America in the fall of 2021, has hit the board in a trio of second level allowance races over the GGF Tapeta.

The fresh Harmon makes his first start in about three months for trainer Monty Meier. Harmon’s last afternoon appearance resulted in a runner up finish behind next out allowance winner Seattle Bold at the same $40,000 claiming condition as Saturday’s seventh race. Harmon hasn’t seen the winners circle in a while; he last got his picture taken after a gate to wire win against open allowance company in April of 2022-eleven starts ago.

Sent off at odds of 3-1 in a $40,000 claiming heat at Sacramento on July 28, Conundrum stalked the pace and weakened to fourth in a disappointing effort. His last start on grass came at Golden Gate in April, when the son of Super Saver stalked the pace, battled for the win in midstretch and came up a length short of race winner One Fast Bro in a first level allowance.

8 races made the Saturday overnight. First post is 1:45 PM.

Race 7 on Saturday (40k claimer at one mile and a sixteenth on turf)

#1 Nolde (Jockey Alexander Chavez…Trainer Steve Sherman…morning line odds of 5-2)

#2 Kennebec (Brayan Pena…Ruby Thomas…7-2)

#3 Harmon (Catalino Martinez…Monty Meier…6-1)

#4 Conundrum (Frank Alvarado…Mike Lenzini…8-1)

#5 Dulas (Evin Roman…Manny Badilla…8-1)

#6 Honos Man (William Antongeorgi III…Isidro Tamayo…3-1)

#7 Anitanewmercedes (Irving Orozco…Isidro Tamayo…9-2)

STAKES PLACED TRIP TO SPAIN COULD BE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

It’s not often you see a runner up finisher in a first level allowance race immediately take a bump up in class to the second level condition. That is the case, however, with 4-year-old California bred colt Trip to Spain, as he tackles a small but highly talented group of rivals in Race 4 on Sunday: a second level allowance for sprinters on Tapeta.

A son of Grade 1 winner Stay Thirsty, Trip to Spain began his racetrack life surrounded by hype. Sent off at even money in his career debut as a 2-year-old in 2021, Trip to Spain clobbered a large field by over 4 lengths. He returned a few weeks later and placed second in the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar for state-breds. After given time off for the rest of the year, Trip to Spain returned as a 3-year-old and, within a span of six starts, won a pair of allowance races.

An issue popped up shortly after a gutsy victory in July of 2022. Trip to Spain was given over a year off. His comeback to the races came in his last start, a first level allowance at Santa Rosa, in which Trip to Spain was in for a $32,000 tag, dueled on a highly contentious pace, outkicked the early leaders turning for home, and got tagged late by race winner Gerlach’s. Trip to Spain earned a career high Beyer speed figure (80) for a much better than looked effort.

Since his trip to Santa Rosa, Trip to Spain has worked twice, including a sharp 47.80 half mile drill last weekend. Assistant trainer Troy Thomas, who works for his father Jamey, indicated the decision to run in Sunday’s second level allowance attributes to the way Trip to Spain has been training over the last few weeks.

“I like him more going into this race than in his last,” said Thomas. “Before his last start, he wasn’t showing us a ton [in the mornings]. We were happy with how he ran at Santa Rosa. After the race, he started to pick it up. He had a terrific breeze the other morning. He’s training forwardly, for sure. Right now, he’s doing as well as he could be doing.”

Trip to Spain faces a tough field on Sunday. Trainer Tim McCanna enters a strong 1-2 punch with Rager and Unraptured. Rager took the summer off after a pair of second level allowance wins in the spring and, most recently, a length and three-quarter loss in the Albany Stakes on turf. Unraptured, who got a confidence boosting win against $40,000 claimers in June, was last seen placing third in the Oak Tree Sprint on July 1. Both McCanna entrants are in for a $62,500 tag.

Playing Hardball has won three consecutive races while steadily climbing the class ladder for trainer Sammy Calvario. After Calvario claimed Playing Hardball off a $12,500 win, the 5-year-old son of Hard Spun reeled off a $20,000 restricted claiming victory. His most recent start against first level allowance company ended in a gate to wire win, and Playing Hardball earned a lifetime high 85 Beyer speed figure. His last two victories for the Calvario barn came over dirt; ‘Hardball has won twice over Tapeta in the past.

Rounding out the field is Cool Mountain Lad, whose last start on the Tapeta at this level in June resulted in a trip to the winner’s circle. He has made one start since: a well beaten, seventh place finish in the Oak Tree Sprint at Pleasanton.

8 races are on the docket for Sunday. First post is 1:45 PM.

Race 7 on Saturday (40k claimer at one mile and a sixteenth on turf)

#1 Rager (Jockey Assael Espinoza…Trainer Tim McCanna…morning line odds of 8-5)

#2 Trip to Spain (Alexander Chavez…Jamey Thomas…2-1)

#3 Unraptured (Frank Alvarado…Tim McCanna…5-1)

#4 Cool Mountain Lad (Evin Roman…Victor Trujillo…8-1)

#5 Playing Hardball (Catalino Martinez…Sammy Calvario…3-1)

I’MGONNABESOMEBODY BACK HOME AND READY TO DEFEND SAM SPEAR MEMORIAL TITLE

The 5-year-old gelding I’mgonnabesomebody has firmly stamped himself as the top older horse in Northern California with victories in races like the Joseph T. Grace, the All American and, one year ago, the Sam Spear Memorial. This Labor Day Monday, the Kentucky-bred by Will Take Charge is ready to defend his title in the 2023 edition of the Sam Spear Memorial.

I’mgonnabesomebody got a legit acid test in the Grade 2 Eddie Read at Del Mar on July 30. Sitting four lengths off the lead early, the chestnut gelding plodded along down the lane and finished four and three-quarter lengths behind race winner Gold Phoenix. Gold Phoenix is a major contender in the Del Mar Handicap on Saturday.

“Those are good horses he ran against. I thought he ran well,” said McLean. “He didn’t get the greatest trip. I was a little surprised he was as far off the pace as he was. There wasn’t a lot of speed in the race and that’s why I entered him there [vs. the San Diego Handicap on dirt one day prior].”

Since the Eddie Read, I’mgonnabesomebody worked five furlongs out of the gate on August 27 at Del Mar.

“The key is to get him around there,” quipped McLean. “We just wanted to get some air in him. You don’t have to do too much with him once he’s fit.”

I’mgonnabesomebody is a versatile talent. He can either go to the front or stalk the pace. One horse who won’t be afraid to hook up with the likely favorite early is Jimmy Blue Jeans. Like I’mgonnabesomebody, Jimmy’ also last raced at Del Mar, placing fifth after setting the pace in the California Dreamin’ Stakes for state-breds. Jimmy Blue Jeans will be reunited with jockey Assael Espinoza, who was aboard the front running grey son of James Street for a second level allowance victory over this turf course in April.

Royal ‘n Rando outran his 36-1 odds in The California Dreamin’, sitting off a decent pace before rallying for fourth. He improved off his two starts ago effort: an off the board finish in the All American Stakes. The strong jockey/trainer combo of Frank Alvarado and Steve Specht team up with Royal ‘n Rando in the Sam Spear.

A wise guy contender may be Lammas, who hasn’t been seen since a nose loss to 2021 Grade I Pacific Classic winner Tripoli in March. Even though he has finished behind I’mgonnabesomebody on three separate occasions, Lammas defeated the aforementioned foe in the Grade 3 Berkeley last fall while earning a 96 Beyer. Lammas sports fast works leading up to his return to the races, including a 59 second flat, five-furlong drill on August 28. The surface Lammas races over on Monday is a potential concern: the European bred has never hit the board in four career runs on turf.

A pair of three-year-olds face older foes in the Sam Spear. Cousin Richie earned the silver medal behind Clovisconnection in the Robert Dupret Derby at Santa Rosa. In the spring, Cousin Richie was second best to Southern California shipper Game Time in the Alcatraz Stakes. Starter allowance victor Druidic came on late to round out the superfecta in the Robert Dupret and is also entered in the Sam Spear.

Completing the field is America Great, who has competed against claiming company in his last two starts. He is projected to go off at a price in the Sam Spear Memorial.

The Sam Spear Memorial is named after the Bay Area media legend who was part of the Northern California racing community for decades. Throughout a large portion of his career, Sam Spear held the position of publicity manager at Golden Gate Fields and Bay Meadows. He hosted “At the Track with Sam Spear,” a popular morning radio show every Sunday, and a daily race replay show that debuted in 1978 and ran through 2018 on KTSF-TV. Spear had strong connections with Bay Area newspapers, radio and TV stations and worked closely with those channels to promote horse racing. He also consulted several notable figures who showed a passion for horse racing. Among them: rapper MC Hammer, Hall of Fame baseball player Joe DiMaggio, and Hall of Fame baseball manager Earl Weaver.

Eight races will be run on Labor Day 2023 at Golden Gate. First post is 1:45 PM.

Race 7 on Monday: $50,000 Sam Spear Memorial (For 3-year-olds and up at one mile and a sixteenth on turf)

#1 I’mgonnabesomebody (Jockey Alexander Chavez…Trainer Bill McLean)

#2 Cousin Richie (Alejandro Gomez…Sergio Ledezma)

#3 Lammas (William Antongeorgi III…Manny Badilla)

#4 America Great (Luis M. Jimenez…Monty Meier)

#5 Jimmy Blue Jeans (Assael Espinoza…Andy Mathis)

#6 Druidic (Epifanio Garcia…D. Wayne Baker)

#7 Royal n’ Rando (Frank Alvarado…Steve Specht)

CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week

SATURDAY

Race 3: Dick Best (New trainer Jack Steiner…New owner Melvin Simonovich)

Race 5: Crescendo Molto (Manny Badilla…Jerry Jamgotchian)

SUNDAY

No claims 

MONDAY

Race 1: Dancing Bonbon (Owner/Trainer Isidro Tamayo)

Race 1: Elegance Code (Leobardo Rivera…Javier Ortiz)

Race 5: Teagans Atm (D. Wayne Baker…Baker, Porlaris and Santoro)

DEL MAR WATCH LIST

Below is a list of Northern California horses and human connections to watch for at Del Mar this week:

SATURDAY

Race 4: Capo Luigi (Ed Moger Jr…Hector Berrios)

Race 5: Chickenfingerfriday (Bill McLean…Geovanni Franco)

Race 5: Developingtheway (Steve Miyadi…Antonio Fresu)

Race 6: Almost Snow (Tim McCanna…Edwin Maldonado)

Race 10: Stilleto Boy (Ed Moger Jr…Kent Desormeaux)

SUNDAY

Race 6: Canam Gal (Bill McLean…Jose Gregorio [J.G.] Torrealba)

Race 11: Elevado (Andy Mathis…Ricky Gonzalez)

Race 11: Goldensunrise (Andy Mathis…Julien Couton)

MONDAY

Race 1: Kamaina Cruiser (O.J Jauregui…Armando Ayuso)

Race 4: Sea Breeze Boy (Reid France…Tiago Pereira)

Race 4: I Got a Guy (Ruby Thomas…Armando Aguilar)

Race 10: Blevy’s Tiger (Manny Badilla…Juan Hernandez)

Race 11: Give Me the Lute (Andy Mathis…Juan Hernandez)

FINISH LINES: The Ed Moger Jr. trained Stilleto Boy drew post 3 and is 8-1 on the morning line in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Pacific Classic at Del Mar. The Pacific Classic, a one-mile and a quarter Grade I dirt race, goes as Race 10 on an 11-race card. Post time for the ‘Classic has been set at 6:13 PM…Not something you see often at Golden Gate: a Texas-bred in the winner’s circle. That was the case on Monday with first time starter Charlene’s Dream, who won Race 4, a maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies. A $35,000 sale purchase by multiple Grade 2 winner Qurbaan, Charlene’s Dream paid $14.20 to win for the Moger barn and owner Domeyko Taylor LP…An open allowance (Race 7) on Sunday features a strong group of contenders: stakes winners Anthony’s Cleopatra and Tam’s Little Angel, recent Governors Cup Stakes runner up finisher Lexington Humor, and hard tryers Blue Wildcat and Miss Union…The fastest 2-year-old filly on the West Coast is in the barn of a Golden Gate trainer. O.J Jauregui and owner Danny Eplin campaign the speedy Dreamfyre, undefeated winner of the Everett Nevin Stakes at Pleasanton and, most recently, a dominant winner of the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar. This past Monday morning, the $140,000 sale purchase by Flameaway drilled a half mile in 48.80 seconds, her first work since the Sorrento triumph. She’s tabbed to run next in the Grade I $300,000 FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante on Saturday, September 9…On Monday, Golden Gate maiden winner Blevy’s Tiger faces state-bred 2-year-old fillies in the $125,000 Generous Portion Stakes at six furlongs. Manny Badilla trains for owners Martin Bach and Daniel Weiner.

TALBOT BAY READY FOR BEST IN OPENING DAY FEATURE

On the Golden Gate Fields backstretch just after 10 AM this past Thursday morning, trainer Jorge Bautista gazed at his 15 horses who had just completed their morning training. This writer asked Bautista if he was happy to be back home at Golden Gate.

He nodded his head and smiled with assuredness.

Opening Day of the 2023 Summer Meet at Golden Gate Fields commences Saturday afternoon with an eight-race card. First post is 1:45 PM. Bautista could kick off his summer meeting with a “bang” right away as he saddles four-year-old Talbot Bay in the featured finale on Opening Day, a first level allowance at six furlongs on the main track Tapeta. Talbot Bay is listed at 8-1 on the morning line.

Talbot Bay’s last appearance on the Golden Gate Tapeta surface came two and a half months ago, when he scored a runaway, three and a half-length win at the same first level allowance condition he competes at this weekend. A repeat of that effort is good enough to win this weekend. Most recently, the California-bred by Northern Causeway placed third in a five-furlong turf dash at Santa Rosa.

“He ran well that day [at Santa Rosa],” said Bautista. “The jockey said he ran fine. I think the distance was just too short.”

The Rozamund Barclay homebred has won 4 of 8 lifetime starts on Tapeta, with two of those victories coming at the six-furlong distance. One could make a solid case that he has not run a bad race since his career debut last year.

“I think he needed his first race,” said Bautista. “Since then, he’s done great. A horse like him isn’t hard to train. You just have to keep him fit and he’ll run well because he’s just a good horse.”

Bautista noted that, in all his prior synthetic track races, Talbot Bay did not race with hind shoes on. He will be fitted with hind shoes on Saturday.

“When you run on the turf, you have to wear the hind shoes,” said Bautista. “So, when he ran at Santa Rosa, we had them on. We decided to keep them on for this race on Tapeta and see how he does.

Some horses don’t travel as well with the hind shoes on. Others are fine with it. He’s a very sound and healthy horse, but we’ve always kept them off [until his last start on turf].”

Talbot Bay faces seven other rivals on Sunday. Morning line favorite The Little H Man makes his second start of the year after a stalk and pounce victory on dirt at Santa Rosa. His final start in 2022 also ended with a win. He seeks his third winners circle appearance in a row while taking a bump up in class. Alexander Chavez rides for trainer Brendan Galvin.

Colonel Vargo is the second choice on the morning line at 3-1. The Leobardo Rivera trainee beat a group of $20,000 claimers at Del Mar in his last afternoon showing on July 23. A versatile type, Colonel Vargo can either go to the front-those tactics were employed at Del Mar-or he can stalk the pace. Evin Roman will be in the saddle.

Blazing Jamie figures to get support in the wagering after two strong efforts at this first level allowance condition on the fair circuit. On July 4 at Pleasanton, the 5-year-old gelding was a gritty victor over Our Bold Prince and Saint Ives, both who are also entered in Saturday’s nightcap. Blazing Jamie was last seen finishing as the runner up against a salty group of allowance foes at Sacramento. Francisco Duran and Cliff Delima team up with the son of Haynesfield, who is listed at 4-1 on the morning line.

This meet, Golden Gate runs on a Saturday, Sunday, Monday basis. First post is 1:45 PM each day unless otherwise noted.

Race 8 on Saturday (First level allowance at six furlongs on Tapeta)
#1 Blazing Jamie (Jockey Francisco Duran…Trainer Cliff Delima…Morning line odds of 4-1)
#2 The Little H Man (Alexander Chavez…Brendan Galvin…2-1)
#3 Colonel Vargo (Evin Roman…Leobardo Rivera…3-1)
#4 Grazen Sun (Irving Orozco…Blaine Wright…12-1)
#5 Our Bold Prince (William Antongeorgi III…Eddie Rich…5-1)
#6 Talbot Bay (Santos Rivera…Jorge Bautista…6-1)
#7 Saint Ives (Catalino Martinez…Jose Bautista…10-1)
#8 Counting Cards (Brayan Pena…Victor Trujillo…15-1)

CONSISTENT STOIC LUNA STEPPING UP FOR CLASS TEST ON SUNDAY

It isn’t often that 5-year-old mare Stoic Luna runs a poor race. It also isn’t often that she fails to garnish significant money in the betting pools. In her last seven races, she has either gone off as the favorite or second choice in the wagering.

In Sunday’s third race, a second level allowance for fillies and mares at one mile and a sixteenth on turf, more things stay the same. The 8-5 morning line favorite makes her third start since being claimed by Jack Steiner and enters Sunday’s marquee event fresh off a decisive starter allowance win at Santa Rosa when sent off as the 1-2 favorite. On speed figures and class, she fits in this second level allowance group.

“She won easily in the starter allowance race the other day, so we’re taking a step up,” said Steiner.

Stoic Luna is wheeling back in just two weeks. Steiner says all signs indicate Stoic Luna is ready to run back on short rest.

“She’s been eating everything in her feed tub and is training with good energy. Those are the things you look for that tell you how a horse is doing after a race,” said Steiner. “We could either run in this race or wait three or four weeks until the next condition book comes out. This is the only race for her in the [first] condition book and she’s doing well, so we’re going to run.”

Stoic Luna competed at this level two starts ago on July 9 at Pleasanton, where she stalked the pace and wound up third, beaten a length and a quarter behind Madeira Wine and Twilight Empire. Both mares are also entered in Sunday’s fifth race. Interestingly, Stoic Luna went off at even money in the Pleasanton event and grinded along down the stretch after sitting off an extremely slow pace. Jockey Evin Roman rides on Sunday.

Although the Manny Badilla trained Madeira Wine needs the right set up to win at this level-that set up meaning a clear lead-it appears she’ll receive it on Sunday. She enters as the lone front runner on paper in the field of six. The daughter of English Channel can run effectively on any surface and drops in class after a sixth-place finish in the Luther Burbank Stakes at Santa Rosa. Jockey Santos Rivera has the call.

Twilight Empire is stakes placed; she finished as the runner up in the She’s a Tiger Stakes at Pleasanton while closing into a quick pace. She freshens up a month and a half after the recent second place effort behind Madeira Wine on July 9. Veteran conditioner Cliff Delima employs jockey Francisco Duran to ride.

Assignation ran as well as she ever has in her most recent afternoon appearance, placing third behind the talented Ascendancy and Southern California shipper Ever Smart in the Luther Burbank. She’ll be coming from off the pace for trainer Steve Sherman and jockey Cristobal Herrera.

The veteran Clockstrikestwelve failed to be competitive in two consecutive stakes races on the fair circuit this summer. She gets class relief here while getting back to a condition she has run well at in the past; this year alone, she won a race at the level in February and placed in two other second level allowance events in the spring. Jockey Brayan Pena and trainer Ruby Thomas team up.

Rounding out the field is Councilwoman Jilly, a starter allowance winner who has lost by double digit lengths in her last two starts. Alexander Chavez is set to steer the 4-year-old filly trained by Simon Hobson.

Race 3 on Sunday (Second level allowance at one mile and a sixteenth on turf for fillies and mares)
#1 Assignation (Jockey Cristobal Herrera…Trainer Steve Sherman…Morning line odds of 8-1)
#2 Twilight Empire (Francisco Duran…Cliff Delima…5-2)
#3 Stoic Luna (Evin Roman…Jack Steiner…8-5)
#4 Clockstrikestwelve (Brayan Pena…Ruby Thomas…6-1)
#5 Madeira Wine (Santos Rivera…Manny Badilla…4-1)
#6 Councilwoman Jilly (Alexander Chavez…Simon Hobson…10-1)

DEL MAR WATCHLIST
Below is a list of horses and human connections from Golden Gate who compete at Del Mar this weekend:

Saturday
Race 5: Ladywearsthering (Trainer Tim McCanna…Jockey Edwin Maldonado)
Race 8: Nabakov (Ed Moger Jr…Armando Ayuso)

Sunday
Race 1: Outer Sunset (Bill McLean…Assael Espinoza)
Race 2: Callhercontessa (Andy Mathis…Edwin Maldonado)
Race 3: Big Sis Little Sis (Reid France…Tiago Pereira)
Race 6: Hijo Galante (Ed Moger Jr…Armando Ayuso)
Race 6: Cowboy Charlie (Quinn Howey…Edwin Maldonado)
Race 8: One Fast Bro (Quinn Howey…Kent Desormeaux)

FINISH LINES: Race 6 on Saturday catches the eye. A first level allowance for filly and mare sprinters, the gritty Tamantari and hard knocker Candy’s Clone are the two to beat in the field…Eight races a day on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday this week…On Friday at Del Mar, the first two finishers in the Moscow Burning Stakes Rose Maddox and Chancery Way placed second and third, respectively, in the $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes for state-bred fillies and mares at one mile on turf. Rose Maddox, ridden by Juan Hernandez on Friday, is trained by Steve Miyadi. Chancery Way is trained by Jamey Thomas. Local rider Evin Roman was aboard…Leading Winter/Spring meet jockey Assael Espinoza spent his summer at Del Mar and will continue to race down south for the remainder of the meet. He is scheduled to come back to Golden Gate in September…Jockey Armando Ayuso, who finished third at the Winter/Spring meet, has made a permanent move to Southern California…Northern California mainstay Irving Orozco had productive meetings at Sacramento and Santa Rosa and is back in the jockey colony at Golden Gate for this summer meeting. Orozco suffered a race riding injury in April and took two and a half months off to recuperate…FanDuelTV‘s Rich Perloff will be on track covering Golden Gate’s eight race card this Monday while Dave Weaver will be in town on the Labor Day Monday, September 4 card.

Golden Gate Fields to Close at End of 2023 Racing Meet 

BERKELEY, CA (July 16, 2023) – In a major development aimed at consolidating, invigorating and innovating racing throughout Southern California, The Stronach Group today announced it will double down on its prestigious racing and training venues at Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs by closing Golden Gate Fields at the end of the 2023 racing meet.

At the conclusion of the Golden Gate Fields meet, the company will focus on seamlessly transitioning horses from Northern California to Southern California with the goal of increasing field sizes and adding another day of racing to the weekly racing calendar at Santa Anita Park, come January 2024. This consolidation will provide expanded content opportunities, wagering prospects and will serve to further elevate the overall customer experience at Santa Anita Park.

“The Stronach Group remains steadfastly committed to racing in California,” said Belinda Stronach, Chairwoman, Chief Executive Officer and President, The Stronach Group. “We believe that the future success of racing depends on a business model that encourages investment in Southern California, one of North America’s premier racing circuits. Focusing on Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs as state-of-the-art racing and training facilities that offer enhanced program quality, increased race days, expanded wagering opportunities, and premier hospitality and entertainment experiences is vital to ensuring that California racing can continue to compete and thrive on a national level.”

Stronach added “We recognize that the decision will have profound effects on our valued employees as well as the owners, trainers, jockeys and stable personnel at Golden Gate Fields. The Stronach Group is committed to honoring labor obligations and developing a meaningful transition plan.”

Moving forward, the company will work in cooperation with industry participants including the California Horse Racing Board, Thoroughbred Owners of California, California Thoroughbred Trainers, and Del Mar and Los Alamitos racetracks, to develop a plan to relocate horses and employees to Southern California while supporting all affected by this closure.

Media Contacts

Tiffani Steer, tiffani.steer@stronachgroup.com
Stefan Friedman, sfriedman@actumllc.com

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST
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TOP SPRINTER TOP HARBOR TAKES HIS TALENTS TO TURF IN SATURDAY’S ALBANY STAKES

Five-time stakes winner Top Harbor has won on synthetic and dirt. He has never hit the wire first on turf though, and seeks to change that statistic in this Saturday’s signature race of the day, the $50,000 Albany Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at five furlongs on turf. The Tim McCanna trainee drew post 2 in a field of 8 and will once again be ridden by regular pilot Frank Alvarado.

Top Harbor makes his first start since a decisive victory at low odds in the Lost in the Fog Stakes on April 29. Last year, Top Harbor was victorious in the Oakland Stakes and El Dorado Shooter Stakes. All three races mentioned were run over the Tapeta main track. His lone career stake win on dirt came as a 2-year-old in the Everett Nevin Stakes at Pleasanton.

Not only has Top Harbor never won on turf; he has never hit the board in two starts over the surface. That said, when handicappers dive deeper into both races, they can be forgiving. One of the races came at a two-turn distance; Top Harbor is more effective at one-turn sprint distances. The other came in a second level allowance sprint at Del Mar as a 3-year-old. He faced older horses that day-some who were stakes quality runners-and Top Harbor has improved significantly since then.

“His mom won five stakes over [turf],” said McCanna. “I think he’ll be fine on it this time. I’m not concerned.”

McCanna also sends out 2021 Oakland Stakes winner Rager in the Albany. The 6-year-old son of Into Mischief has won two consecutive second level allowance races on Tapeta and gets back to turf, a surface he frequently competed over when stabled in Southern California from 2019 through early 2021. This will be the first time he runs on turf since joining the McCanna barn.

“I just haven’t had the chance to run him over [turf],” said McCanna. “He’s put up back-to-back good races. So why not? Let’s get him back to turf and give him a shot in this stake. Both my horses are doing well.”

My Summer Dream is another who competed on the grass while racing in Southern California. In the wintertime, the 5-year-old son of Summer Front won a pair of turf sprints while earning Beyer speed figures in the 90’s. He was claimed out of one of those events in January by owner Danny Eplin and trainer O.J. Jauregui for $50,000. My Summer Dream’s last afternoon appearance, in the Lost in the Fog Stakes, resulted in an off the board finish, though he was never given a chance to get rolling in the final furlong.

“He got impeded by another horse,” said Jauregui. “He got slammed into and that was that. He was definitely running on. I think he could have been second or third.”

My Summer Dream’s most recent win came last April over Larry’s Legend in a second level allowance race on Tapeta. Larry’s Legend, trained by Sammy Calvario, placed second behind Top Harbor in the Lost in the Fog Stakes and has hit the board in all four starts for Team Calvario since joining the stable earlier this year. Like Rager and My Summer Dream, Larry’s Legend was claimed out of Southern California.

Calvario also campaigns 2022 Harris Farm Stakes winner Psycho Dar. The last time we saw Psycho Dar race at five furlongs on the turf, he earned a 92 Beyer speed figure and beat Give Me the Lute, who won the 2021 and 2022 editions of the Albany. That said, Psycho Dar’s aforementioned winning effort came last September. He looks to snap a four-race losing streak in the 2023 Albany.

4-year-old filly Lexington Humor faces male counterparts after a fifth-place finish in the Camilla Urso Stakes against fillies and mares. That day, she broke slowly from the gate, passed a few rivals down the lane, and finished four lengths behind race winner Alice Marble. This is an arguably tougher field. Honeymoonz Over draws the rail and makes his first start in almost three months while bumping up in class after multiple races at high-level claiming conditions. In his last start, Honeymoonz Over was outfinished for second by Larry’s Legend.

The Bill McLean trained Evenrevenworse was supplemented into the Albany and completes the lineup. The speedy son of Decarchy lost a heartbreaker in a first level allowance race on May 13, leading almost the whole way around, fighting gallantly inside of the winner down the lane but ultimately finishing second when beaten a nose in a dramatic stretch duel.

10 races are on the docket this Saturday. First post is 1:15 PM.

Race 9 on Saturday: The 2023 Albany Stakes (for 3-year-olds and upward at 5 furlongs on turf)

#1 Honeymoonz Over (William Antongeorgi III…D. Wayne Baker…12-1 morning line odds)

#2 Top Harbor (Frank Alvarado…Tim McCanna…9-5)

#3 Evenrevenworse (Evin Roman…Bill McLean…6-1)

#4 My Summer Dream (Armando Ayuso…O.J. Jauregui…5-1)

#5 Larry’s Legend (Santos Rivera…Sammy Calvario…81)

#6 Rager (Assael Espinoza…Tim McCanna…3-1)

#7 Psycho Dar (Hugo Herrera…Sammy Calvario…15-1)

#8 Lexington Humor (Brayan Pena…O.J. Jauregui…10-1)

CHANCERY WAY COULD FIRE BIG AGAIN IN INAUGURAL DREAM OF SUMMER STAKES  

Just days before 2022 Bear Fan Stakes winner Chancery Way competed in her last start, the Camilla Urso Stakes for turf sprinters on April 29, trainer Jamey Thomas noted to the Golden Gate News and Notes team that his star filly was training like she was sitting on a big race. Thomas was correct, as the daughter of Mr. Big set a torrid pace, lengthened stride turning for home and opened up two lengths at the eighth pole before ultimately get nipped in the final stride by low odds race favorite and winner Alice Marble. Chancery Way was well ahead of the third-place finisher and earned a career best 86 Beyer speed figure for her effort.

“We were super happy with her last race,” said assistant trainer Troy Thomas, son of Jamey Thomas. “It was a winning effort, really. We weren’t quite sure how she’d take to turf but a couple of her siblings ran well on turf. She has the pedigree for it.

She didn’t run well [two races ago] at Santa Anita, but she didn’t ship great. After she came back from that trip, she just wasn’t quite herself, so we freshened her up. That helped. She bounced back and we knew [before the Camilla Urso] she was ready to run her best race and she did. Other than when she ran at Santa Anita, she hasn’t run a bad race.”

Heading into Sunday’s inaugural $75,000 Dream of Summer Stakes for California-bred or sired fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward, Chancery Way is ready to make another afternoon appearance. The key to keeping Chancery Way happy on the track, says Thomas, is to let her do her thing. She is naturally quick and enjoys flaunting her speed.

“I think she could rate. She’s a smart filly. But in my opinion, she really likes to be on the lead,” said Thomas. “She just enjoys running. Once she gets out front and pricks her ears up, she’s tough to get by. She’s naturally quick and you don’t want to fight her. You just want to let do her thing.”

Chancery Way faces seven formidable foes in Race 7 on Sunday, The Dream of Summer, which like the Camilla Urso Stakes is run at five furlongs on turf. The classiest entrant in the bunch, 2022 Camilla Urso Stakes winner Sadie Bluegrass, hasn’t raced since a sixth-place finish in the Daisycutter Stakes at Del Mar on July 29. The Jonathan Wong trainee is a win machine, with 13 victories from 23 lifetime starts. Her career earnings add up to just over $300,000. Last Sunday morning, the daughter of Bluegrass Cat drilled 5 furlongs in a lightning quick 58.80 seconds over the Tapeta main track.

Sassy Nature has failed to fire in a pair of turf sprint stakes in Kentucky and ships west for Southern California conditioner Luis Mendez. On March 25, the daughter of Straight Fire went gate to wire sprinting five panels on the lawn in the Melody of Colors Stakes at Gulfstream Park. She figures to be part of the pace in her first Northern California start.

Rousing Jewel faces older fillies and mares while cutting back in distance. The Larry and Marianne Williams homebred recently placed fourth in the Campanile Stakes at a mile for state-bred 3-year-old fillies. We know she can be effective at one-turn; 2 of her 3 lifetime wins have come sprinting on the Tapeta.

Recent first level allowance winners Mischievous Curlin and Smiling Molly are also part of the eight-horse field.

10 races are on the Closing Day Sunday card. First post is 1:15 PM.

Race 7 on Sunday: The 2023 Dream of Summer Stakes (for California-bred or sired fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at five furlongs on turf)

#1 Sassy Nature (Jockey Santos Rivera…Trainer Luis Mendez)

#2 Tamantari (Alejandro Gomez…Jeff Bonde)

#3 Mischievous Curlin (Brayan Pena…Faith Taylor)

#4 Smiling Molly (William Antongeorgi III…D. Wayne Baker)

#5 Rousing Jewel (Frank Alvarado…Steve Specht)

#6 Chancery Way (Evin Roman…Jamey Thomas)

#7 Big Sis Little Sis (Assael Espinoza…Reid France)

#8 Sadie Bluegrass (Armando Ayuso…Jonathan Wong)

THE TIME IS NOW FOR AWESOME SUMMER TO FACE TOUGHER COMPANY IN FRIDAY FEATURE 

6-year-old Awesome Summer began his career in 2019 with the late Bob Hess Sr. He was well liked by the veteran horseman and broke his maiden with Hall of Famer Kent Desoremaux aboard in lifetime start number two.

After several failed attempts at winning first level allowance races as a 3-year-old, Awesome Summer was given time off from September of 2020 to April of this year.

That’s right. Awesome Summer was out of action for about 32 months. He returned to training in early 2023 with trainer Jose Bautista. Bautista saw enough of Awesome Summer to give him a chance at a first level field off the prolonged break.

“The owners have always been very high on this horse,” said Bautista. “I was thinking early on maybe run him for a tag. His first half mile work back, he went 49 and he was doing it in the hands. Nice and easy. So, we let him roll in his next work and, even though our clockers got him in a minute and change, I got him in 59 and 2. And he was just cruising. So, I called the owners and said, ‘He’s training great. I think we need to run in an allowance.’”

Sprinting five and one-half furlongs on April 23, Awesome Summer dueled on the lead at speedy fractions of 21 and 3/5 seconds for the first quarter mile and 45 and 1/5 seconds for the opening half mile. Down the stretch, the 6-year-old son of Vronsky kicked away for a three-length victory. He went off at 16-1 odds.

Certainly a well-kept secret.

“I told [jockey] Catalino [Martinez], ‘Don’t fight him. Just let him run.’ I wasn’t surprised he ran that well.”

A California-bred, Awesome Summer was eligible to win twice at the first level allowance condition. Bautista took advantage of that perk (it pays to be a Cal-bred, right?) and entered Awesome Summer back in another first level allowance three weeks later. In that May 14 heat, Awesome Summer stalked the pace. The result, however, was no different than on April 23: the big, grey gelding seized the lead by the eighth pole and won going away.

“He’s never seemed like a horse that needed to be on the lead,” said Bautista. “There was a bunch of other speed to our inside, so I told Catalino to let him break and stalk the pace if someone wanted to go. He’s very push button.”

Awesome Summer seeks to remain unbeaten this year while stepping up in class to the second level allowance condition in Friday’s featured fourth race, a six-furlong sprint on Tapeta. Awesome Summer is the 9-5 morning line favorite.

“I thought about running him in the Albany but decided to run him in this race Friday instead,” said Bautista. “If he runs very well this time, then our goal is to go in the Oak Tree Sprint [on July 1] at Pleasanton.”

A quartet of respectable rivals line up to challenge Awesome Summer. The 2-1 second choice on the morning is Long Lance, who lost by a head at this level behind Albany Stakes contender Rager. Like Rager, Long Lance is trained by Tim McCanna. Lmlooknformischief placed fifth in the race behind the Tim McCanna pair and is also entered in Friday’s fourth race.

Southern California shipper Jam Session is already familiar with the sights and sounds of Golden Gate. The Michael McCarthy trainee broke his maiden sprinting on the Tapeta in February and was last see finishing off the board in the 8.5-furlong California Derby after setting the pace. He is a 3-year-old facing older in Friday’s fourth race. Rounding out the field is 2022 Oak Tree Sprint winner Cool Mountain Lad. He has failed to threaten for the gold prize in his last six races.

Eight races kick off Closing Week of the 2023 GGF Winter/Spring meet on Friday. First post is 1:15 PM.

Race 4 on Friday (Second level allowance at 6 furlongs on Tapeta)

#1 Cool Mountain Lad (Jockey William Antongeorgi III…Trainer Victor Trujillo…morning line odds 5-1)

#2 Long Lance (Armando Ayuso…Tim McCanna…2-1)

#3 Jam Session (Assael Espinoza…Michael McCarthy…4-1)

#4 Lmlooknformischief (Santos Rivera…Faith Taylor…6-1)

#5 Awesome Summer (Catalino Martinez…Jose Bautista…9-5)

MANDATORY PAYOUTS ON CLOSING DAY SUNDAY

The Sunday, June 11 live race program at Golden Gate marks the final card of the bayside track’s 2023 Winter/Spring meet. First post is 1:15 PM Pacific. With closing day comes mandatory payouts in four bets: the Golden Pick Six, both Pick 5 wagers, and the Rolling Super High Five.

The Golden Pick Six is a 20-cent minimum bet and features the last six races on any given race card. The Sunday, June 11 sequence goes as Races 5 through 10. Heading into Friday’s card, the Golden Pick Six jackpot carryover sits at $35,904. If there fails to be a single ticket jackpot winner on Friday or Saturday, meaning a lone ticket hits all six winners in the Pick Six, then the carryover amount will be even greater come mandatory payout Sunday. A mandatory payout would still be in play even if a single ticket winner took down the Pick Six jackpot on Friday and or Saturday.

The Early Pick 5 and Late Pick 5 sequences are also mandatory payout wagers on Sunday. The Early Pick 5 consists of the first five races (Races 1-5) on the card while the Late Pick 5 is comprised of the last five races (Races 6-10). Both Pick 5 sequences are 50-cent minimum plays.

Rounding out the list of mandatory payout bets on Sunday is the last Rolling High Five wager of the day. The Rolling High Five tasks horseplayers with correctly tabbing the first five finishers in order. The Rolling High Five is only offered in races where there are seven or more official starters. On Sunday, the tenth and last race of the day has eight starters. If two defections were to occur in Race 10, then the Rolling High Five mandatory payout race would be Race 9, which attracted a field of nine.

CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week

Friday

Race 2: Sweet Blush (New trainer O.J. Jauregui…New owner A. Jason Hall Stables)

Race 6: Dawn At Last (Jonathan Wong…Madden Racing and MJVET Stables)

Race 8: Gardees World (Jonathan Wong…Hat Trick Racing)

Race 8: O’Neills Legacy (Owner/Trainer Sammy Calvario) 

Saturday

Race 2: Laura Branigan (Sammy Calvario…Huntertown Farm LLC and Calvario)

Race 3: Sugar Beets (Manny Badilla…Brett Tahajian and Badilla)

Race 3: Tex Hanley (Reid France…TC Racing)

Race 8: Pacific Zip (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables and Taboada Racing Stables LLC)

Race 9: Class Code (Reid France…Leon Scott)

Sunday

Race 2: Gulara (Monty Meier…Browne Cattle Co. and William Branch)

Race 4: Love Candy (Sammy Calvario…Mary Tucker)

Race 5: Sippin N Kissin (Jonathan Wong…Madden Racing)

FINISH LINES: In a contentious battle for the Winter/Spring meet leading trainer title, trainers Isidro Tamayo and Jonathan Wong each have 52 wins and will be sending out a strong number of entrants closing week…Statistically, jockey Assael Espinoza has clinched his first ever riding title at Golden Gate. The soon-to-be-official Winter/Spring meet leading rider has won 87 races so far and has plenty of live mounts closing week. Second place rider Evin Roman has certainly had a satisfactory meeting as well, tallying 72 victories with three racing days left to go…Taboada Racing Stables LLC have the most wins in the owner category with 14 first place finishes. Larry and Marianne Williams sit right behind with 13 wins, Gray Farms Inc. has 12, and Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC, Ron Charles and Sam Gordon, and Hat Trick Racing all have 10 wins apiece…Contentious allowance races are spread throughout closing week. Among them: Race 3 on Friday for filly and mare turf routers and Race 4 on Sunday for second level filly and mare Tapeta routers. The “Long Distance” Farewell, going as Race 3 on Sunday, is a first level allowance at one mile and three furlongs on turf. Seven entrants are signed on to travel the 11 furlongs…Race 4 on Saturday is a maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies while Race 6 on Sunday is for 2-year-old colts. Both races will be run at 5 furlongs on Tapeta…The Jose Bautista trained Il Bellator ran fourth in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile two weeks ago and is now targeting the $150,000 Pleasanton Mile on July 9…We wish all our horsemen, horsewomen, owners, breeders, and fans best of luck in their endeavors this summer. Live racing resumes at Golden Gate for the Summer Meet on Saturday, August 26…see you then!!!

ASCENDANCY WHEELS BACK QUICKLY AFTER BIG ALLOWANCE WIN  

After a dominant win against a large field of talented second level allowance foes on May 20, the She’s a Tiger Stakes for filly and mare routers at Pleasanton on June 24 was the original target for 4-year-old filly Ascendancy.

Then, the Golden Gate racing office hung an open allowance race for fillies and mares at one mile on the Tapeta for Friday, June 2.

And then, Ascendancy was entered in it.

“Are we coming back pretty quick? Yeah,” frankly noted trainer O.J Jauregui. “This race on Friday popped up and we decided to call an audible. Let’s go for it. She came out of her last race really well. She’s been eating everything in her feed tub, her weight looks good, and she’s come back to the track training with good energy. I just hope she doesn’t bounce.”

Ascendancy, a daughter of Classic Empire always well regarded by her connections, took a while to find her best stride. She broke her maiden in her eighth lifetime start, winning at a two-turn distance. Her maiden breaking run was the first time she had competed at a distance farther than six furlongs. Along with the first career winner circle photo came a lightbulb that had finally turned on, and Ascendancy has steadily improved since then. Ascendancy passed the six-figure lifetime earnings mark in her most recent start on May 20, sitting off a quick pace before producing a ferocious rally down the stretch, winning the mile and a sixteenth turf route by two and a half lengths while wrapped up in the final stages by jockey Alexander Chavez.

“I wasn’t surprised she won like that,” said Jauregui. “She’s a nice filly.”

Ascendancy reunites with Chavez and goes up against four other rivals in the featured third race on Friday. One of them is Trojan Clubhouse, who threw in an uncharacteristic clunker in the May 20 trial. That afternoon, she stalked the pace and faded to sixth with seemingly no excuses as the 2-1 favorite. A winner of 9 races from 17 lifetime starts, the daughter of Clubhouse Ride is likely to be forwardly placed in a race on Friday that does not attract a great deal of early speed. Reid France trains and puts regular rider Evin Roman back aboard.

2022 California Oaks winner Anthony’s Cleopatra freshens up five weeks after a poor showing in the Golden Poppy Stakes on April 29. That day, the Tim McCanna trainee stalked a moderate pace and faded, beating just one filly home in the field of 10. She gets back to Tapeta, a surface in which she has run first or second over in 5 of 6 lifetime starts. Earlier in the year, Anthony’s Cleopatra sprinted five and one-half furlongs and finished a half-length behind Always Seeking, one of the top filly and mare sprinters in Northern California so far this year.

The one filly who Anthony’s Cleopatra finished ahead of in the Golden Poppy was none other than Tam’s Little Angel, also entered to compete in Friday’s signature race. Winner of the She’s a Tiger Stakes on dirt in 2022, Tam’s Little Angel has lost eight consecutive races since then. Multiple first level allowance winner Twilight Empire ran poorly on May 20, her first lifetime start on turf, and returns to the Golden Gate main track for another try against the likes of Ascendancy and Trojan Clubhouse. She completes the quintet entered in Friday’s third.

First post on an 8-race card this Friday is 1:45 PM.

Race 3 on Friday (Open allowance for fillies & mares 3-years-old and up at one mile on Tapeta)

#1 Tam’s Little Angel (Jockey Catalino Martinez…Trainer Steve Specht…Morning lines odds 8-1)

#2 Twilight Empire (Francisco Duran…Cliff DeLima…7-2)

#3 Trojan Clubhouse (Evin Roman…Reid France…2-1)

#4 Ascendancy (Alexander Chavez…O.J. Jauregui…9-5)

#5 Anthony’s Cleopatra (Frank Alvarado…Tim McCanna…7-2)

JIMMY BLUE JEANS BACK IN AGAINST HIS FRIENDS AT THE SECOND LEVEL ALLOWANCE CONDITION

Stakes winner Jimmy Blue Jeans picked up his first win since March of 2022 in a second level, one-mile turf allowance race on April 21, setting a soft pace and kicking on for a half-length victory. The runner up finisher, Kennebec, returned to win at a second level condition in his next start.

Jimmy Blue Jeans returns to action in this Saturday’s sixth race-an event in which the same conditions as April’s race (surface, distance, and class level) apply. Although most of his wins have come while employing front running tactics, trainer Andy Mathis knows his 5-year-old gelding is multi-dimensional.

“He won an allowance race at Del Mar stalking the pace,” said Mathis. “With a horse like him, the rider has full control. [Jockey] Assael [Espinoza] knows this horse well. He’s going to have to call the shots out there. It’s hard to give specific instructions.”

The April 20 victory for Jimmy Blue Jeans may have been a well needed confidence booster for the California-bred by James Street. A similar effort this Saturday could help Mathis map out what races Jimmy Blue Jeans may find himself in heading into the summer season. 

“I suppose every race is a gauge to where you might run next,” said Mathis. “This group is a notch below the stakes horses. If he runs well here, we can think about getting him back up to a tougher level. You want to put a horse like him in races where we realistically feel he can win.”

Jimmy Blue Jeans draws the rail in a field of six and is listed as the 9-5 morning line favorite. The second choice on the morning line at 5-2 is Tesoro. Trained by O.J Jauregui, Tesoro made his first start of the year in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile, was “keen” in the early stages of the race, sat in midfield, and faded by the eighth pole. A class drop should benefit the Kentucky bred by Anchor Down, as well as the fact that he now has a race under his belt in the current form cycle. He makes his second start off a six-and-a-half-month vacation in Saturday’s sixth race.

Also exiting the San Francisco Mile is Tarantino, who finished about four lengths behind race winner Balnikhov in the ‘Mile. Earlier this year, the Ed Moger Jr. trainee was the runner up in a salty race for second level allowance routers at Santa Anita. Tarantino possesses backclass. As a 3-year-old, he placed third in the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 3 American at Santa Anita.

Seattle Bold has done well for trainer Steve Sherman and owners Sherman, Tom Mayo, Randy Exelby, and The Jimmy Rex Robinson Family Trust since being claimed by said connections for $32,000 in February. In two races since the acquisition, Seattle Bold won a $40,000 claimer and returned to finish as the runner up behind Kennebec in a May 12 heat. Seattle Bold possesses natural speed and can challenge Jimmy Blue Jeans for the lead in the early stages.

Conundrum earned a career high 91 Beyer speed figure in victory while racing over the main track Tapeta in his last start on May 6. His lone career try on grass resulted in a runner up finish at the first level allowance condition. Conundrum has never raced at the second level allowance condition before and takes a bump up in class for the Saturday feature. Rounding out the field is America Great, third behind Kennebec and Seattle Bold on May 12.

9 races comprise the Saturday live program at Golden Gate. First post is 1:15 PM.

Race 6 on Saturday (Second level allowance for 3-years-old and up at one mile on turf)

#1 Tesoro (Jockey Armando Ayuso…Trainer O.J Jauregui…Morning line odds of 5-2)

#2 Jimmy Blue Jeans (Assael Espinoza…Andy Mathis…8-5)

#3 America Great (Hugo Herrera…Monty Meier…8-1)

#4 Tarantino (Epifanio Garcia…Ed Moger Jr…6-1)

#5 Seattle Bold (Evin Roman…Steve Sherman…4-1)

#6 Conundrum (Frank Alvarado…Mike Lenzini…10-1)

ALL AMERICAN STAKES WINNER I’MGONNABESOMEBODY ON EVERYBODY’S RADAR NOW  

Local I’mgonnabesomebody defeated a top-class group of routers in Monday’s $100,000 All American Stakes. The list he beat includes multiple Grade 2 winner Royal Ship, Grade 1 winner Tripoli, stakes winner American Farmer, and Grade 2 placed Rio King. Ridden to victory by Alexander Chavez, I’mgonnabesomebody earned a 94 Beyer speed figure for the win.

24 hours after the race, trainer Bill McLean noted that I’mgonnabesomebody came out of the All American with a clean bill of health and would be pointed next to the $150,000 Pleasanton Mile on dirt on Saturday, July 9.

“That was really nice,” reflected McLean on the All American win. “I told Chavez before the race, ‘Just send him out of the gate and get him to the lead if you can.’ We ended up pressing [pacesetter Mastering] and I was okay with that. Turning for home, it looked like he might get swarmed, but he just kicked away from them. It was pretty great to watch. We’ve got a great group of owners who have been with our barn for a long time, so it’s special to have such a nice horse for them. I’m happy for the whole group and my whole team at the barn.”

I’mgonnabesomebody, who won the Sam Spear Memorial and Joseph T. Grace Stakes last year, was purchased for $30,000 as a yearling at the 2019 Keeneland September sale. He earned $60,000 for the All American win and improved his lifetime bankroll to $242,380. His career record now reads 7 wins, 3 runner up finishes, and 2 thirds from 17 starts. The son of Will Take Charge was bred in Kentucky by Elm Tree Farm LLC and is owned by the partnership of Nin Auyeung, Phillip Crosby, Cheryl Hauck, Bill McLean, Todd Miller, Elizabeth Moran, and Marilyn Taylor.

McCann’s Mojave Stakes winner American Farmer put up a commendable effort in the All American and is worthy of recognition. He finished second, beaten a length and a half by I’mgonnabesomebody. If all goes well, American Farmer is also possible for the Pleasanton Mile. Steve Sherman trains the California-bred by Bluegrass Cat.

CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week

Friday

Race 1: Big Jolt (New trainer Jonathan Wong…New owner Madden Racing)

Race 2: Safe Combination (Owner/Trainer Jorge Maravilla)

Race 5: Il Capitano (Isidro Tamayo…Mean Girls Racing Stable)

Race 7: Kodiaction (Bill McLean…Carpenter, Hauck, McLean, and Puertas)

Race 7: Supermazel (Jesus Ramos…MJ Ranch)

Race 8: Luck Is Golden (Ed Moger Jr…Johnny Mcafoos)

Saturday

Race 7: Harbor Sky (Jamey Thomas…Troy Smith and Thomas)

Race 7: Stanford Bay (Reid France…TC Racing)

Sunday

Race 6: Fully Loaded (Gary Greiner…Renee Greiner)

Race 6: Mr. Clutch (Jonathan Wong…JJ Lee Rae)

Monday

Race 3: Blursday (Mike Lenzini…Gary Marrone)

Race 4: Wound Up (Jamey Thomas…Brian Parker)

Race 6: Asano’s Back (Ellen Jackson…Alberto Ruvalcaba)

Race 6: Wicklow Hills (Marcelino Trujillo…Nancy Salas Ibarra and Floriberta Trujillo)

Race 9: Eddie Crosswire (Tim Bellasis…Donna Smartt, Cassandra Tschanz and Bellasis)

Race 9: Respond (Isidro Tamayo…Hat Trick Racing)

Race 9: Silent Sunday (Andy Mathis…William Branch and Robert Jones)

FINISH LINES: San Francisco Mile third place finisher Il Bellator finished fourth of 11 in Monday’s Grade 1 $500,000 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita and earned $30,000 for the placing. Il Bellator is trained by Jose Bautista and was ridden by regular rider Alejandro Gomez…Game Time, winner of the $75,000 Alcatraz Stakes on Sunday for trainer John Sadler and jockey Armando Ayuso, received an 84 Beyer for his win. The son of Not This Time could make his next appearance on Opening Day at Del Mar in the $100,000 Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside Stakes…With two more weeks to go at the current Winter/Spring meet, jockey Assael Espinoza has 84 wins-the most out of any rider in the colony. Evin Roman, who won five races on Friday, had a big week and propelled himself to second place in the jockey standings with 67 wins total, 3 more than Ayuso…Jonathan Wong nurses a narrow lead in the trainer standings with 51 wins, two ahead of Isidro Tamayo…$20,055 is carried over into the Golden Pick Six jackpot bet heading into Friday…The feature race on Sunday is a first level allowance which goes as the eighth of nine races. First post is 1:15 PM on Sunday…Remember: Closing Day of the Winter/Spring meet is next Sunday, June 11. Mandatory payouts are in play for all wagers next Sunday.

TOP LOCAL 3-YEAR-OLDS HAVE BREEDING TO SUGGEST TURF WILL BE NO PROBLEM FOR SUNDAY’S ALCATRAZ STAKES

Some of the top 3-year-olds in Sunday’s $75,000 Alcatraz Stakes are names that racing fans who closely follow Golden Gate will know. Undefeated Prince Abu Dhabi, well-bred Harcyn, and multiple stakes winner Passarando are three who come to mind in a group that has produced a strong crop of sophomores in the Northern California region. The trio of racers, all who exit the California Derby last month, will be racing over a new surface, turf, in Sunday’s feature race of the day, the Alcatraz at one mile. The 2023 Alcatraz drew a field of seven and goes as the eighth race on a nine-race card. First post is 1:45 PM.

The one to beat in the race is Prince Abu Dhabi, undefeated with four consecutive wins and looking to become a two-time stakes winner after a half-length victory in the California Derby on April 29. The Blaine Wright trainee certainly possesses the pedigree to enjoy turf. Prince Abu Dhabi’s dam, the Irish-bred American Girl, won three times on grass during her racing career in 2014 and 2015. Damsire High Chaparral dead heated for the win in the 2003 Breeders Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

“He got a chance to gallop over the outside part of the turf course last Wednesday morning,” said Wright. “It’s always good when you can get your horses over a track they haven’t been on before. He’s bred to like the grass. You never truly know how a horse will do over a surface in a race until they actually race over it, but I was very pleased with how he galloped on the turf the other morning.”

Prince Abu Dhabi, to be ridden by regular jockey Alexander Chavez again, has worked twice since the California Derby triumph. An $8,000 sale purchase by multiple Grade 1 winner Palace Malice, Prince Abu Dhabi hasn’t done anything wrong since joining the Wright stable as a 2-year-old for owners Lance and Steve Kinross.

“The horse always comes first,” said Wright. “We’ve got a pretty good 3-year-old program here at Golden Gate, so for the time being we’re staying home. If he were to ship and run poorly on a new surface, then you start trying to answer if he didn’t like the ship, if the company was too tough, if he didn’t like the turf. Right now, we’ll see how he runs on the turf while not necessarily facing easier company than he did in the California Derby. This race will help us map out our summer campaign.”

California Derby fourth place finisher Harcyn sat on the bumper of a quick pace in the ‘Derby and was unable keep up with the top three. He finished three lengths behind Prince Abu Dhabi. Trained by Steve Sherman, Harcyn is out of the Street Cry mare Florian, a half sibling to 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo and 2007 Santa Anita Derby winner Tiago. Their dam, named Set Them Free, won a turf sprint stake at Hollywood Park in 1994. Earlier in the year, Harcyn ran third in the El Camino Real Derby for owner/breeder Jerry Moss.

California-bred Passarando finished a head and a nose, respectively, behind Harcyn in the El Camino Real Derby and California Derby. As a 2-year-old, he won the Gold Rush Stakes at Golden Gate on Tapeta and the Golden State Juvenile sprinting seven furlongs on dirt at Santa Anita. His second dam, the Decarchy mare Antares World, was a multiple stakes winner on the turf and placed second in the 2010 Grade 1 American Oaks on grass at Hollywood Park. The Steve Specht trainee makes his second start off a two-and-a-half-month layoff in the Alcatraz.

Southern California shipper Phosphorescence is back for another crack at Northern California company after a runner up finish to Prince Abu Dhabi in the California Derby. Unlike the three locals mentioned, Phosphorescence is based at Santa Anita under the care of Michael McCarthy. He is proven to like turf, too, as the $200,000 Keeneland weanling purchase by City of Light broke his maiden going two turns on grass in March.

The second Southern California shooter in the Alcatraz is Game Time, entering for trainer John Sadler off a length and a quarter loss in the Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita. That day, he stalked the pace inside of horses and got caught behind traffic throughout the length of the stretch. A maiden winner on turf at Santa Anita last October, Game Time placed second in the Grade 3 Cecille B. Demille at Del Mar as a 2-year-old and was the runner up in the Pasadena Stakes behind Johannes, arguably the top 3-year-old turf horse in Southern California.

Others entered in the Alcatraz are starter allowance winner Cousin Richie, third place finisher in the Silky Sullivan for state-breds on turf, and Welton, a first out maiden special weight winner who returned two months later in his most recent start to finish third in a first level allowance race sprinting. Sergio Ledezma trains Cousin Richie while leading conditioner Jonathan Wong campaigns Welton. Welton’s dam, the Lemon Drop Kid mare Iadorakid, raced once in her short career and won at the one-mile distance on turf. A 2-year-old unnamed sibling to Welton was purchased for $750,000 at the OBS April 2-year-old in training sale and currently resides at Los Alamitos with trainer Bob Baffert.

Race 8 on Sunday (The $75,000 Alcatraz Stakes for 3-year-olds at one mile on turf)

#1 Game Time (Jockey Armando Ayuso…Trainer John Sadler)

#2 Cousin Richie (Alejandro Gomez…Sergio Ledezma)

#3 Welton (Brayan Pena…Jonathan Wong)

#4 Prince Abu Dhabi (Alexander Chavez…Blaine Wright)

#5 Passarando (Frank Alvarado…Steve Specht)

#6 Phosphorescence (Assael Espinoza…Michael McCarthy)

#7 Harcyn (Evin Roman…Steve Sherman)

RIO KING LOOKS TO DUPLICATE CAREER BEST RACE IN THIS MONDAY’S ALL AMERICAN STAKES

A good-sized field is projected to compete in the $100,000 All American Stakes for 3-year-olds and upward at one mile on the Tapeta this Monday. The All American is the annual feature race on Memorial Day Monday, May 29, a day every year in which Golden Gate Fields runs a special holiday program. Entries for the All American and the rest of the Monday card will be taken, drawn, and published on Friday.

Among the strong list of local entrants pointing to the All American is Rio King, second-place finisher in last month’s Grade 3 $250,000 San Francisco Mile. Rio King, exiting three consecutive wins including a first level allowance triumph in March, went off at 51-1 in the San Francisco Mile, sat off a quick pace, rallied down the lane and finished a nose short of race winner Balnikhov. The aforementioned foe runs in Monday’s Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita.

“I was very happy, of course, but I was not surprised he ran well,” said Rio King’s trainer, Sammy Calvario. “I really liked him going into that race. He was a longshot, but he stood out in his training. In his gallops, he was aggressive and wanted to be ahead of all the other horses he was training with. After he won the allowance race, I told the owner ‘Let’s go in the San Francisco Mile.’ Someone asked me before Gold Rush Weekend, ‘What stakes horse do you like this weekend?’ and I told her that I liked Rio King. Every race he’s won with us, he’s gotten stronger and more confident.”

Rio King, claimed by owners Huntertown Farm LLC for $20,000 as a maiden in October, has won four of eight starts for the Calvario barn off the claim with earnings just over $100,000 for the current connections.

“The owner wanted to claim a horse in October. I looked in the racing form and saw Rio King had come from Kentucky and ran a good race over there. He didn’t run well at Del Mar [and was shipping in to race at Golden Gate], so I told the owner, ‘It’s tough at Del Mar. He might be good at Golden Gate.’ So, we claimed him.”

Since the San Francisco Mile, the son of Bali a Bali has one published morning workout. Rio King is a multiple winner on the Tapeta main track, meaning the surface switch in the All American shouldn’t be an issue.

“He’s training as well as he was before the ‘Mile,” said Calvario. “He is doing good. He is ready.”

The projected field assembled for the 2023 All American isn’t any lighter than the San Francisco Mile. The Richard Mandella trainee Royal Ship is a three-time Grade 2 winner and is reportedly “probable” to sign up for the All American at Golden Gate on entry day Friday. Another possible All American entrant is 2021 Grade I Pacific Classic winner Tripoli, who lost his best form in 2022 but got a confidence booster with a determined allowance win on the Tapeta two months ago, defeating Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap winner Lammas in the process. He has been training at Santa Anita under the care of John Sadler since then.

Other likely contenders in the All American include McCann’s Mojave Stakes winner American Farmer, a synthetic specialist from the Steve Sherman barn who hasn’t raced since the aforementioned victory on March 18. Tesoro failed to fire in the San Francisco Mile, his first start of 2023, and makes his second start off a layoff. Gutsy gelding I’mgonnabesomebody  won the Sam Spear Memorial on turf last year and was second in the Grade 3 Berkeley over the fall. He returns to the races in the All American after a four-and-a-half-month vacation for trainer Bill McLean. 2022 Silky Sullivan Stakes winner Royal n’ Rando is another who enters off a similar layoff as I’mgonnabesomebody. Trained by Steve Specht, Royal n’ Rando’s last winners circle appearance came after a second level allowance victory in December. Rounding out the list of local probables is recent second level allowance winner Kennebec.

One nominee missing from the All American probables list is San Francisco Mile third place finisher Il Bellator. Il Bellator is possible to compete at Santa Anita instead in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on Monday. Local trainer Jose Bautista trains Il Bellator for owners Edward and Theresa DeNike.

Entries for Monday’s Memorial Day Monday card will be taken, drawn, and published on Friday.

ANYBODY’S RACE IN FRIDAY ALLOWANCE  

On paper, handicappers can make a legitimate case for every horse in Friday’s signature race of the day: a first level allowance for 3-years-olds at one mile on the Tapeta. A field of seven are entered in the feature event of the day, which goes as the sixth of eight races. First post is 1:15 PM.

Morning line favorite Nauvoo gets class relief for leading trainer Jonathan Wong after a four-length loss in the California Derby. The son of Not This Time possesses the speed to go to the lead if he wants it. The last win for Nauvoo came in a $16,000 claiming race on dirt at Santa Anita, where he set the pace, won the contest by a whopping nine lengths, and earned a 80 Beyer speed figure. Brayan Pena was aboard in the California Derby and retains the mount on Friday.

Mother’s Prayer ran two bang-up races in March: a victory on the fourth of the month at this first level allowance condition, and a nose loss at the hands of California Derby winner Prince Abu Dhabi in a separate allowance event on March 31. The Steve Specht trainee seeks to rebound after a poor effort in his most recent start, the Silky Sullivan Stakes, for state-breds on the turf, and picks up the services of leading rider Assael Espinoza for Friday’s engagement.

The Kentucky bred Sea Dog was a length and a quarter behind Mother’s Prayer in the March 4 allowance heat and freshened up over a month and a half for his next start in the California Derby, where he finished a nose ahead of Nauvoo for sixth place in the field of nine. The son of Midshipman is trained by O.J Jauregui will be ridden by Alexander Chavez for the first time. Purchased for $90,00 as a 2-year-old in training, Sea Dog is in for the optional $50,000 claiming tag.

Happy Does, third in the March 4 allowance race, has already won twice at the first level allowance condition. In his most recent afternoon appearance, the Felix Rondan trainee sat off the speed and rallied down the lane to complete the superfecta in the Silky Sullivan Stakes, finishing just two lengths behind race winner Hacking It Up. The most experienced entrant in the field, Happy Does is less than $5,000 short of the six-figure lifetime earnings mark.

Rodrigoknows finished a length behind Happy Does for fourth in the Silky Sullivan and makes his second lifetime start at a route of ground for trainer Victor Trujillo. The son of Cat Burglar broke his maiden sprinting and has already hit the board once at the first level condition sprinting. Just like Happy Does, Rodrigoknows returns to the Tapeta against allowance company on Friday.

Recent maiden special weight turf winner Duplication is another who routes for the second time. He ran a career best race going a two-turn distance last month and looks to build off that. Completing the field is Trinidad, tenth in the Silky Sullivan Stakes on Gold Rush Weekend Sunday. Jack Steiner conditions Duplication and Roger Hansen trains Trinidad.

Race 6 on Friday (First level allowance at one mile on the Tapeta)

#1 Mother’s Prayer (Jockey Assael Espinoza…Trainer Steve Specht…Morning line odds of 3-1)

#2 Nauvoo (Brayan Pena….Jonathan Wong…2-1)

#3 Duplication (Armando Ayuso…Jack Steiner…8-1)

#4 Trinidad (Hugo Herrera…Roger Hansen…12-1)

#5 Happy Does (Santos Rivera…Felix Rondan…6-1)

#6 Sea Dog (Alexander Chavez…O.J. Jauregui…4-1)

#7 Rodrigoknows (Evin Roman…Victor Trujillo…6-1)

CLAIMS REPORT

Friday

Race 3: Don’t Tell Hydee (New trainer Isidro Tamayo…new owner Hat Trick Racing)

Race 4: Alexander’s Dream (Reid France…RKJ Stable)

Race 7: Attenzione (Jonathan Wong…Madden Racing LLC, MJVET Stables and Sergio Salguero)

Saturday

No claims

Sunday

Race 1: All (Ruby Thomas…William Heck)

Race 1: Jaycee (Jesus Uranga…Battle Born Racing Stable)

Race 3: Harbor Sky (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)

FINISH LINES: El Camino Real Derby winner Chase the Chaos placed fifth in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes last Saturday at Pimlico and picked up a $49,500 check for the effort. No immediate plans are on the docket for the Pennsylvania bred son of Astern…Race 8 on Saturday is the feature race of the day: a field of 9 are entered to travel one mile and a sixteenth on the turf. The final race on Saturday, Race 9, is a maiden sprint for 3-year-olds. Both high quality races are two halves of the Golden Hour Late Pick 4 sequence…With 10 racing days left to go at the 2023 Winter/Spring meet, Assael Espinoza sits atop the jockey standings with 78 wins. Armando Ayuso is second with 62 wins and Evin Roman rounds out the top three with 58 trips to the winner’s circle…In the trainer standings, Jonathan Wong leads the way with 49 wins, five ahead of Isidro Tamayo…Trainer Blaine Wright is 10 wins away from 1,000 career victories. He has 11 horses entered at Emerald Downs between Saturday and Sunday and saddles 4 horses at Golden Gate throughout Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.