MULTIPLE STAKES WINNER PAPA’S GOLDEN BOY TRIES TAPETA IN OAKLAND

2021 Emerald Downs Horse of the Year Papa’s Golden Boy makes his Northern California stakes debut on Saturday in the 6-furlong, $50,000 Oakland Stakes for 3-year-olds and upward. Papa’s Golden Boy, owned by Gary and Deborah Lusk, is a son of top Pacific Northwest stallion Harbor the Gold and has been working regularly over the Golden Gate Tapeta since shipping south after the Emerald Downs racing season.

Trained in Washington by Vince Gibson, Papa’s Golden Boy won two major sprint stakes over the summer at Emerald: the Budweiser and Governor’s Stakes. In both races, he earned the two highest Beyer speed figures of his career (88, 87) and was geared down in the concluding stages.

Now in the barn of Jack Steiner, Papa’s Golden Boy wheels back in just 13 days after a fourth-place finish against stakes caliber turf sprinters at Del Mar on November 7.

“We were trying to get him in races here and down south in October, but the races weren’t filling,” said Steiner. “We were training, training, training, and he was ready. Once the [November 7] race went down south, we sent him there to get a race into him before this one. He sort of got pinballed at the start and it was going to be tough for him to win the race after that, but we got a run into him and he’s ready for this stake coming up on Saturday.”

Although Papa’s Golden Boy has never run in a race on Tapeta, Steiner is confident he will handle the synthetic just fine. 

“His works [over the Tapeta] have been great,” said Steiner. “His last work, he worked 47 flat and did it easy. It didn’t look like he was going that fast. He’s a horse that wants to be on the pace-he’s got a lot of speed-so he’s going to be up there.”  

The top local contender entered in the Oakland is In Our A, who just three weeks ago lost by the narrowest of margins to multiple stakes winner Top Harbor in the $75,000 El Dorado Shooter Stakes. Trained by Ellen Jackson, In Our A has never finished worse than second in 10 lifetime starts.

Two Southern California invaders add intrigue to the race. Ultimate Bango ran third in last year’s El Dorado Shooter Stakes after suffering traffic trouble in midstretch. He looks to redeem himself in this year’s edition for trainer Mark Glatt. Most recently, Ultimate Bango finished third off a 10-month layoff to the Andy Mathis trained stakes winner Mike’s Tiznow in a turf sprint at Del Mar. Hall of Famer Richard Mandella sends out Border Town, who cuts back from a route to a sprint. From the beginning of his career with East Coast based Chad Brown to present day with Mandella, Border Town has never tried sprinting before. Earlier in the year, Border Town finished 2 and ¼ lengths behind Whisper Not in the San Francisco Mile, and lost by 2 lengths in the Wickerr Stakes to 2020 San Francisco Mile winner Neptune’s Storm over the summer at Del Mar. Like Papa’s Golden Boy, Border Town makes his synthetic track debut.

First level allowance winners I’mgonnabesomebody, Italiano and Rager complete the field. The 2021 Oakland goes as Race 7 on a 9-race card at Golden Gate, with post time for the race set at 3:45 PM PT.

Race 7: The $50,000 Oakland Stakes (for 3-year-olds and upward at 6 furlongs on Tapeta)

#1 In Our A (Jockey Pedro Terrero…trainer Ellen Jackson…morning line odds 2-1)

#2 Rager (Frank Alvarado…Tim McCanna…10-1)

#3 Italiano (Ruben Fuentes…Victor Trujillo…12-1)

#4 Ultimate Bango (William Antongeorgi III…Mark Glatt…3-1)

#5 Papa’s Golden Boy (Armando Ayuso…Jack Steiner…9-2)

#6 Border Town (Evin Roman…Richard Mandella…7-2)

#7 I’mgonnabesomebody (Irving Orozco…Bill McLean…15-1)

JOCKEY ADRIAN MARTINEZ SECURES FIRST CAREER WIN

Apprentice Adrian Martinez chalked up his first career win as a jockey with 46-1 upsetter Shanghai Mist in the second race last Friday at Golden Gate. Shanghai Mist, conditioned by Faith Taylor, was sent to the lead by Martinez in the one mile Tapeta route race and set moderate fractions of 23.63, 48.23 and 1:13.73 before outfinishing 7-5 favorite Quick Time for the victory.

After the winner’s circle photo, Martinez was greeted at the jockey’s room with a not-so-subtle surprise. The local riding colony poured buckets of water and sprayed shaving cream on Martinez-a regular tradition passed down from generation to generation after a jockey wins their very first race. Following the commemoration, smiles and congratulations were exchanged from fellow riders, jockey valets and racing officials.

“I was really happy,” said Martinez on his first win and the post-race celebration. “It was a great feeling.”

Martinez is no stranger to the racetrack. Prior to being a jockey, the 31-year-old native of Michoacán, Mexico galloped and worked horses for eight years for trainer Jeff Bonde. Martinez also comes from a racing family. His brother, Luis Martinez, rode in the Northern California racing circuit from 2005 to 2011. Another brother, Alex, gallops for O.J Jauregui, and a third brother, Hugo, is a groom for trainer Bill McLean.

Although a gallop boy throughout his 20’s, Martinez always knew that race riding was what he wanted to do.

“I’ve always wanted to be a jockey,” said Martinez. “I watched my brother ride races, but I watch everybody and try to learn all the time.”

Martinez is represented by agent John Buc, who says his fledgling apprentice continues to improve with race riding experience and an increase in opportunities from a growing list of trainers.

“His work ethic is off the charts,” said Buc. “He goes home, has dinner and goes to bed. He’s very mature. Every morning he gets to work on time. He communicates well and everything you ask him to do, he does it.”

Martinez has finished in-the-money with 50% of his 16 mounts so far, an above-average statistic. In many of these races, horses have outrun their odds.

“From all of the trainers I’ve talked to, he has a very good clock,” said Buc. “He knows how fast he’s going. He’s a very good gate rider-they all break well. He’s been around a while. He’s a good horseman and he’s only getting better.”

MISS LADY ANN “ON THE UP AND UP” FOR WRIGHT

5-year-old mare Miss Lady Ann looks to extend a win streak to five consecutive victories in the feature race on Friday at Golden Gate, a second-level allowance for filly and mare sprinters. Miss Lady Ann drew post position 2 in the feature, which goes as Race 7 on a 9-race program.

After 12 consecutive losses against tougher company in Southern California, Miss Lady Ann made her first start in Northern California for trainer Doug O’Neill in July. That day, she ran an uninspiring fifth against $12,500 claimers.

After the aforesaid poor effort, O’Neill opted to drop her another level, in for a $6,250 tag. She went to the lead and won the race by over 4 lengths, clearly best of the rest. The win seemingly gave Miss Lady Ann confidence, and since then she has won three additional races, continuously climbing the class ladder with start.

After a gate-to-wire win for $12,500 in August, trainer Blaine Wright tabbed Miss Lady Ann as a potential claim candidate. In her next start, the daughter of Munnings won for a $20,000 condition, and Wright and co-owners Davis Racing LLC and Joe Russell claimed her out of the race.

“She fit what we were looking for,” said Wright. “She had been running in Southern California against some good horses and she still had [race] conditions we could take advantage of.”

In her first start off the claim for Wright, Miss Lady Ann ran in a first-level allowance race on October 19 at Fresno. That day, she stalked the pace early before inheriting the lead into the far turn. She drew off from her competition down the stretch and won the race by four lengths, defeated Del Mar allowance winner Seven Sisters in the process.

This Saturday, Miss Lady Ann takes another class hike when she faces second level allowance foes. She will be ridden by Evin Roman, who has been aboard for three of her last four wins.

“We’ve been in the barn for a month and she’s ready to run,” said Wright. “She is running out of her conditions, but Quentin Miller’s mare [Tip Top Gal] ran out of her conditions at this level last time and she won.”

Wright was encouraged to see Miss Lady Ann stalk the pace in her last start. In her three previous Northern California wins, she went to the lead. This will only help her chances of working out a good trip against salty company.

“Evin [Roman] said she relaxed really well,” said Wright of her last start. “We draw towards the inside this time, but it looks like the rail [runner] has speed.

She’s on the up and up,” continued Wright. “I think getting up to Golden Gate helped because she got a chance to face some easier horses here, but she also seems to have a lot of confidence right now. She’s doing well and we’re looking forward to running her.”

Race 7: Second-level allowance (for fillies and mares at six furlongs on Tapeta)

#1 Tip Top Gal (Jockey Frank Alvarado…Trainer Quentin B. Miller…Morning Line Odds 2-1)

#2 Miss Lady Ann (Evin Roman…Blaine Wright…5-1)

#3 Wheal Grace (William Antongeorgi…Jose Bautista…9-5)

#4 Princess Vivian (Catalino Martinez…Sergio Ledezma…7-2)

#5 Midnight Flower (Alejandro Gomez…Andy Mathis…12-1)

#6 Babe Didrikson (Ruben Fuentes…Jose Bautista…8-1)

SUNDAY FEATURE ATTRACTS FULL FIELD, A PLETHORA OF HANDICAPPING ANGLES

Sunday’s signature eighth race of the day, a first level allowance at five furlongs on turf, overfilled with 12 entries. 10 fillies and mares comprise the main body of the field, with 2 others on the outside looking in on the also-eligible list. On paper, it’s a wide-open race.

We start with the rail runner Rebalation, out of the white-hot broodmare and multiple stakes winner Reba Is Tops. Rebalation was last seen winning an allowance race on Halloween, defeating the runner up finisher by over 2 lengths. Being a California-bred, she is eligible to win at this first-level allowance condition once more. The only time she has ever sprinting five furlongs on the lawn, she needed every inch of ground to defeat Allie’s Pal, a recent starter allowance winner who is also entered in this race. Rebalation sits off the pace and produces a flying finish; expect her to do her best work late.

Two recent maiden victors face proven winners for the first time The always well-regarded Crystal Proof broke her maiden for fun against California-bred maiden special weight foes on October 23 for trainer Cliff DeLima and looks to continue an improving pattern. Back On the Street, a Kentucky-bred by Malibu Moon out of multiple Grade 2 winner Doinghardtimeagain, defeated open company on September 17 and freshens up two months for leading Golden Gate trainer Jonathan Wong.

Queen Molotov is an interesting item from the Jamey Thomas barn. A Kentucky-bred daughter of Mizzen Mast, Queen Molotov was highly thought of before her career debut on February 27 and did not disappoint. Off at odds of 3-5, Queen Molotov went to the lead and never looked back, winning the contest by a half-dozen lengths. After a 9-month vacation, Queen Molotov returns to the races with a flashy morning work tab. Also running in this race off a layoff is Canam Gal, who won her first two career starts before running poorly against allowance company in her third lifetime race. She makes her first start since May for trainer Bill McLean.

Miss Megan can be inconsistent at times, but she’ll be a major player if she shows up with her “A game.” She makes her second start off a layoff for trainer Andy Mathis and is expected to be part of the pace. Both career wins have come sprinting against state-bred company.

Chieftain’s Lady was a dominant winner two starts ago against a salty group of claimers, but most recently ran fourth behind Rebalation after a wide journey. Zakkiyyah broke her maiden sprinting on the turf three starts ago and ran off the board in her next two starts routing. She should enjoy getting back to one turn. Carolina Mia hit the board in two races at this condition in September but threw in a clunker in her most recent afternoon appearance, finishing five lengths behind Rebalation on October 31. She makes her turf debut in this race.

Two fillies on the also eligible list will need scratches by 10:00 AM Sunday morning to draw into the race. 3-year-old filly #11 Squared Shady, who completed the trifecta in the Campanile Stakes on Gold Rush Weekend, ships north for Southern California for trainer Jeff Bonde. #12 Vegan would be making her first start for Andy Mathis in this race after a half-length loss against claimers at Santa Anita while under the care of Mark Glatt.

Post time for the eighth race on Sunday is approximately 4:15 PM PT.

Race 8: First-level allowance (for fillies and mares 3-years-old & up at 5 furlongs on turf)

#1 Rebalation (Jockey Frank Alvarado…Trainer Tim McCanna)

#2 Canam Gal (Adrian Martinez…Bill McLean)

#3 Miss Megan (Ruben Fuentes…Andy Mathis)

#4 Chieftain’s Lady (Catalino Martinez…Eddie Rich)

#5 Crystal Proof (Francisco Monroy…Cliff DeLima)

#6 Zakkiyyah (Evin Roman…Bill Delia)

#7 Back On the Street (Armando Ayuso…Jonathan Wong)

#8 Queen Molotov (Irving Orozco…Jamey Thomas)

#9 Allie’s Pal (William Antongeorgi III…Jonathan Wong)

#10 Carolina Mia (Pedro Terrero…Felix Rondan)

Also Eligibles:

#11 Squared Shady (Evin Roman…Jeff Bonde)

#12 Vegan (Ruben Fuentes…Andy Mathis)

BERKELEYSIDE ARTICLE HIGLIGHTS “COMEBACK KID” PEDRO TERRERO

“Pedro Terrero’s miraculous recovery has taken more than two years, but he’s back riding horses in Albany-only now at the front of the pick.”

On Sunday, Golden Gate trainer and freelance writer Aggie Ordonez highlighted the amazing comeback story of jockey Pedro Terrero, who has the most wins out of any rider at the current Fall Meet with 16 trips to the winner’s circle.

To read the full article, click on this link: https://www.berkeleyside.org/2021/11/14/pedro-terrero-jockey-golden-gate-fields-albany-berkeley-california

CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week.

FRIDAY

Race 1: Red Hot Cat (New trainer Tirso Rivera…New owner Manuela Franco Sosa)

Race 5: Imperial Creed (Isidro Tamayo…Raymond Brogliatti, Michael Fried and Isidro Tamayo)

Race 8: Bourbonwithatwist (Tim Bellasis…Cassandra Tschanz and Tim Bellasis)

Race 8: Minsky (Jamey Thomas…Kevin Melder and Jamey Thomas)

SATURDAY

Race 5: Absolute Scenes (Isidro Tamayo…Leon Scott)

Race 8: Sojourner Truth (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)

SUNDAY

Race 1: Wind in His Sail (Owner/Trainer Dan Franko)

Race 5: Megameister (Pablo De Jesus…Cindy Winschell)

Race 5: Storming Warrior (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)

FINISH LINES: Happy birthday to Golden Gate Fields General Manager and Vice President David Duggan, who celebrated his birthday yesterday…4-year-old filly Dynasty of Her Own is a perfect 8 for 8 on the main-track Tapeta at Golden Gate. In this Saturday’s fourth race, she is the headliner in an allowance field that includes multiple Emerald Downs stakes winner and Washington-state champion Daffodil Sweet…Trainer Reid France picked up his 100^th career win with Lagatha in Race 7 last Sunday. Coincidentally, winning jockey Irving Orozco won his 100^th race of the year with the gate-to-wire victory…Golden Gateallowance winner Tesoro will tackle stakes company on Tuesday, November 23 at Zia Park in New Mexico. He runs in Race 8, the $250,000 Zia Park Derby for 3-year-olds at one mile and a sixteenth. Regular rider Francisco Monroy is named to ride once again for trainer O.J. Jauregui…2020 El Camino Real Derby winner Azul Coast runs in the feature race at Del Mar on Saturday, the $100,000 Native Diver Stakes at 9 furlongs…On Friday at Del Mar, trainer Jamey Thomas saddles GGF shipper Lila At the Beach in the featured seventh race, a California-bred allowance. Abel Cedillo picks up the mount…The Tim McCanna trained Unraptured worked a half mile in 49.80 seconds last Sunday morning, his first recorded workout since an eye-catching maiden win on October 29…Race 2 on Friday has a Super High Five carryover of $5,345. Race 2 is also Leg D of the Stronach 5 wager…The Golden Pick Six jackpot carryover is up to $19,443 heading into Friday’s race card.

MCLEAN HOPING FOR A SWEET BIRTHDAY PRESENT WITH C’MON MAN IN THE GOLDEN NUGGET

Youngsters shine this Saturday in the marquee race of the week at Golden Gate Fields, the $50,000 Golden Nugget Stakes at six furlongs on Tapeta. The Golden Nugget is the first of two stakes races for 2-year-olds on the main track this fall and preludes the $75,000 Gold Rush Stakes on December 4.

The morning line favorite in the Golden Nugget, 2-year-old gelding C’Mon Man, is a perfect 2 for 2 over Tapeta and seeks to extend his win streak to three for trainer Bill McLean. There will be multiple reasons to celebrate after the races if C’Mon Man were to win Saturday’s feature. Not only will C’Mon Man have stamped himself as a top 2-year-old in Northern California, but a win would be a sweet birthday present for McLean, who turns one year older on Saturday.  

“Last year, I had a bunch of live horses entered on the week of my birthday,” said McLean. “Then, we stopped racing that week [due to the COVID-19 pandemic]. This year, we’re going to try again. We’re going for a stakes win this time.”

C’Mon Man sat off a wicked fast pace in his most recent start, a first level allowance race on September 24, and powered to the lead in the final furlong. Two starts back, C’Mon Man broke his maiden by two and a half lengths, sitting off a moderate pace before finding his best stride late. His only career loss came in August, when he finished off-the-board in a maiden race at Del Mar on dirt.

Since his last afternoon appearance, C’Mon Man has recorded three workouts. His most recent drill, a six-furlong work in 1:15 and 1/5 seconds, indicated to McLean that his top 2-year-old is ready to roll.

“I was very pleased with the way he worked the other morning,” said McLean. “He dragged [exercise rider] Mario around there pretty good. He’s got lots of energy. He’s ready. Mario says he’s gotten stronger since we first got him, so he’s maturing.”

C’Mon Man appears to have been a bargain buy. As a yearling, he was purchased at Keeneland for a mere $8,000 by McLean and co-owners Sharon Broetzman, Chris Carpenter, Cheryl Hauk and Doug Planchon. A son of 2016 Breeders Cup Turf Mile winner Tourist, C’Mon Man is out of the stakes-placed Jump Start mare Table Jumper. McLean believes C’Mon Man will enjoy going a route of ground once the time comes to stretch out in distance.

“I think he’ll be better going longer,” said McLean. “[On Saturday] he will sit off and make a run. Hopefully there’s a pace for him to run at.”

Among the contenders set to tackle C’Mon Man in this year’s Golden Nugget is Stanford Bay, a dominating winner of a starter allowance race on October 22 for Tommy Town Thoroughbreds. He is expected to be part of the pace as is Dr. Pescado, who won a maiden special weight in his career debut by 7 lengths before running fourth in the September 24^th allowance race that C’Mon Man won. Highland Ghost wheels back in just one week after a third-place finish routing against tough allowance company off a layoff while Northvale Road, who has not raced since a 15-length loss in the Graduation Stakes for California-breds in August at Del Mar, makes his 3-year-old debut as a first-time gelding.

The Golden Nugget goes as Race 7 on a 9-race card at Golden Gate. First post each live race day this week-and moving forward, is 12:45 PM PT.

$50,000 Golden Nugget Stakes (Race 7 for 2-year-olds at 6 furlongs)

#1 Northvale Road (Jockey Ruben Fuentes…Trainer Ed Moger Jr…12-1)

#2 C’Mon Man (Evin Roman…Bill McLean…1-1)

#3 Dr Pescado (Pedro Terrero…Felix Rondan…5-1)

#4 Highland Ghost (Santos Rivera…O.J. Jauregui…6-1)

#5 Stanford Bay (Brayan Pena…Jonathan Wong…2-1)

I AM YOURS LOOKS TO BUILD ON MAIDEN WIN

The Jonathan Wong trained I Am Yours leads a list of maiden winners in the third race on Saturday, a first level allowance for 2-year-old fillies. Three of the five entrants in the field are local contenders while the last pair, Gianna’s Wild Cat and Rock the Belles, ship north from Southern California.

I Am Yours went off at 8-5 in her career debut at Fresno, a 6-furlong maiden special weight on dirt, and won the race by three-quarters of a length. She was challenged throughout the length of the stretch by runner up finisher Delia Mo, but never wavered when challenged.

“She has always been a one-paced filly in the mornings,” said Wong. “I was actually a little surprised she showed as much tactical speed as she did [in her first start]. There doesn’t appear to be an abundance of pace on Saturday [in Race 3], so she’s either going to be up on the pace or just off it.”  

I Am Yours was sold for $100,000 at the September Keeneland Yearling Sale of 2020. She is by top stallion Quality Road and out of Grade 3 placed Mineshaft mare Dad’s Princess. The third dam (great-grandmother) of I Am Yours is none other than Princess Rooney, a champion older mare who won the very first Breeders Cup Distaff in 1984. She earned $1.3 million as a racehorse and won five Grade I’s throughout an illustrious career. Her list of Grade I wins includes the Distaff, the Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park, the Spinster at Keeneland, the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, and the Frizette at Belmont Park.

Also in Friday’s third race is the Steve Specht trained Ellamira, who broke her maiden by two and a half lengths against California-bred maiden special weight company on October 23 and did so handily. The third-place finisher in that race, stablemate Tam’s Little Angel, came back to defeat maiden special weight foes in her next start. Gold Rush Gal, returning to the races in 15 days for trainer Isidro Tamayo, is a California-bred who defeated open company at the maiden special weight level and also faces winners for the first time.

California-bred Gianna’s Wild Cat defeated California-bred maiden special weight rivals at Del Mar over the summer before losing by double-digit lengths in the Graduation Stakes for state-breds. She has been given three months off since the “no-show” and makes her first start for the Tim Yakteen barn. Rock the Belles, conditioned by Luis Mendez, won a maiden race at Del Mar in August but has since finished off the board in two consecutive tries against stakes competition. She drops in class significantly for this assignment.  

Saturday Allowance (Race 3 for 2-year-old fillies at five and-one-half furlongs)

#1 Gold Rush Gal (Jockey Francisco Monroy…Trainer Isidro Tamayo…Morning Line Odds of 8-1)

#2 Ellamira (Catalino Martinez…Steve Specht…4-1)

#3 I Am Yours (William Antongeorgi III…Jonathan Wong…7-2)

#4 Gianna’s Wild Cat (Irving Orozco…Tim Yakteen…5-2)

#5 Rock the Belles (Evin Roman…Luis Mendez…8-5)

CAMINO DEL PARAISO POSSIBLE FOR BERKELEY HANDICAP NEXT

This past Saturday, 8-year-old gelding Camino Del Paraiso displayed class and grit to win the $50,000 Joseph T. Grace Stakes. With the Joseph T. Grace Stakes victory, Camino Del Paraiso has now won four consecutive Golden Gate Fields stakes races. Among them: the 2020 and 2021 editions of the Joseph T. Grace and the 2020 and 2021 Rolling Green on turf.

Sent off at odds of even money last Saturday, Camino Del Paraiso sat behind the pace in the first part of the race and had to check off heels early in the clubhouse turn. After settling towards the back of the field, he began to gather momentum on the far turn, waited for racing room turning for home and kicked on when a clear path presented itself. Camino Del Paraiso passed early pacesetter Mecklenburg in midstretch and went on to pick up the gold prize by a length and three-quarters over Southern California shipper Big Fish, who charged from the back of the pack to finish second.

Although nothing is set and stone at this point, it appears that trainer O.J. Jauregui and owner Herb Moniz of Paradise Road Ranch LLC are strongly considering wheeling back Camino Del Paraiso in three weeks for the Berkeley Handicap, a Grade 3 race on Tapeta with a $100,000 purse. Per a text from Moniz, “Hopefully Camino can keep it going in the Berkeley in 3 weeks.”

Camino Del Paraiso has won 9 races, with 12 second and 4 thirds, from 44 lifetime starts. His career earnings sit at $559,392.

CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week:

FRIDAY

Race 7: Ted (New trainer Victor Trujillo…new owner Eric D. Burton)

Race 7: Tom’s Surprise (Jack Steiner…Remmah Racing Inc.)

Race 9: Tiz Vicious (Owner/trainer Leobardo Rivera)

SATURDAY

Race 11: Toni Two Pocket (Guillermo Preciado…Linda Lou Lonnberg)

SUNDAY

Race 2: Tick Tock (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)

Race 5: Concur (Isidro Tamayo…John Tipton)

Race 5: Unbridled’s Skye (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)

Race 7: Purr Cat (Isidro Tamayo…Leon Scott)

Race 7: Star a Runnin (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)

Race 10: Miss Ski (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables and Sergio Salguero)

Race 11: Cameo Shores (Jonathan Wong…Madden Racing)

FINISH LINES: $8,966 is carried over into the Golden Pick 6 jackpot wager while the Super High Five has a carryover of $8,614 heading into the second race on Friday…Happy birthday to trainers Gloria Haley and Bill McLean, who turn one year older this week…2019 All American Stakes winner Restrainedvengence rounded out the trifecta in last Saturday’s $1,000,000 Breeders Cup Dirt Mile, finishing behind top class racers Life Is Good and Ginobili…Also on Saturday, trainer Ed Moger Jr. saddled Stilleto Boy to a fifth place finish in the $6,000,000 Breeders Cup Classic. He picked up $180,000 for his connections…Last Friday, Golden Gate maiden winner Astronomer shocked the world with a 30-1 upset in the $150,000 Qatar Golden Mile for 2-year-olds at Del Mar. In the same race, the Jonathan Wong trained Boise ran fourth, only losing by a half-length in a four-way driving finish…Leg D of the Stronach 5 wager goes as Race 2 at Golden Gate on Friday.

AFTER 1,500 CAREER WINS, ANTONGEORGI CONTINUES TO ENJOY THE RIDE

Last Saturday afternoon, jockey William Antongeorgi III picked up career victory 1,500 aboard the Jonathan Wong trained Reiwa in Race 9, a first level allowance race. Days removed from the milestone win, Antongeorgi was still smiling.

“I think that any rider that reaches 1,000 [wins], it shows they put a lot of time and effort into the sport,” said Antongeorgi. “If you can reach 1,000 wins, it means you’ve been dedicated. For me, every other notch above that is something you should be proud of. You have to put in a lot of hard work day in and day out, year after year. Horse racing can be a tough game sometimes-there are a lot of ups and downs being a jockey-but you have to keep showing up and giving it your best.”

Antongeorgi, who has been a mainstay in Bay Area racing for the past decade, has won most of his races in Northern California. After Race 9 on Saturday, Antongeorgi’s wife Jenn presented him with a plaque. Following the third race on Sunday, a celebratory winner’s circle ceremony for Antongeorgi was filled with fellow riders, trainers, racing officials, owners and Golden Gate Fields management.

“I was really grateful that Golden Gate did that,” said Antongeorgi. “My wife went out of her way to make me feel special [with the plaque], so that was really neat. She’s always been a very big supporter of mine…ever since we met.”

Through trials, turbulations and successes, Antongeorgi looks back and not only appreciates the people and horses who have supported him along the way, but the process in which those victories have cone to fruition. Throughout his career, Antongeorgi has prided himself in working hard to always improve his craft, and he believes milestone victories are a symbol of continued advancement and dedication.

“To me, what has made me a good rider and what has made a lot of guys good riders is the repetition,” said Antongeorgi. “You have to learn every day. Every race is different, and every horse is different, and you have to learn how to deal with that every day. You’ve gotta be able to react when something doesn’t go as planned. That comes back to experience and being out there and riding, and knowing that if Plan A doesn’t work or even Plan B or C, then you gotta go to Plan D. Every race is different, and every experience is important. You always want to keep getting better. It’s always a learning process.”

Time has flown by for Antongeorgi. For now, he says, he’ll take it day by day and enjoy the sweet moments as they come.

“You know how they say, ‘life goes by quick?’ I look back and it feels like I was just an 18-year-old bugboy back at Hollywood Park. It feels like that was just the other day. Now I’m 34 and I’ve won 1,500 races. It’s crazy.”

MCCANNA HAS A WEEK TO REMEMBER

This past racing week, trainer Tim McCanna won with 7 of his 11 starters. Not too shabby. The hot streak included a trio of wins from three of McCanna’s stable stars: multiple stakes winner Top Harbor, classy sprinter Rebalation and impressive first-time starter Unraptured.

3-year-old colt Top Harbor scored his second career stakes victory in Sunday’s feature race, the $75,000 El Dorado Shooter Stakes for California-bred or sired sprinters. Ridden by Frank Alvarado, Top Harbor sat off the speed, railed on the inside down the stretch and edged out runner up finisher In Our A to win the six-furlong contest by a slender nose.

“I thought we got nipped at the wire,” said McCanna. “My wife Jan said, ‘Keep your head up. He ran a great race.’ Then the photo [finish] result came up and what do you know…he got the bob. He ran hard. He was tired after the race, but he came out of it well and ate up his dinner.”

Three races later, Top Harbor’s older sister Rebalation defeated nine other allowance runners in a dazzling display. Sent off as the 9-5 post time favorite, Rebalation sat off the pace before producing a strong kick in the final furlong and drawing away for a two-length score.

“She’s a neat mare,” said McCanna. “We’ve had to stop on her a couple times, but the owners have been patient. She tries hard for us every race.”  

Unraptured, a new name to the Northern California racing circuit, was well regarded heading into his career debut on Friday. Off at odds of 2-5, Unraptured sat towards the back of the field early, made a big move on the far turn to challenge the leaders at the top of the stretch and powered away from his company, winning by three and a half lengths while geared down in the final stages.

“We’ve always thought highly of [Unraptured],” said McCanna. “I thought he’d show more speed in the beginning of the race but coming out of the gate, another horse came out on him, and he had to take up a little bit. We’ve worked him behind horses in the mornings and he’s been real push button. He’s a nice horse.”

A Florida-bred son of Uncaptured, Unraptured was purchased for $70,000 at the 2021 OBS 2-year-old in training sale last April. Unraptured is a half sibling to Grade I placed and Grade 3 winner Jalen Journey, an earner of $503,674. Another sibling, Derek Adrian, was a Grade I winner in South America and finished his 2-year-old season a perfect 7 for 7. Derek Adrian won 12 of 16 lifetime starts.

McCanna, who won one race on Saturday and three on Friday and Sunday, is having a terrific 2021. From 301 starters, McCanna has won 67 races, equating to a 22%-win percentage. His trainees have hit the board in 53% of their starts.

McCanna admits he was not totally surprised that many his entrants put up strong showings last week. That said, he has been in horse racing long enough to understand that hard work, smooth trips, and luck are all factors in getting to the winner’s circle.  

“I thought we had a lot of live horses last week, but I always think we’re live,” chuckled McCanna. “Sometimes you think you are going to have a good week and you lay a goose egg. Luckily, a lot of things went our way this time. It was a fun week, that’s for sure.”

CAMINO DEL PARAISO STILL GOING STRONG AT AGE 8

Three-time Golden Gate Fields stakes winner Camino Del Paraiso seeks a fourth consecutive Northern California stakes trophy in the signature race on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields, the $50,000 Joseph T. Grace at one mile and a sixteenth on turf.

Camino Del Paraiso enters Saturday’s feature having just run against grade 2 company at Santa Anita, finishing an off-the-board in the John Henry Turf Championship. The class relief to this ungraded stake will surely be to his benefit. Trained by O.J. Jauregui, Camino Del Paraiso passed the $500,000 career earnings mark two-starts ago when defeating stakes foes in the 2021 Rolling Green Stakes on September 6. Last year, Camino Del Paraiso won the Joseph T. Grace and the Rolling Green.

A host of pursuers are ready to take on Camino Del Paraiso. Among them are Harmon and Mecklenburg, the third and fourth place finishers in the 2021 Rolling Green. Honos Man has better-than-ever form under the care of Quinn Howey and gets back to turf after a second-place finish in the Bulldog Stakes on dirt at Fresno behind the classy Zestful.  Union Dance, a multiple allowance winner at Golden Gate, finished off the board in the Bulldog Stakes and looks to rebound.

I’mgonnabesomebody has won two races in a row-a starter allowance at Del Mar and a first level allowance on the turf at Golden Gate-and makes his stakes debut with an improving pattern for trainer Bill McLean. Wine and Whisky has also won two races in a row recently, both at the first-level allowance condition, and bumps up in class. Chief Jackson wheels back in two weeks after a fast starter allowance win, rounding out the field of local contenders.

The lone Southern California shipper in the race is the Dave Hoffmans trained Big Fish. The California-bred makes his third start off a layoff, having finished off the board in two starts in Southern California so far this year.

Post time on Saturday, an 11-race program, is 11:10 AM. Along with grandstand admission and our usual ticketing options, Golden Gate’s turf club will be hosting a VIP Breeders Cup Watch Party. For more information and to purchase tickets to the party, please visit Goldengatefields.com

Race 11: 2021 Joseph T. Grace Stakes (One-mile and a sixteenth on turf)

#1 Union Dance (12-1 morning line, Jockey Evin Roman…trainer Isidro Tamayo)

#2 Camino Del Paraiso (1-1, Catalino Martinez…O.J. Jauregui)

#3 Loafers Boy (15-1, Pedro Terrero…Leanna Ekstrom)

#4 Big Fish (12-1, Irving Orozco…David Hofmans)

#5 Harmon (4-1, Frank Alvarado, Monty Meier)

#6 Mecklenburg (5-1, Ruben Fuentes…Steve Sherman)

#7 Chief Jackson (15-1, William Antongeorgi III…D. Wayne Baker)

#8 Wine and Whisky (20-1, Cristobal Herrera…Felix Rondan)

#9 I’mgonnabesomebody (10-1, Santos Rivera…Bill McLean)

PLENTY OF GOLDEN GATE INFLUENCE ON BOTH BREEDERS CUP CARDS AT DEL MAR

Several stakes races on the Breeders Cup Friday and Saturday programs feature horses that ship in from Golden Gate, or at the very least have competed here in prior starts. Here’s a look at some of our “hometown heroes”:

Friday

Race 2 (Qatar Mile for 2 YO’s on turf): #1 Astronomer broke his maiden at Golden Gate Fields for trainer Simon Callaghan on October 2, winning by about five lengths that day. World renowned rider Ryan Moore takes the call on the son of Air Force Blue. #9 Boise was an impressive debut winner sprinting on the turf in late September. He now tries routing and stakes company for the first time. Trainer Jonathan Wong employs the services of top North American jockey Jose Ortiz to ride.

Race 3 (Golden State Juvenile Fillies for 2 YO Cal-bred or sired fillies): #7 Vronsky Feint cuts back from a route to this 7-furlong sprint after a gutsy victory over maiden special weight turf foes on October 1. Classy rider Luis Saez will be in the saddle for trainer Ed Moger Jr. Breaking right outside of Vronsky Feint is #8 Rose Maddox, who won on debut at GGF on September 11. Most recently, the Steve Miyadi trainee tried routing at Santa Anita and came up a neck short of a second career win. 

Race 5 (Golden State Juvenile for 2 YO Cal-bred or sired horses): Three Golden Gate contenders are part of a large 13 horse field. #7 Lmlooknformischief enters off a sharp maiden win last month for trainer Faith Taylor. Two starts ago, Lmlookinformischief was beaten as the favorite by #13 Bandera Azteca, who was a late supplement into this stake by trainer Victor Trujillo. The classiest of the Golden Gate shippers is allowance winner #8 Love Candy, conditioned by Ed Moger Jr. He one of three entrants that have already defeated winners, having won a Golden Gate allowance race in August.

Saturday

Race 2 (Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes): All American Stakes second and third place finishers #3 Cupid’s Claws and #5 Zestful are entered in this mile and five eighths marathon. Peter Miller trains both geldings and has picked up a pair of out-of-state riders for the assignments: Luis Saez rides Cupid’s Claws and Florent Geroux will navigate Zestful. Jonthan Wong entered recent Golden Gate winner Mad Grace but noted earlier this week he may scratch in favor of an easier spot.

Race 5 (Breeders Cup Turf Sprint): #4 Lieutenant Dan has won three races in a row this year-all turf sprints-and faces his toughest test yet in this 5-furlong dash. Regular rider Geovanni Franco retains the mount for trainer Steve Miyadi. In March of 2019, Lieutenant Dan was an impressive allowance winner at Golden Gate and ran third that same year in the one-mile Silky Sullivan Stakes.

Race 6 (Breeders Cup Dirt Mile): #6 Restrainedvengence won the All-American Stakes at Golden Gate in 2020. His most recent Northern California appearance was almost 7 months ago, when the Val Brinkerhoff trainee completed the trifecta in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile. Edwin Maldonado is slated to ride.

Race 12 (Breeders Cup Classic): #7 Stilleto Boy was purchased by trainer Ed Moger Jr. and his brother Steve after an open-length victory in the Iowa Derby over the spring. Most recently, the son of Shackleford finished second behind #8 Medina Spirit in the Awesome Again Stakes under Kent Desormeaux, who will get a leg back up for the marquee race on Breeders Cup week.

BREEDERS CUP CLASSIC PICKS

Who is going to win America’s richest race? Golden Gate Fields personnel weigh in on their 2021 Breeders Cup Classic selections.  

-Billy Antongeorgi III (jockey):Essential Quality “He’s a fighter. He’s proven he can get the job done.”

–Bill Delia (trainer): Hot Rod Charlie “I watched him work the other day and he worked dynamite.”

-Matt Dinerman (track announcer): Essential Quality “The pace is going to be fast. Essential Quality will come running and I’m thinking he grinds it out.”

–David Duggan (General Manager/Vice President of GGF): Essential Quality “He’s all class.”

-Assael Espinoza (jockey): Knicks Go “He’s got a lot of speed. Having speed on Del Mar’s dirt track is important because it holds there.”

-Reid France (trainer): Essential Quality “He’s done nothing wrong. With a better trip in the Kentucky Derby, he’d be undefeated, and I think he’s still peaking.”

-Ruben Fuentes (jockey): Knicks Go “He’s coming into the race in top form. He also has a high cruising speed which is great for the mile and a quarter, and he’s got a very patient rider [Joel Rosario] who knows Del Mar well.”

-O.J. Jauregui (trainer): Max Player “I believe there will be a hot pace, so someone a little off the pace could get it done.”

–Lisa Jones (Racing Official): Hot Rod Charlie “Rooting for my friend [trainer] Doug O’Neill. The support he has shown me and Golden Gate Fields is very special. He is one of the best!”

–Patrick Mackey (Director of Racing/Racing Secretary): Knicks Go “He has edge over many of these in the experience category and will be awfully tough to catch as he most certainly should be in front.”

-Steve Martinelli (morning line maker, racing official): Stilleto Boy “There’s a lot of speed in the race and I think Stilleto Boy is getting better and better each start. He’s a live longshot.”

-Tim McCanna (trainer) Knicks Go “He’s been doing things really easy.”

-Bill McLean (trainer): Knicks Go “Speed is so good at Del Mar. He’s fast.”

-Jacqui Navarre (trainer): Hot Rod Charlie “His numbers are trending up. Sentimentally, I would love to see Moger [Stilleto Boy] get them all!”

-Fernando “Shoes” Navarro (jockey agent): Essential Quality “I think Knicks Go is the best horse, but Essential Quality is probably gonna get the trip.”

–Aggie Ordonez (trainer): Hot Rod Charlie “It’s that time of year when good 3-year-olds mature and take a step forward to be on par with the older horses. I think he’ll run down Knick Go in the final sixteenth.”

-Irving Orozco (jockey): Essential Quality “I think Knicks Go is the one to beat, but the pace could get hot and it might set up for Essential Quality. I’m also happy to see Ed Moger Jr.’s horse competing in such a prestigious race. I’ll be rooting for him.”

William Rizzuto (Assistant General Manager of GGF): Essential Quality “The Classic seems to have a lot of speed. I believe Essential Quality will get a nice stalking trip.

Jerry Stone (Racing Official): Art Collector “Bill Mott rarely ships to the West unless he’s confident, price will be good, and he’s convinced Mike Smith to take the mount!”

-Isidro Tamayo (trainer): Medina Spirit “He won with his ears pricked last time. Bob Baffert has these horses ready to go on big days like this.”

-Tina Walker Bryant (racing official): Hot Rod Charlie “He’s a good-looking horse and I really like Doug O’Neill. Him and his team are all class!”

-Jonathan Wong (trainer): Art Collector “He’s really sharp right now. I’m looking for a horse off the fast pace.”

BAY AREA MEDIA LEGEND SAM SPEAR PASSES AWAY AT AGE 72

Golden Gate Fields is saddened to learn of the passing of Bay Area media legend Sam Spear following a lengthy illness. Spear, born November 3, 1948, in Oakland and raised in Alameda, was a lifelong horse racing fan. After graduating from St. Joseph’s Alameda and San Francisco State, he quickly became a major fixture at thoroughbred racetracks throughout Northern California.

Sam was employed in the racing industry for over four decades. He served as media relations director at Golden Gate Fields and Bay Meadows, assisting media personnel, horsemen, front side staff, owners, breeders, horseplayers, and fans. Sam thoroughly enjoyed helping others and was devoted to creating the best possible experience for those he encountered on and off the track. His affable personality quickly made him a “fan favorite” amongst fans and horsemen, and he was often seen chatting it up with turf club patrons and railbirds alike.

One would be hard pressed to find an individual who did more to promote Northern California racing than Sam Spear. Sam starred in a popular replay show on KTSF-Channel 26 that began in 1978 and ran until 2017. He also hosted “At the Track with Sam Spear,” a weekly radio program every Sunday morning that attracted a large following of listeners and some of racing’s biggest names as guests on the show. Spear had contacts with every newspaper and news station in the Bay Area, and successfully promoted horse racing through these channels. 

Sam was described as a “human encyclopedia” for all things horse racing and Bay Area Sports-Giants, A’s, 49ers, Raiders, Warriors and more. His uncanny ability to remember specific races, names, dates, and statistics was second to none. Sam was a natural storyteller and enjoyed sharing memories from the past using humor, wit, and charm. Spear was also a big supporter of the younger generations and a mentor to many journalists, television/radio personalities and race callers who have gone on to be very successful in their respective fields of work.

The Golden Fields racing community will never forget Sam Spear and the countless contributions he made to Northern California horse racing and the community at large. From all of us at Golden Gate Fields, we extend our deepest condolences to Sam’s family and friends.

FINISH LINES: First post at Golden Gate Fields on Friday afternoon is 12:08 PM while first post on Saturday is 11:10 AM. In additional to playing all races from Golden Gate, fans can also watch and wager on all the races on the Breeders Cup Friday and Saturday cards from Del Mar…5-year-old mare Dynasty of Her Own is a perfect 8 for 8 on the Tapeta after a gate-to-wire score against allowance sprinters in Sunday’s ninth race. Congratulations to owner Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, trainer Jonathan Wong and jockey Evin Roman…$2,477 is carried over into the Rolling Super High Five pool for the next race on Friday in which the aforementioned wager is offered…Happy birthday to trainer O.J. Jauregui and jockeys Santos Rivera and Frank Alvarado, all who celebrate birthdays in the next seven days.

IN OUR A CONTINUES TO PAINT A CONSISTANT PICTURE HEADING INTO EL DORADO SHOOTER STAKES

5-year-old gelding In Our A has yet to finish worse than second in nine lifetime starts. Most recently, the California-bred gelding defeated second-level allowance foes in a September 3 six-furlongs sprint. This Sunday, In Our A tackles stakes company for the first time in the feature race of the day, the $75,000 El Dorado Shooter for California-bred or sired sprinters. Trainer Ellen Jackson is optimistic he will give his best effort just like he always does.

“He loves to train and he loves his job,” said Jackson. “He just loves to run. He’s a kind horse to ride. You can put him up on the pace or take him back and ask him to run on. He’ll do whatever you ask him to do.”

Jackson has been patient with In Our A. He did not race at two and, after winning his first career start at astronomical odds of 68-1, was given 21 months off. He also took time off from March to August of this year.

“He’s had some issues along the way,” said Jackson. “I will never run a horse that’s not right. I’m patient with the horses and make sure they’re 100% before we run. He’s doing really well right now.”

Jackson, who owns and operates Victory Rose Thoroughbreds in Vacaville, will send horses to her farm to recuperate from any physical issues. Even if a horse needs a mental break, says Jackson, the farm is a good place for horses to recharge their batteries.

“I’ve found that even sending horses to the farm for a week or two…they really enjoy it,” says Jackson. “You let them go out to pasture, eat some grass and enjoy running around and grazing. It really helps their mind.”

Owned by Jackson and Kim and Kevin Nish of KMN Racing, In Our A certainly possesses the pedigree to be a successful racehorse. He is by Grade I winner Idiot Proof and out of the mare Onefunsonofagun, making him a full sibling to 3-time stake winner and 392k earner Bulletproof One. His other two siblings who have raced are 261k and 132k earners, respectively, and have won fourteen races between them.

“It’s really amazing,” said Jackson. “Onefunsonofagun gives everything to her foals.”

Among the list of challengers to take on In Our A this Sunday are the top two finishers of a second level allowance race on September 25, Top Harbor and War Games. The latter gelding beat In Our A in a race on August 1 while In Our A turned the tables in their next matchup two weeks later.

“[In Our A] beat us once but we beat him once,” said War Games’ trainer, Cliff DeLima. “I think it’s about who gets the best trip. This is a good field but [War Games] is a good horse. He is not a very big horse, but he fights. He’s fast. He’ll be up on the pace.”

DeLima would surely be honored to win Sunday’s feature race. He trained El Dorado Shooter, who won 12 races from 33 starts including the Grade 3 Bay Meadows Handicap in 2003. El Dorado Shooter was owned by Cliff’s wife Barbara, who also owns War Games.

Top Harbor caught War Games in the final sixteenth of a mile two starts ago and earned a career high Beyer speed figure (91) in the process. He returned two weeks later in the Harris Farm Stakes at Fresno and finished as the runner up behind Southern California shipper Fashionably Fast.

Harris Farm Stakes bronze medalist Jamming Eddy and R M C Hookem round out the field of entrants in the 2021 El Dorado Shooter.

First post on Sunday afternoon is 12:10 PM. 97 entrants comprise the 11-race program, with above average field sizes and quality races from beginning to end.

Race 7 on Sunday: the $75,000 El Dorado Shooter (Six furlongs)

#1 Top Harbor (Jockey Frank Alvarado…Trainer Tim McCanna)

#2 Jamming Eddy (Catalino Martinez…Quinn Howey)

#3 R M C Hook’em (Brayan Pena…Victor Trujillo)

#4 In Our A (Cristobal Herrera…Ellen Jackson)

#5 War Games (Francisco Duran…Cliff DeLima)

MOGER READIES STILLETO BOY FOR BREEDERS CUP CLASSIC

Golden Gate based trainer Ed Moger Jr. will saddle a contender in North America’s richest horse race, the $6,000,000 Breeders Cup Classic, on Saturday, November 5. Moger campaigns Stilleto Boy, a 3-year-old son of Shackleford that will contest the one-mile and a quarter distance for the first time.

Stilleto Boy earned a spot in the ‘Classic starting gate after running second to Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit in the Grade I Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on October 2. He placed ahead of San Diego Handicap winner Express Train and Pacific Classic winner Tripoli, both who are also slated to compete in the Breeders Cup Classic.

In the first half of 2021, Stilleto Boy raced in the Midwest under the care of trainer Doug Anderson. He broke his maiden at Oaklawn Park and later won the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows. After the Iowa Derby victory, Stilleto Boy was purchased for $430,000 by Ed’s brother, owner Steve Moger, at the Fasig-Tipton Horses of Racing Age sale in July. Since the acquisition, Stilleto Boy has run twice on dirt for Moger-the second-place effort in the Awesome Again and a third in the Shared Belief Stakes behind Medina Spirit and 2021 Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World. His only off-the-board finish for Moger came in the La Jolla Handicap on turf, three weeks after the purchase.

“We ran him back [in the La Jolla] and he just wasn’t at his best,” said Moger. “He’s actually doing quite better than when we first got him. We took blinkers off to get him to relax and he’s done better without them.”

On Thursday, September 21, Stilleto Boy breezed five furlongs in 1:02.20 seconds under jockey Kent Desormeaux, who was aboard in the Awesome Again and rides back in the Breeders Cup Classic.

“[Kent] said he could have gone around three more times at that speed,” said Moger. “He loves the horse. He’s got tactical speed. I hope they go fast up front [in the Classic] and he comes running.

This past Wednesday, Stilleto Boy posted his final move before the Classic, this time working five furlongs in a speedy 59.80 seconds. It was the fastest work of the fifteen recorded at the distance that morning.

Along with the Breeders Cup races, a handful of Golden Gate shippers will compete in “undercard” stakes races before the Breeders Cup events.

In the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile Fillies for 2-year-old California bred or sired fillies, Moger runs two-turn GGF maiden special weight winner Vronsky Feint. He’s also scheduled to enter Love Candy in the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile for 2-year-old California-bred or sired colts and geldings. Both races are contested at seven furlongs.

“It’s not necessarily easy for 2-year-olds to go seven furlongs,” said Moger. “The distance won’t be a problem for Vronsky Feint. She just won at a mile. Love Candy is a real steady horse. I think he’ll like the seven furlongs.”

Leading Golden Gate trainer Jonathan Wong noted that GGF maiden special weight winner Boise will stretch out to a route of ground in next Friday’s $150,000 Qatar Golden Mile Stakes at one mile on turf.

“He’s always shown us that he can really run,” said Wong. “He’s always trained good on the dirt, actually. I think he can stretch out. [Jockey] Armando [Ayuso] got him to relax [in his first start] and he finished really well. He was really professional.”

The Qatar Golden Mile attracted a long list of 29 nominations. If the race overfills and Boise fails to draw into the field, Wong has a backup plan.

“If he doesn’t get in [to the Qatar Golden Mile], we’ll likely keep him at Golden Gate and run in the [6-furlong] Golden Nugget Stakes [on November 13],” said Wong.

The Breeders Cup, held at Del Mar this year, is a two-day event. Day 1 is next Friday, November 3, with first post on a 10-race program at 11:55 AM PT. First post for Day 2 on Saturday, November 4, is 10:15 AM PT. Saturday’s card will have 12 races.

On Saturday, November 4, Golden Gate Fields hosts a “Breeders Cup Watch Party” in the fourth-floor turf club. Fans who wish to attend this event can purchase tickets online at Goldengatefields.com. Along with watching and wagering on all 12 Saturday races from Del Mar, a continental breakfast and “all you can eat” buffet will be available to those who attend.

CALIFORNIA INVADER WISHING ON A STAR TAKES ON LOCALS IN PIKE PLACE DANCER

Saturday’s signature race is the $75,000 Pike Place Dancer Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at one mile on turf. The morning line favorite, Wishing On a Star, has yet to cross the wire first.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Wishing On a Star kicked off her with a midfield finish sprinting at Del Mar over the summer. She returned two-and-a-half months later and checked in third going a route of ground in a maiden special weight at Santa Anita. Both starts were on the grass.

Wishing On a Star, purchased for $270,000 at the popular OBS sale last April, is out of a half-sibling to Group I turf winner Nebraska Tornado and Group 2 turf winner Burning Sun. Another sibling, Imprecation, is the dam of 2019 El Camino Real Derby winner Anotherwistafate.

The most accomplished local contender is Code Ribbon, the lone entrant in the field to have already defeated maiden winners. Two starts ago, she won a first level allowance race sprinting on Tapeta. She checked in third in her most recent afternoon appearance at Fresno on dirt.

Sen Sen faces winners for the first time while also trying routing and grass after three consecutive sprint races over Tapeta. Most recently, she took a maiden special weight field gate to wire in a six-furlong dash. Vaping Angel also tries winners for the first time, though she already has route experience under her belt. Trained by Felix Rondan, Vaping Angel defeated maiden special weight company going a mile on September 4.

Irish Wahine is another that makes her turf route debut. Her best effort to date came in August when completing the superfecta in the $100,000 CTBA Stakes at Del Mar. Her only start at Golden Gate was in her career debut on May 28, when she beat next-out winner Lion’s Lair and a handful of others in a maiden special weight. She removes blinkers while stretching out in distance for trainer Ed Moger Jr.    

Jessebear completes the field. The Aggie Ordonez trainee is still a maiden, having run fourth against male counterparts in her sole lifetime start.

10-races made the overnight for Saturday’s program, with first post set at 12:45 PM.

Race 7 on Saturday: $75,000 Pike Place Dancer Stakes (one mile on turf)

#1 Code Ribbon (Jockey Frank Alvarado…trainer Jacqui Navarre)

#2 Vaping Angel (Pedro Terrero…Felix Rondan)

#3 Wishing On a Star (Irving Orozco…Michael McCarthy)

#4 Sen Sen (Catalino Martinez…Steve Specht)

#5 Irish Wahine (Assael Espinoza…Ed Moger Jr.)

#6 Jessebear (Francisco Duran…Aggie Ordonez)

CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week.

FRIDAY

Race 1: Muchtomysurprise (New owner/trainer Dan Franko)

Race 2: Heat Seeking Leta (New trainer Tim McCanna…new owner Alan G. Mindell)

Race 7: Alesha (Jack Steiner…Remmah Racing Inc.)

SATURDAY

Race 2: Lord Wimborne (Owner/Trainer Victor Trujillo)

Race 5: Short Rib (Marcia Stortz…Stanley Spano and Stortz)

FINISH LINES: Good luck to 3-year-old gelding Jungle Cry, who races in the one-mile-and-an-eighth $200,000 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita this Sunday. Jockey Kyle Frey will navigate for trainer Steve Specht. Jungle Cry won the Robert Dupret Derby in August and comes off a runner up finish behind Camino Del Paraiso in the Rolling Green Stakes last month…Congratulations to jockey Pedro Flores, who rode a winner aboard his first mount in almost a year since suffering an injury last fall. Flores guided 6-year-old mare Somara to victory in last Friday’s second race…The first Golden Gate Fields starter for California stallion/Grade I winner Midnight Storm is entered in Race 3 on Friday. Midnight’s Girl, a 2-year-old filly in a maiden special weight, drew post 3 and will be ridden by William Antongeorgi III…Also, the first GGF starter for California stallion/Grade I winner Hard Aces goes in the opener on Friday. Split Aces, owned by Hronis Racing LLC, drew the rail and will be ridden by Assael Espinoza…Leg E (the last leg) of the Stronach 5 wager this week goes as Race 3 at Golden Gate on Friday…Happy birthday to trainer Jeff Bonde, who celebrates his birthday on Saturday.  

LATE PICK 4 SEQUENCE ENTICING ON SATURDAY’S 9-RACE PROGRAM

Saturday’s Late Pick 4 sequence attracted 38 entries, with three additional “also eligible” entrants in Race 7. With healthy field sizes, competitive races and good quality throughout the sequence, bettors nationwide will likely be enthused to play.

Race 6, a one mile and a sixteenth starter allowance race, drew eight runners. The 5-2 morning line favorite is #1 Chief Jackson, who ran at this condition last time and suffered an unlucky trip racing behind horses. Even so, he managed to run second and earned a career high Beyer speed figure for the effort. Although Chief Jackson is arguably the one to beat, one could make a strong case for pretty much every horse in the race. Six of the eight entrants are 6-1 on the morning line or lower.

Race 7 is a 5-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies. Second time starter Savage Love is the mild 7-2 morning line favorite in a race that appears as a real “grab-bag.” Nine of the 13 entrants in the race are 8-1 or lower on the morning line. With a maximum of 10 runners eligible to race, the three outside entrants (#11 Grazie Daisy, #12 Don’t Tell Hydee and #13 Midnight’s Girl) sit on the also eligible list and will draw into the race if there are defections.

11 routers take to Tapeta in Race 8, a first level allowance at one mile and a sixteenth. #9 Pour On the Cole is tabbed as the lukewarm 7-2 morning line favorite while making his first start off the claim for trainer Victor Trujillo. The son of Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist comes off a decisive win at this level and will prove tough to beat if he can duplicate his last race. The Richard Mandella trained Explosive, who makes his first career start going a route of ground, broke his maiden at Golden Gate earlier in the year and will likely get bet, as will synthetic specialists #8 Claim of Passion and #6 Friday’s At Shady. The former gelding comes off a layoff while the latter has won five of his last six afternoon appearances.

A field of nine enters the starting gate in the finale, Race 9, a maiden 25k claimer for 2-year-olds at 5 and a one-half furlongs. #3 Lying Ghost finished as the runner up in his last start and has been awarded the morning line favorite status. Quirky Chaos, making his second career start for the Jonathan Wong barn, had to settle for second in his first career race and looks to take a step forward while bumping up in class. Southern California conditioner Peter Miller sends class dropper Summanus to Northern California in search of a maiden win while first time starters Klimtoglory and Will is Chill look to make an impact in their career debuts.

No races were carded for turf this week owing to projected wet weather. Golden Gate Fields officials will continue to monitor the weather and turf course’s condition with the hopes of returning to the lawn for next week’s races.  

COWBOYS DAUGHTER GETS THE ACID TEST IN SUNDAY FEATURE

4-year-old filly Cowboys Daughter has been a productive claim for trainer Reid France and owners Hat Trick Racing and Jose Valle. Since being purchased for $20,000 at Del Mar, the daughter of European stallion Hampton Court has won three consecutive races: a starter allowance and a pair of first level allowance races.

In Sunday’s eighth race, Cowboys Daughter bumps up in class to the second level allowance condition in what figures to be the acid test for the 4-year-old filly. Six other runners line up to face Cowboys Daughter, who races over the Tapeta main track for the first time.

A pair of Southern California contenders travel north and are set to race on a surface they have had success over in the past. Paige Anne is the classier of the two shippers. The Simon Callaghan trainee ran third in the Grade I Clement Hirsch at Del Mar in August and hit the board in two subsequent stakes starts. Earlier in her career, she won an allowance race at Golden Gate and finished in-the-money in two additional races over the Tapeta. Pizazz, a 3-year-old filly facing older in Sunday’s feature, won the California Oaks in April against her own age group and seeks to remain unbeaten on Tapeta for Hall of Famer Richard Mandella.

Among the local contenders competing against Cowboys Daughter are 2019 All American stakes winner Blue Diva, stakes placed Clockstrikestwelve, likely pacesetter Dutch Painting, and hard-knocking mare Babe Didrikson.

Race 8 on Sunday (2^nd level allowance for fillies and mares at one mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta)

#1 Blue Diva (Jockey Catalino Martinez, trainer Isidro Tamayo)

#2 Dutch Painting (Santos Rivera, Manny Badilla)

#3 Paige Anne (Irving Orozco, Simon Callaghan)

#4 Cowboys Daughter (Evin Roman, Reid France)

#5 Pizazz (Assael Espinoza, Richard Mandella)

#6 Babe Didrikson (William Antongeorgi III, Jose Bautista)

#7 Clockstrikestwelve (Ruben Fuentes, Jonathan Wong)

TEN STAKES RACES ON THE DOCKET FOR 2021 GOLDEN GATE FIELDS FALL MEET

A total of ten stakes races will be offered at the upcoming 8-week fall meet at Golden Gate Fields.

Next Saturday, the one-mile, $75,000 Pike Place Dancer for 2-year-old turf fillies kicks off the stakes action. On Sunday, main-track sprinters take center stage in the feature race of the day, the $75,000 El Dorado Shooter. The El Dorado Shooter is one of two stakes at the fall meet restricted solely for California-bred or sired runners. The other, the $75,000 Bear Fan, is slated for Saturday, December 11.  Both California-bred stakes will be run at six furlongs on the Tapeta main track, with the El Dorado Shooter for 3-year-olds and up and the Bear Fan for fillies and mares.

Any “older horses” (3-year-olds and upward) game to take on stakes company can enter in a pair of races in November. On Saturday, November 6, the marquee event of the afternoon is the Joseph T. Grace, run at one mile and a sixteenth on turf. On Saturday, November 27, the $100,000 Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap at one mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta goes as the signature race of the fall meet.

2-year-olds will be given opportunities to shine on the Tapeta throughout the fall. The Golden Nugget, scheduled for Saturday, November 3, is a six-furlong sprint. On Saturday, December 4, the $75,000 Gold Rush at one mile will attract youngsters who wish to stretch out in distance. 2-year-old fillies play their hand sprinting on Friday, November 26 in the $50,000 Golden Gate Debutante at six furlongs.

Other stakes on the schedule include the $50,000 Oakland for 3-year-olds and upward at 6 furlongs and the Miss America Stakes on Closing Day Sunday, December 12 for filly and mare turf routers.  

First post each live race day of the fall meet is 1:15 PM PT unless otherwise noted. The upcoming fall meet is a 25-day meeting, which begins this Friday and runs through Sunday, December 12.

GOLDEN GATE FIELDS FALL MEET STAKES SCHEDULE

• Saturday, October 30: $75,000 Pike Place Dancer (One mile on turf for 2 YO fillies)
• Sunday, October 31: $75,000 El Dorado Shooter (Six furlongs on Tapeta for CA bred or sired 3 YO and up)
• Saturday, November 6: $50,000 Joseph T. Grace (One mile and a sixteenth on turf for 3 YO and up)
• Saturday, November 13: $50,000 Golden Nugget (Six furlongs on Tapeta for 2 YO)
• Saturday, November 20: $50,000 Oakland (Six furlongs on Tapeta for 3 YO and up)
• Friday, November 26: $50,000 Golden Gate Debutante (Six furlongs on Tapeta for 2 YO fillies)
• Saturday, November 27: $100,000 Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap (One mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta for 3 YO and up)
• Saturday, December 4: $75,000 Gold Rush (One mile on Tapeta for 2 YO)
• Saturday, December 11: $75,000 Bear Fan (Six furlongs on Tapeta for CA sired or bred fillies and mares 3 YO and up)
• Sunday, December 12: $50,000 Miss America (One mile and a sixteenth on turf for fillies and mares 3 YO and up)

FINISH LINES: There is a $76,823 carryover in the Stronach 5 wager on Friday. Leg E (the last leg) of the Stronach 5 wager is Race 3 at Golden Gate…Indian Peak, who has raced at Golden Gate Fields 10 times, won the California Flag Handicap at Santa Anita last Sunday for trainer Peter Miller and jockey Juan Hernandez. With the stake win, Indian Peak improved his lifetime record to 6 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third from 20 starts, with career earnings of $333,532.Indian Peak was trained by Quinn Howey for much of his career before being privately purchased by his current connections in June…Happy birthday to trainer Leanna Ekstrom, jockey valet Jay Frey and jockey D.C. Lopez, all who celebrate their birthday’s this week… Good luck to Golden Gate Vice President/General Manager David Duggan and track announcer Matt Dinerman, both who compete in the second annual 1/ST Charity Handicapping Challenge on Friday. For more information on this handicapping challenge for a great cause, please visit the link: https://www.santaanita.com/events/1-st-charity-handicapping-challenge/#.YXJbZNbMJ-U.

MCLEAN EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE WITH PROSPECTS C’MON MAN, I’MGONNABESOMEBODY

Celebrations can be short lived for horse trainers. After a sweet victory or an exciting sale purchase, one can only enjoy the moment for so long. There is always more work to be done the next day.

But for Golden Gate trainer Bill McLean, known amongst the Northern California racing community as a positive influence with a laid-back personality, there is always reasons to smile. And when you consider what McLean accomplished last week, most trainers who have the same type of success would likely be smiling for a while too.

Last week, McLean won with three of his five starters at Golden Gate Fields. Two of those horses, C’Mon Man and I’mgonnabesomebody, beat first level allowance foes and may face tougher company in the coming months.

C’Mon Man, a 2-year-old colt purchased for $8,000 at the 2020 Keeneland Yearling Sale, beat a strong field of winners in Friday’s third race. Last month, C’Mon Man won a maiden special weight, also run at Golden Gate. With two consecutive victories, C’Mon Man is “figuring it out,” according to McLean.

“I was very pleased,” said McLean on Friday’s win. “They went fast up front and set it up good for him, but at least he closed well. He came out of [the race] good. I went to check his legs this morning and he chewed on my hat and threw it up in there.”

McLean has always thought highly of C’mon Man and believes the son of Tourist will continue to improve with time and distance.

“He’s a big gelding. He’s smooth and doesn’t hit the ground hard. We gelded him [earlier this summer] and he seems more focused now. We’re gonna back off on him, play around with him for 2 or 3 weeks and then get him cranked for his next race. There’s a sprint stake (The Golden Nugget Stakes) and then a route (The Gold Rush Stakes) in the fall. I think he’ll go on and be a better horse going long.”

In Sunday’s nightcap, 3-year-old gelding I’mgonnabesomebody scored a flashy win in his first try over turf. He earned a career high 83 Beyer speed figure for his effort. I’mgonnabesomebody may be a familiar face with fans who followed Del Mar this summer. In a race on closing week, I’mgonnabesomebody went to the front, set fast fractions, and fended off all challengers for a 58-1 upset victory against starter allowance rivals. His last two races-one in the north and one in the south-have been his only two lifetime route races.

“I really thought he’d run a good race [when he won at 58-1 at Del Mar],” said McLean. “Last weekend, [jockey] Santos [Rivera] and I talked about it in the paddock. I said, ‘You’ll be on the lead or close to it.’ Right before they went into the [far] turn, they sort of swarmed him and I thought, ‘Oh no, we’re in trouble.’ But [Santos] cracked him a couple times and he went on with it. Santos came back and said he had a lot of horse left and that [I’mgonnabesomebody] was kind of just waiting on horses. He came out of the race good, and we’ll look for a second level allowance next.”

“The key to him is routing,” continued McLean. “He ran in a sprint race in August at Del Mar and he sort of propped. He didn’t like the dirt in his face. Jessica Pyfer rode him that day and came back and said she thought he would really like going long.”

While winning races is always rewarding, says McLean, it’s especially exciting when young prospects are improving and developing into quality racehorses.

Hence, the reason to smile over last week’s festivities.

“I used to train some stake horses, but I haven’t had some in a while,” said McLean. “It’s nice to maybe have some. It’s easier to get up in the morning, mate.”

STAKES COMPANY LIKELY NEXT FOR WELL-BRED COLT TOP HARBOR

3-year-old colt Top Harbor was a powerful winner of the featured sixth race on Saturday, a second-level allowance sprint versus older runners. Top Harbor, sent off at odds of 3-1, stalked a blazing fast pace before closing in and running by race favorite and eventual runner up finisher War Games.

On Wednesday morning, trainer Tim McCanna reported that Top Harbor emerged from his race in good health, and that the California-bred son of leading Pacific Northwest stallion Harbor the Gold would likely face stakes company at Fresno on Saturday, October 9.

“He came out of the race good,” said McCanna. “There’s a race at Fresno, the Harris Farm Stakes, for Cal-breds. It’d be coming back pretty quick [two weeks], but it’s a good purse and if he’s telling us he’s happy and good to run, we’ll take a shot there. He ran the best race of his life at Pleasanton and the dirt at Pleasanton plays the same as Fresno. I think it’s his best surface.”

McCanna’s Pleasanton reference is recognizing Top Harbor’s effort in the Oak Tree Sprint last July, when he finished a neck behind Law Abidin Citizen. The aforementioned rival came back to place fourth, only beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Grade I Bing Crosby at Del Mar. Earlier in the year, Top Harbor ran third behind eventual Grade 2 Del Mar Derby winner None Above the Law in the Alcatraz Stakes on Gold Rush Weekend.

“I think he’s a late running sprinter,” said McCanna. “He can route okay and we might try him routing again at some point, but for now we’ll keep him at one turn.”

Top Harbor is out of the mare Reba Is Tops, a quality racer herself from 2007 through 2011. During her 30-race career, Reba Is Tops won 14 times, including five stakes, and earned $464,267. As a broodmare, Reba Is Tops has produced five babies, all multiple winners. One of the siblings, 5-year-old mare Rebalation, came with a flying finish in Race 8 on Saturday for McCanna, only to lose by a nose against first-level allowance sprinters. She made up a significant amount of ground late in the stretch, having been about 15 lengths behind the leader early in the far turn.

“[Rebelation] was pretty tired after her race,” said McCanna. “She’s still eligible to win the first-level allowance condition a couple times so we’ll make sure she’s ready and then try it again. Reba Is Tops has been quite the broodmare. Every one of her babies has won maiden special weights and that doesn’t happen too often.”

TAMAYO HOPEFUL BLUE DIVA WILL IMPROVE WITH SURFACE SWITCH

Golden Gate stakes winner Blue Diva seeks to enter the winners circle for the first time this year in Saturday’s ninth race, a second level allowance for filly and mare routers. Nine entrants are scheduled to contest the one-mile distance on Tapeta.

Blue Diva, trained by Isidro Tamayo, was last seen running fourth on the turf behind Dutch Painting and Time Voyage, two Manny Badilla trained runners that are also entered back in the Saturday ninth. Tamayo believes Blue Diva has a chance to turn the tables if she puts her best foot effort. Given the turf-to-Tapeta surface switch for this race…it could happen.

“I definitely think she is best on Tapeta,” said Tamayo. “We’ve had to wait to run her on the Tapeta because sometimes the races we entered her in [on the Tapeta] didn’t fill. We tried her on dirt at Pleasanton and I don’t think she really cared for that track. She can run OK on turf, but she is definitely better on Tapeta.”

Five of Blue Diva’s seven lifetime victories have come on the Golden Gate synthetic main track. Among them: a 6-1 score in the 2019 Miss America Stakes. Her last start on Tapeta came on October 16 of last year when she finished behind next out Del Mars stakes winner and eventual Grade 3 placed mare Never Be Enough. Although there are no other stakes winners in the field in this Saturday’s race, Tamayo understands Blue Diva will need to run her very best to have a shot at the gold prize.

“I’m hoping there’s some pace for her to run at,” said Tamayo. “She does better when she sits off a good pace and runs on. I’d like to see a 48 [half mile time].”

Race 9 on Saturday (second level allowance at one mile on Tapeta for fillies and mares)

#1 Dutch Painting (Jockey Santos Rivera…trainer Manny Badilla…morning line odds of 7-2)

#2 Creative Romance (Armando Ayuso…Tim McCanna…6-1)

#3 Joymaker (Frank Alvarado…Quinn Howey…15-1)

#4 Misty Cat (Irving Orozco…Dan Franko…20-1)

#5 I’m a Rockette (Assael Espinoza…Bill Delia…30-1)

#6 Time Voyage (Pedro Terrero…Manny Badilla…9-2)

#7 Clockstrikestwelve (Evin Roman…Jonathan Wong…5-2)

#8 Blue Diva (Francisco Monroy…Isidro Tamayo…5-1)

#9 Wheal Grace (William Antongeorgi III…Jose Bautista…6-1)

MANDATORY PAYOUTS ON “CLOSING DAY” SUNDAY; FIRST POST 12:15 PM ON SUNDAY, 12:45 PM FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

Sunday marks the final afternoon of live racing at the 2021 Golden Gate Fields summer meet. With that, mandatory payouts will be in play throughout the afternoon.

Both Pick 5 wagers are mandatory payout bets. The Early Pick 5, a low 14% takeout wager every race day at Golden Gate, is a 50-cent minimum play and goes as Races 1-5. The Late Pick 5 sequence is the last five races on the program and offers the same minimum demonization.

The Golden Pick 6 jackpot wager is a 20-cent minimum bet and could have a carryover come Sunday. Heading into Friday’s program, the Golden Pick 6 jackpot carryover sits at $6,058. There will be a mandatory payout in the Golden Pick 6 on Sunday, whether the carryover increases in the next two days or not. The Pick 6 sequence is the last six races on each race card, so the Sunday sequence goes as Races 7-12.

The $1 Rolling Super High Five, a bet which tasks horseplayers to correctly tab the top five finishers in order, is also a mandatory payout wager in the last race of the meet. The Rolling Super High Five is only offered when there are 7 or more starters in a particular race.

Finally, two popular wagers that combine races at Santa Anita and Golden Gate are back in play this week. The $1 Golden Hour Pick 4, a low 15% takeout bet, and the $5 Golden Hour Double will be offered this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

First post time on Friday and Saturday is 12:45 PM. First post for the 12-race “Closing Day” Sunday card is 12:15 PM PT. With horsemen eager to run their horses at Golden Gate, we offer 10 races on Friday, 11 on Saturday, and a dozen more on Sunday.

RACE FOR TOP JOCKEY TIGHTENS UP WITH 3 DAYS TO GO

With three days left at the current summer meet, the race for top jockey remains contentious. In fact, the top five riders in the standings are all seemingly in with a shot to win the title.

Evin Roman has posted the most wins out of all jockeys with 19. Armando Ayuso sits right behind with 17 victories. Pedro Terrero and Catalino Martinez are tied for third with 16 wins apiece and Assael Espinoza rounds out the top five with 15 trips to the winner’s circle.

This week, Roman and Ayuso ride 21 horses. Terrero rides 22 horses, Espinoza has 17 rides and Martinez picked up 12 mounts for the week.

In the trainer standings, trainer Jonathan Wong sits atop the standings with 20 wins from 93 starters (equating to a 22%-win percentage.) Isidro Tamayo (45 starters) and Tim McCanna (31) are tied for second in the standings with 10 wins each. McCanna boasts the highest win percentage (32%) by any trainer with more than 20 starters at the current meeting.

CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week:

Friday

Race 2: Babe’s Got Appeal (New trainer Jack Steiner…new owner Remmah Racing Inc.)

Race 2: Concise Advice (Sammy Calvario…Marron Road Ventures LLC and Calvario)

Race 2: Traffic Stopper (Gary Greiner…Renee Greiner)

Race 6: Hands Off (Bill Delia…Patricia Ford)

Race 8: Chosen Moon (Isidro Tamayo…Johnny Taboada)

Saturday

Race 1: Brastika (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables and Clay Sides)

Race 4: Dr. Hoffman (Isidro Tamayo…Joel Gonzalez)

Sunday

Race 2: Lagatha (Reid France…Hat Trick Racing and Jose Valle)

Race 4: Sunset Star (Jonathan Wong…All Schlaich Stables LLC, MJVET Stables & Steve Melen)

FINISH LINES: 2-time Rolling Green Stakes winner Camino Del Paraiso is entered to compete in the Grade 2, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship at one mile and a quarter this Saturday at Santa Anita. Abel Cedillo rides for trainer O.J. Jauregui…Winter/Spring meet leading rider Kyle Frey has officially moved his tack to Southern California and rides three horses on Friday, three more on Saturday and four on Sunday at Santa Anita. We wish him the best of luck…Also, best wishes to jockey Hugo Herrera, who recently relocated to Arapahoe Park in Colorado…Happy birthday to trainer Matthew Troy and 1/ST Racing COO Aidan Butler, both who celebrate birthday’s this week…After this weekend, live racing at Golden Gate Fields resumes on Friday, October 22 for Opening Day of the fall meet! The fall meet is a 25-day meet that runs through Sunday, December 12. We’ll see you then!

DR PESCADO TRIES WINNERS AFTER RUNAWAY MAIDEN WIN

2-year-old colt Dr Pescado turned heads and raised eyebrows with a smashing victory against maiden special weight foes on August 1. That afternoon, he went to the lead, opened up on the field turning for home and hit the wire over seven lengths ahead of the runner up finisher.

Fast forward to this Friday, when Dr Pescado faces winners for the first time in the feature race of the day, a first level allowance for 2-year-old colts and geldings. Trainer Felix Rondan is confident the California-bred son of Fullbridled can compete against the tougher company he is set to face.

“If he runs his race, I think he can win,” said Rondan. “He is training very good. I was not surprised he won [in his first start]. He has always trained like a nice horse and, still, he trains like a nice horse.”

Rondan purchased Dr Pescado for a mere $800 as a weanling and currently co-owns with longtime business partner Ruben Arechiga. Kevin Orozco, who was aboard for the maiden win, retains the mount and will guide Dr Pescado from post position 4.

“I bought him as a baby,” said Rondan. “I’ve had him for a while, and he has always looked like a good horse. I am very happy with how he is doing…and [Dr Pescado] is happy too.”

A quartet of rivals face Dr Pescado. The even money morning line favorite is Love’em N Leave’em, a Tommy Town homebred who easily defeated a large field of maidens on August 15. He earned a higher Beyer speed figure than Dr Pescado and is trained by leading conditioner Jonathan Wong.

Trainer Ed Moger Jr. saddles a pair of contenders who, unlike Dr Pescado and Love’em N Leave’em, have already defeated winners. Hijo Galante, a half-brother to multiple Golden Gate stakes winner Fast and Foxy, recently won a starter allowance race and stakes placed earlier this year in the Everett Nevin Stakes at Pleasanton. Love Candy, a grey-son of first-crop stallion Danzing Candy, was a debut winner for Moger in May and freshens up after a win at this level on August 8. Being a California-bred, he is eligible to win at this condition once more.

C’Mon Man rounds out the field. The son of Tourist was a no-show in his first career start at Del Mar but rebounded for a 5-1, two and a half length victory against maiden special weight company at Golden Gate last month. He draws the outside post in a field of five for trainer Bill McLean.

Race 3: First-level allowance for 2-year-olds (5.5 furlongs on Tapeta)

#1 Hijo Galante (jockey William Antongeorgi III..Ed Moger Jr…morning line 9-2)

#2 Love’em N Leave’em (Armando Ayuso…Jonathan Wong…1-1)

#3 Love Candy (Francisco Duran…Ed Moger Jr…7-2)

#4 Dr Pescado (Kevin Orozco, Felix Rondan…5-1)

#5 C’Mon Man (Evin Roman…Bill McLean…6-1)

CAROLINA MIA READY FOR HER BEST IN SECOND START OFF LAYOFF

While speaking to Felix Rondan about Dr Pescado for Article #1 (see above), Rondan’s 4-year-old filly Carolina Mia was mentioned in the conversation. Carolina Mia, who has always been well regarded, is entered to run on Sunday in a first level allowance for filly and mare sprinters. A full field of twelve entered to compete in the day’s eighth event.

Carolina Mia was locking horns with solid competitors as a maiden last year. Eventually, she broke her maiden in her fourth lifetime start.  After a runner up finish against allowance competition, she was given a year off from racing.

“She had a little problem with a tendon,” said Rondan. “She needed some time off. She went to the farm and got the time and rest she needed. We made sure she was 100% healthy before we brought her back [to the racetrack.].”

In her first start of 2021 three weeks ago, Carolina Mia sat off the speed before rallying for second, earning a career high Beyer speed figure (73). Second start off the vacation this Saturday, Rondan believes Carolina Mia will be at her best.

“She is doing really well,” said Rondan. “This time, going five and a half furlongs, I think she will run a really good race.”

Race 8: First-level allowance for fillies and mares 3-years-old & upward (5.5 furlongs on Tapeta)

#1 Striking Sermon (Catalino Martinez…Steve Specht…20-1)

#2 Busy Paynter (Ruben Fuentes…Andy Mathis…15-1)

#3 Carolina Mia (Pedro Terrero…Felix Rondan…6-1)

#4 Black Drop (William Antongeorgi III…Isidro Tamayo…12-1)

#5 Empire House (Santos Rivera…Jonathan Wong…10-1)

#6 Toni Two Pocket (Francisco Duran…Ed Moger Jr…20-1)

#7 Focus First (Evin Roman…Jonathan Wong…20-1)

#8 Trina (Assael Espinoza…Andy Mathis…3-1)

#9 Rebalation (Frank Alvarado…Tim McCanna…4-1)

#10 Miss Carousel (Armando Ayuso…Edward Freeman…9-2)

#11 Smiling Spirit (Francisco Monroy…Cliff DeLima…20-1)

#12 Hot Rageous (Irving Orozco…Peter Miller…5-1)

RUBEN FUENTES JOINS ROBUST JOCKEY COLONY

Golden Gate Fields welcomes jockey Ruben Fuentes to the riding colony. The 24-year-old journeyman is named to ride Busy Paynter for trainer Andy Mathis in the co-featured eighth race on Saturday and has picked up three additional mounts on Sunday. Fuentes will be represented by agent Ramon Silva.

Fuentes was last seen riding at the recently concluded Canterbury Park Spring/Summer meet in Minnesota. The native of Mexico City won 28 races there, including four stakes’, and was the regular jockey for one of the top sprinters at Canterbury, 6-year-old gelding and 669k earner Mr. Jagermeister. Fuentes has two brothers, Miguel Jr. and Luis, both who are jockeys and currently ride in New Mexico.

From 2017 to mid 2021, Fuentes enjoyed a riding stint in Southern California. While there, he competed at the highest level, winning the 2019 Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile with Ohio. He also guided Queen Bee to You to a pair of Grade 3 wins in the Bayakoa and La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita. Other Southern California stakes wins for Fuentes include the 2021 Siren Lure Stakes with Big Runnuer, the 2019 Speakeasy Stakes aboard El Tigre Terrible and the 2018 CTBA Stakes on Naughty Tiger.

The battle for leading jockey at the Golden Gate summer meet is certainly heating up. With two weeks left to go, Evin Roman holds a slender lead with 15 wins. Catalino Martinez has won 14 races and sits right on the tail of the leader. Armando Ayuso cracks the top 3 with 13 victories while Pedro Terrero and Assael Espinoza are tied for fourth with 12 wins apiece. All five are seemingly in with a chance to win the summer meet riding title. Coincidentally, two of the five riders mentioned (Roman and Espinoza) rode down south with Fuentes before moving up to Northern California in search of increased business opportunities.

MANY ANGLES TO CONSIDER IN SUNDAY’S NIGHTCAP

A field of ten is slated to route one-mile and a sixteenth on projected firm turf in Race 9 on Sunday, a first level allowance for 3-year-olds and upward. The field runs deep with legit players.

Loafers Boy is a gelding with career best form for trainer Leanna Ekstrom. The 5-year-old son of Coil was a runaway winner routing on turf two starts ago and repeated his effort with a half-length loss at this level behind the Richard Mandella trained Keystone Field. Freeport Joe and Enos Slaughter, who finished right behind Loafers Boy, are also entered in this race.

Trainer Michael McCarthy always boasts a healthy win percentage when shipping to Golden Gate Fields. In Sunday’s finale, McCarthy campaigns the Uncle Mo colt Uncle Addouma, who lost by a small margin (a length and a quarter) against strong allowance company at Del Mar. A repeat effort of his last start likely puts him in contention for the top prize. Another Southern California face, Sea of Liberty, makes his first start off a $32,000 claim for local trainer Jamey Thomas. The son of Boisterous has hit the board against high level claimers and California-bred allowance company in the past while in the barns of Southern California trainers John Sadler and Peter Miller.

I’mgonnabesomebody was the surprise of the summer at Del Mar. Sent off at 56-1 in a starter allowance race on closing week, the Bill McLean trainee went to the lead, set fast fractions, and held off all challengers for the massive upset score. He makes his turf debut on Sunday while taking a hike up in class.

Barbaroni is one of two entrants for leading trainer Jonathan Wong. Barbaroni hasn’t been seen in over a year; his last afternoon appearance resulted in an off-the-board finish at this condition. His two-back effort was impressive, winning a maiden special weight by double digit lengths. Wong’s other entrant, Bronze Warrior, makes his first start for the barn after running third in a claiming race last month.

Holy Ghost, making his second start off a lengthy vacation for top jockey/trainer combo Frank Alvarado and Steve Specht, may be able to take a step forward after a fourth-place finish behind salty company over this turf course last month. Gallant Warren, a California-bred allowance winner over Tapeta in April, has finished off the board in his last four races at this open-condition and will need to improve off recent form.

First post each live racing day this week is 1:45 PM PT. For more info on all things Golden Gate, please visit Goldengatefields.com

Race 9: First-level allowance for 3-years-old & upward (8.5 furlongs on turf)

#1 Barbaroni (Ruben Fuentes…Jonathan Wong)

#2 Loafers Boy (Armando Ayuso…Leanna Ekstrom)

#3 Gallant Warren (Francisco Monroy…Tim Bellasis)

#4 Uncle Addouma (William Antongeorgi III…Michael McCarthy)

#5 Enos Slaughter (Pedro Terrero…Marcelino Trujillo)

#6 Bronze Warrior (Catalino Martinez…Jonathan Wong)

#7 Holy Ghost (Frank Alvarado…Steve Specht)

#8 I’mgonnabesomebody (Santos Rivera…Bill McLean)

#9 Sea of Liberty (Evin Roman…Jamey Thomas)

#10 Freeport Joe (Assael Espinoza…Gloria Haley)

CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week:

Friday

Race 1: Well Done Sally (New trainer Marcia Stortz…new owner Marcia Stortz)

Race 3: Circulodeganadoras (Isidro Tamayo…Lourdes Ochoa and Rafael Sanchez)

Race 3: Ramoncita Light (Gary Greiner…Renee Greiner)

Race 8: Antarctic (Blaine Wright…Blaine D. Wright Racing Stable LLC)

Saturday

Race 6: Tamarando’s Mine (Jonathan Wong…Steve Hagen)

Race 9: Pour on the Cole (Victor Trujillo…Lester Hunsucker)

Sunday

Race 1: Tough to Catch (Pablo De Jesus…Cindy Winschell)

Race 6: Counting Cards (Isidro Tamayo…Robert Fernandez and John Tipton)

Race 9: Barbiere (Jonathan Wong…Alydom Racing LLC and Matthew Gutierrez)

Race 9: Coolcross (Victor Trujillo….Isidro Ruvalcaba and Victor Trujillo)

FINISH LINES: Race 6 on Saturday is a fun one. Hard tryer War Games bumps up to the second level allowance condition and is tabbed as the 9-5 morning line favorite. The lineup of contenders facing him: speedster Let’s Rejoyce, the Isidro Tamayo trained pair of El Chavo Del Ocho and Union Dance, Southern California shipper Mister Bold, stakes placed gelding Top Harbor, and comebacker Lymebird…This year, 5-year-old gelding Papa’s Golden Boy was the top sprinter in the Pacific Northwest for trainer Vince Gibson, winning the most coveted sprint stakes at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington over the summer. On Thursday morning, Papa’s Golden Boy arrived at Jack Steiner’s barn and will be stabled here in Northern California for the foreseeable future…Golden Gate was well represented at the world-renowned Keeneland September Yearling Sale this week in Lexington, Kentucky. Trainers Reid France, Tim McCanna, Bill McLean, and Jamey Thomas all purchased yearlings at the sale…Owner/bloodstock agent Jason Hall, who has campaigned horses with Jonathan Wong and Jamey Thomas in recent years, is also purchasing horses at Keeneland. So is Alistair Roden, who works closely with trainer Blaine Wright…Also at Keeneland, owner Tommy Town Thoroughbreds purchased five yearlings, including a $280,000 filly by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Another Tommy Town purchase, a filly by Violence out of Grade 3 winner Customer Base, dropped the hammer at $260,000…Happy birthday to Golden Gate Fields stall manager Carrie Fawcett, who celebrates her birthday on Monday…$20,739 is carried over into the Golden Pick Six on Friday while a Super High Five carryover into Friday sits at $1,865…Leg E (the last leg) of the Stronach 5 wager is Race 2 from Golden Gate on Friday. The Stronach 5 is an industry low 12% takeout bet, a $1 minimum wager and is hosted by the Maryland Jockey Club every Friday.

NORTHWEST FACTOR GETS BACK TO OLD WAYS IN FRIDAY FEATURE

5-year-old mare Northwest Factor has done it all. In 25 lifetime starts, the Kentucky-bred daughter of The Factor has raced over three different surfaces-dirt, turf and Tapeta-and has competed at distances ranging from five furlongs to one mile and a sixteenth. Northwest Factor is a two-time stake winner, and sports lifetime earnings of $236,827.

In Friday’s seventh race, a second level allowance for fillies and mares, Northwest Factor gets back to a ballgame we haven’t seen her play in a while: sprinting. Her last one-turn race, in December of 2019, resulted in a fourth-place finish against stakes company at Turf Paradise.

As a 2-year-old at Emerald Downs in 2018, Northwest Factor won the Angie C Stakes sprinting five and one-half furlongs. She also won two sprint races against allowance foes in 2019 while racing exclusively in Arizona that fall. Trainer Manny Badilla is hoping Northwest Factor can still be effective sprinting as an older mare when she travels five and one-half panels in Friday’s featured seventh race.

“She hasn’t run in four months,” said Badilla. “None of the route races for her were filling so we’re going to sprint her. She either races or sits in the barn…and she’s ready to run.”

Northwest Factor, since being claimed by Badilla and owner Debra Medlock for $25,000 in July of last year, has won four allowance races and earned over $86,000. Badilla has learned that Northwest Factor thrives on the Golden Gate main-track Tapeta, with 4 wins from 6 lifetime starts over the surface. This is her first try sprinting on Tapeta.

“She’s [sprinted] before,” said Badilla. “I just want [jockey] Irving [Orozco] to be smart. We can’t be too far behind early.”

Northwest Factor drew post 4 of 6 for Friday’s afternoon appearance. First post each live racing day this week is 1:45 PM PT.

Race 7 on Friday (Second level allowance for fillies and mares at 5 and one-half furlongs)

#1 Tip Top Gal (Jockey Frank Alvarado, trainer Quentin B. Miller, morning line odds 7-2)

#2 I’m a Rockette (Santos Rivera, Bill Delia, 8-1)

#3 Draw Me (Pedro Terrero, Terri Eaton, 8-1)

#4 Northwest Factor (Irving Orozco, Manny Badilla, 9-5)

#5 Day Plan (Evin Roman, Jonathan Wong, 3-1)

#6 Warm Summer (Catalino Martinez, O.J. Jauregui, 4-1)

WIN STREAK ON THE LINE FOR SWIFT AS I AM

California-bred Swift as I Am looks to keep a win-streak intact on Saturday, when the 3-year-old gelding headlines a field of six in Race 8, an allowance for 3-year-old sprinters.

A son of Danza, Swift as I Am easily beat a starter allowance field three starts ago. He returned with back-to-back victories against first level allowance foes, with his most recent win resulting in a career high Beyer speed figure (87). Armando Ayuso was aboard for both allowance victories and retains the mount on Saturday.

“He’s training good,” said Wong. “He’ll be coming from off the pace.”

Jonathan also saddles Exhalting, who suffered a neck loss on August 15, his first start since rejoining Wong’s barn in early August. Wong trained Exhalting when he won three consecutive races as a 2-year-old last fall. After the trio of wins, Exhalting was moved to the barn of Doug O’Neill. While under O’Neill’s care, Exhalting put up three poor efforts, and was moved back to Team Wong’s camp at Golden Gate.

“Exhalting is also training well,” said Wong. “He’s going to be up on the pace. He might be a little better at five furlongs on the turf, but both of my horses are doing good. They give us two live chances to win.”

Trainer Victor Trujillo looks to play spoiler with his two Race 8 contenders, Phantom Drop and Cool Mountain Lad. Phantom Drop defeated Exhalting and Cool Mountain Lad at big odds (16-1) over turf last time out and will need to duplicate that effort while moving back to Tapeta, a surface he has already won twice over. Cool Mountain Lad has never finished worse than third in four lifetime starts and is undefeated on Tapeta (2 for 2). Handr’sdream, who ran fourth in the August 15^th race won by Phantom Drop, and longshot Space Odessey complete the field.

Race 8 on Saturday (Allowance for 3-year-olds, five and one-half furlongs)

#1 Phantom Drop (Pedro Terrero, Victor Trujillo, 10-1)

#2 Space Odessey (Frank Alvarado, Tirso Rivera, 8-1)

#3 Swift as I Am (Armando Ayuso, Jonathan Wong, 1-1)

#4 Exhalting (Catalino Martinez, Jonathan Wong, 3-1)

#5 Handr’sdream (Isidro Tamayo, Francisco Monroy, 5-1)

#6 Cool Mountain Lad (Victor Trujillo, Brayan Pena, 6-1)

TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLIES TAKE CENTER STAGE IN CO-FEATURE ON SUNDAY

Race 8 on Sunday, a first level allowance for 2-year-old fillies, attracted six entries looking to tally their first victory against winners.

The likely favorite is Code Ribbon, making her third career start for trainer Jacqui Navarre. The daughter of Desert Code was purchased for $4,000 by owner Michael Pollowitz and is already off to a great start as a racehorse, with an easy maiden special weight win at Pleasanton and a runner up finish-only losing by a head-to the well-regarded filly The Arcadian Way. Frank Alvarado was aboard Code Ribbon in both lifetime starts and is slated to ride back on Sunday.

Two other runners, Miss Union and Light Up, exit the race in which The Arcadian Way won. Miss Union, who draws the rail for Sunday’s afternoon appearance, broke her maiden by open lengths for a claiming tag and returned to run third behind The Arcadian Way and Code Ribbon. Light Up, a winner on debut in a maiden special weight at Pleasanton, was bet down to 5-2 at post time in her most recent start and wound up fourth behind The Arcadian Way, Code Ribbon, and Miss Union.

One Southern California shipper makes the trip North for Saturday’s eighth race. Loveherheart, trained by Andrew Lerner, scored a runaway victory against maiden special weight rivals at Santa Anita but has since run off-the-board in a pair of starts against stakes company. Lion’s Lair, trained by Ed Moger Jr., broke her maiden at Pleasanton and exits the CTBA Stakes at Del Mar, where the daughter of Stanford finished seventh of nine.

Derrygoolin, a recent California-bred maiden special weight winner, completes the field. She faces winners for the first time and is one of two entrants for trainer Isidro Tamayo, who is also represented by Miss Union.

Race 8 on Sunday (Allowance for 2-year-old fillies)

#1 Miss Union (Santos Rivera, Isidro Tamayo, 6-1)

#2 Loveherheart (Evin Roman, Andrew Lerner, 5-2)

#3 Code Ribbon (Frank Alvarado, Jacqui Navarre, 8-5)

#4 Light Up (Pedro Terrero, Felix Rondan, 6-1)

#5 Derrygoolin (Francisco Monroy, Isidro Tamayo, 15-1)

#6 Lion’s Lair (Armando Ayuso, Ed Moger Jr., 3-1)

CLAIMS REPORT

Friday

Race 4: Foster Boi (new trainer Guillermo Preciado…new owner Salvador Nunez-Ruiz)

Race 5: Lagatha (owner/trainer Steve Sherman)

Saturday

Race 4: Sunrise Journey (Emilio Guerrero…Boardshorts Stables LLC)

Race 5: U S Deputy (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)

Race 6: Rocktilyoudrop (Isidro Tamayo…John Tipton)

Sunday

Race 1: Fire Diamonds (Marcelino Trujillo…Floriberta Trujillo)

Race 4: Mahi Mahi (Blaine Wright…Blaine Wright Racing Stable, Casa Loma Stable & Jim Strelo)

Race 5: Dubronsky (Owner/Trainer Robert Lucas)

Race 6: Rev Ree (Steve Sherman…Stewball Stable, Joan Richter and Sherman)

FINISH LINES: With three more weeks to go at the current summer meet, the race for top jockey is contentious. Pedro Terrero leads all riders in wins with 11, with Evin Roman and Armando Ayuso ride behind with 10 wins apiece. Catalino Martinez and Assael Espinoza both enter this week with 9 wins…In the trainer standings, Jonathan Wong sits atop the standings with 11 victories, five more than Isidro Tamayo…On Friday, Golden Gate Fields offers a Golden Pick Six jackpot carryover of $7,751 and a Rolling Super High Five carryover of $2,788.

CAMINO DEL PARAISO IN GOOD HEALTH FOLLOWING ROLLING GREEN STAKES VICTORY

8-year-old California-bred gelding Camino Del Paraiso made his first start of 2021 a winning one, scoring a “stalk and pounce” victory in the $50,000 Rolling Green Stakes on Labor Day Monday at Golden Gate Fields. With the victory, Camino Del Paraiso picked up his third career stakes trophy and surpassed the $500,000 mark in career earnings.

Under jockey Catalino Martinez, Camino Del Paraiso out finished 3-year-old Jungle Cry and 24-1 longshot Harmon, stopping the clock for 8.5 furlongs in 1:42.70 and earning a 91 Beyer speed figure for his effort. Trainer O.J. Jauregui indicated Thursday morning that Camino Del Paraiso exited the Rolling Green Stakes in good order.

“He came out of the race really well,” said Jauregui. “He’s eating all of his food. His temperature is good, and his legs are good. He was a little tired right after the race, but he’s bounced out of it well and he’s got a good energy level right now.”

Camino Del Paraiso won the 2020 edition of the Rolling Green. Successfully defending his title meant a lot to Jauregui and owner Herb Moniz of Paradise Road Ranch LLC.

“We’re all just really happy he made it back to the races,” said Jauregui. “He had an eye injury [late last year] and we just wanted him to come out of that healthy.

He’s a really cool horse,” continued Jauregui. “When he works in the morning, he does all of it on his own. He’s very professional and easy to manage. In the barn, he’s a very kind horse. If we can win a couple more nice races with him, I would be really happy.”

So…when will Camino Del Paraiso race next? For now, his next start is yet to be determined.

“I’d like to run him [at Golden Gate] if there’s a race for him,” said Jauregui. “We’ll wait for the fall stakes schedule and then decide our next move. [Camino Del Paraiso] always lets us know when he’s ready. When he’s ready, we’ll have a spot for him.”

SPECHT REFLECTS ON MONDAY’S THREE-WIN DAY, JUNGLE CRY’S RUNNER UP FINISH

On Monday afternoon, longtime Bay Area trainer Steve Specht saddled three winners and a runner-up finisher from four starters. Not a bad day for any trainer, right?

“I’ve won three races many times, but I can never seem to win that fourth one,” chuckled Specht. “In all seriousness though..you can’t really ask for much more than that other than that I got beat in the stake. You gotta be in the right spots. You have to have your horses right, you have to get the right trip…there are a lot of factors [to having a multiple win day].”

Specht won the opener with 3-year-old filly Coastarando and, two races later, picked up his second win of the day with another 3-year-old filly named Mickey Dobbs. Both racers earned their maiden diplomas with the first-place finishes. Specht’s third winner’s circle appearance came with Miss Super Saint in Race 6, a starter allowance. Miss Super Saint won her fourth race in a row with Monday’s victory and, according to Specht, is “is doing better than ever.”

“She was always kind of a light filly that would be light on her feed for a day or two. Now, she’s gobbling up everything and she thinks she’s King Kong,” said Specht.

Miss Super Saint is an interesting case study. The daughter of Super Saver was a consistent, allowance-caliber athlete in 2018 and 2019. After taking a lengthy vacation from August 2019 to February of this year, Miss Super Saint sprinted four times on Tapeta and ran “average to subpar” in all four races. In her fifth start of the season, Specht changed things up and routed Miss Super Saint on turf. Since the aforementioned try going long, Miss Super Saint is unbeaten in four consecutive starts.

“[Routing her on turf] was a last-ditch try because she wasn’t putting as much effort into her sprint races when I brought her back [off a layoff],” said Specht. “We took one last shot with her and ran her on the grass. She had run once on the grass in an allowance before and got run down the last little bit. I thought, ‘Well, maybe we’ll send her to the lead and she’ll get brave.’ Well, it worked.”

Specht says confidence is a main component to the recent success of Miss Super Saint.

“You gotta get them in that winner’s circle,” noted Specht. “You wouldn’t think a horse would be able to know the difference but, believe me, you see it happen all the time. Horses get stale, they’ll be running close [to winning]…but then a [trainer] will drop them several levels lower, they’ll win, they’ll get their head picked up and then they’ll climb the class ladder again and start beating runners that were beating them. That’s sort of what happened with her. Especially with fillies and mares…when a filly gets good, there’s no telling how far they can go.”

In the Rolling Green Stakes, Specht campaigned 3-year-old gelding Jungle Cry against older foes. Jungle Cry, who won the Robert Dupret Derby in August, raced on the rail before challenging eventual winner Camino Del Paraiso in the final sixteenth of a mile. Jungle Cry came up a neck short in second, but Specht was extremely pleased with the effort from his star 3-year-old.

“[Jungle Cry] came out of the race in good shape,” said Specht. “He’s a good-looking horse-he’s small, not very big-but he goes about his business. He’s a quiet, little horse that always does what he’s supposed to. I’m real proud of him. He ran really well.”

Jungle Cry could race in Southern California next.

“We’ll take a look down south and see if there’s anything at Santa Anita for him,” said Specht. “I’d like to keep him on the grass. I think he’s pretty handy on the grass.”

BENCH JUDGE TRIES TAPETA, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA IN SATURDAY NIGHTCAP

Claimed for $20,000 at Del Mar last month by trainer Jamey Thomas and owners Shiloh Hall, Ted Merrill, and Kevin Riggs, 5-year-old gelding Bench Judge faces first-level allowance company in one of the main events at Golden Gate this Saturday, Race 9. Bench Judge will be ridden by Santos Rivera for the first time.

“We claimed him with the intention of running him at Golden Gate,” said Thomas. “He is still eligible to win twice at the first-level [allowance] condition up here. He ran on turf in Southern California, but I think he should be OK on Tapeta. He worked over it last Saturday [September 4] and got over the track good. If he runs his best, I think we’ll be double tough.”

Most recently, Bench Judge ran fourth in a California-bred allowance sprint on grass. His last victory came at the aforementioned condition in March at Santa Anita.

Bench Judge was claimed off Del Mar’s leading trainer, Peter Miller. Coincidentally, Miller saddles a major contender in Saturday’s nightcap. Superman Shaq, owned by film producer Gary Barber, is a half sibling to champion racehorse Monomoy Girl and broke his maiden last year. He has failed to win in five starts since and ships north in search of a gold medal. The 9-5 morning line favorite is the Cliff DeLima trained War Games, coming off a runner up finish to next-out second level allowance winner In Our A. Two stars back, War Games defeated In Our A while earning a career high 92 Beyer speed figure.

CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week:

Friday

Race 1: Hypersonic (New trainer Blaine Wright…new owner Lamonte Isom)

Race 4: Bowlmageddon (Owner/Trainer Andrew Nguyen)

Race 4: Nicole Grace (Pablo De Jesus…Cindy Winschell)

Saturday

Race 3: Ecologist (Ed Moger Jr…Steve Moger)

Race 5: Proof of Jazz (Jonathan Wong…Madden Racing)

Race 6: Rolinga (Ed Moger Jr…Steve Moger)

Sunday

Race 5: The Great Haynes (Andy Mathis…William Branch, Richard Catone and Mathis)

Monday

Race 7: Family Trips (Sergio Ledezma…Howard and Janet Siegel Racing LLC)

Race 9: Cocoa Cents (Isidro Tamayo…Leon Scott)

FINISH LINES: Race 8 on Saturday at Golden Gate is the marquee race of the day: a second level allowance for filly and mare turf routers. Among the entrants: stakes winner Blue Diva, Luther Burbank Stakes unofficial runner up finisher Clockstrikestwelve and recent first level allowance winners Fairy Tale Bliss, Time Voyage, and Tiz An Edventure…5-year-old gelding Silver Claim, undefeated at Golden Gate this year, continues his climb up the class ladder at Los Alamitos, where the son of Grade I placed mare Silver Swallow competes in a California-bred allowance race on Friday. Ricky Gonzalez rides for Jonathan Wong in Race 7…Happy birthday to jockey Leonel Camacho Flores, who celebrates next Wednesday…A jackpot pool begins anew in the Golden Pick 6 this Friday, with one sharp, single-ticket winner taking home a $22,210.64 jackpot hit on Monday.

JAUREGUI CONFIDENT STABLE STAR CAMINO DEL PARAISO IS FIT IN ADVANCE OF THE ROLLING GREEN STAKES

Multiple Golden Gate Fields Stakes winner Camino Del Paraiso makes his first start of 2021 in the feature race on Monday, the $50,000 Rolling Green Stakes for 3-year-olds and upward. Camino Del Paraiso, an 8-year-old California-bred gelding, has not raced since an off-the-board finish in the Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar last November. That afternoon, Camino Del Paraiso was in contention to pounce entering the far turn but took back to last and lost all chance after a rival pulling up in front backed into Camino Del Paraiso.

Trainer O.J. Jauregui knows Camino Del Paraiso as well as anyone; the longtime Bay Area horseman has overseen the conditioning of Camino Del Paraiso from the start of his racing career in 2015 to present day. Jauregui has one message for horseplayers thinking about betting Camino Del Paraiso off a 9-month vacation.

“He’s training really well,” said Jauregui. “It looks like he hasn’t missed a beat.”

Camino Del Paraiso has recorded 13 workouts leading up to the Rolling Green. Among them: a 6-furlong drill on the first of August, and a pair of 7-furlong stamina-building works on August 8 and August 14. Catalino Martinez, who rode Camino Del Paraiso to victory in the 2020 Rolling Green and in the Joseph T. Grace Stakes last year, is back aboard for this Monday’s assignment.

“I’m really happy with how Camino’ is doing,” said Jauregui. “In these works, he’s galloping out strong. I think he’s fit enough [off the layoff] to run well. No excuses.” 

Owned by Paradise Roach Ranch LLC, Camino Del Paraiso was purchased for $5,000 as a yearling in 2014. Since then, the son of Suances has earned $480,042 as a racehorse. His current record shows 7 wins, 12 seconds and 4 thirds from 41 lifetime starts.

Camino Del Paraiso was given time off after suffering an eye injury in his stall last year, said Jauregui. He was treated for the issue at the UC Davis Equine Medical Center and subsequently given time off to freshen up for the second half of 2021.

“I’m just happy he’s back to the races,” concluded Jauregui. “He’s a really neat horse.”

Remember: Golden Gate offers live racing Friday through Monday this week. Monday’s Rolling Green Stakes, to be drawn on Friday afternoon, is likely to include Cupid’s Claws, Harmon, Jungle Cry, Mecklenberg and Shadrack. Southern California nominees Border Town and Proud Pedro are listed as “possible.”

J T’S WATCH CONTINUES TO SHINE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

California-bred colt J T’s Watch is entered to race against 3-year-old counterparts in the co-feature fourth race on Sunday, a first level allowance at one mile on the Tapeta main track. According to trainer Reid France, the son of Bold Chieftain has been “a blessing.”

“He lost his mother after he was born,” said France. “He’s always been a trooper.”

As an inexperienced and green 2-year-old last fall, J T’s Watch began training with France.

“He didn’t really show us much when he first got to the barn,” said France. “Once he started working a half mile, he started to show us he could run. [Jockey] Aislinn Finn worked him a half [mile] one morning and said afterwards, ‘This is a nice horse.’ The next week, Irving Orozco worked him and said the same thing.”

In November, Golden Gate Fields ceased racing operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the stoppage, J T’s Watch was sent to Southern California and continued training under the care of trainer Peter Miller. J T’s Watch ran in one race for Miller-a run which resulted in a double-digit length loss against maiden claiming dirt sprinters. With the poor effort in mind, Miller huddled up with owner Henry Williamson and suggested a solution.

“After his race, and once we got back up and running [at Golden Gate], Pete thought J T’s Watch might be a better Tapeta horse,” said France. “So, he came back up to Golden Gate.”

Although still a maiden, France was impressed with J T’s Watch when he resurfaced as a newly turned 3-year-old.

“He looked like a new horse,” said France. “He was definitely better. I always figured he might get better with more distance and wasn’t a super precocious horse anyway.”

France was right. Since getting to a route of ground, J T’s Watch has thrived. In eight races for the France barn (all routing), J T’s Watch has won four, including in his most recent start on July 31 when defeating California Derby winner Stalking Shadow in a first level allowance race. Another notable effort came three starts ago, when J T’s Watch finished as the runner up behind next-out Robert Dupret Derby winner Jungle Cry.

This Sunday, J T’s Watch figures to be one of the favorites in the fourth race. Regular rider Irving Orozco retains the mount. A California-bred, J T’s Watch is eligible to win at the first level allowance condition once more and is running at the aforementioned level. France noted J T’s Watch is a “tactical” horse that always tries.

“He’s a grinder,” said France. “He’s a pretty smart horse and knows what to do out there. I think he likes to look his competition in the eye and say a few words along the way.”

GOLDEN GATE FIELDS CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week:

Friday

Race 7: Infatuate (New trainer Jonathan Wong…new owner Madden Racing

Saturday

Race 2: Quick Time (Jack Steiner…Randy Marriott and Steiner)

Race 8: Italiano (Victor Trujillo…Marron Road Ventures LLC and Trujillo)

Race 8: Slam Dunk Sermon (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)

Race 8: Torpedo Away (Manny Badilla…Dave Marshall and Badilla)

Race 9: Sherilinda (Andy Mathis…Strohmaier Racing)

Sunday

Race 3: Bigfoot City (Reid France…Hat Trick Racing)

Race 5: Imperial Creed (Reid France…Hat Trick Racing)

Race 6: Elusive Virtue (Isidro Tamayo…Lourdes Ochoa and Rafael Sanchez)

Race 8: River Rose (Isidro Tamayo…Johnny Taboada)

DEL MAR WATCH LIST

Below is a list of Golden Gate horses competing at Del Mar:

Thursday

Race 3: I’mgonnabesomebody (Trainer Bill McLean…Jockey Drayden Van Dyke)

Race 5: Seven Sisters (Andy Mathis…Ricky Gonzalez)

Race 6: Amanda Rose (Ed Moger Jr…Wayne Barnett)

Race 9: Prudent (Quinn Howey…Emily Ellingwood)

Race 9: Zahra (Jonathan Wong…Hat Trick Racing and MJVET Stables)

Friday

Race 3: Dy Wysong (Jonathan Wong…Kyle Frey)

Race 6: Stopdropandroll (Blaine Wright…Ricky Gonzalez)

Race 6: Irish Wahine (Ed Moger Jr…Kent Desormeaux)

Saturday

Race 3: Hawk Hill (Ed Moger Jr…Geovanni Franco)

Race 8: Maximum Risk (Isidro Tamayo…Juan Espinoza)

Race 8: Charge Cash (Tim McCanna…Tiago Pereira)

Race 11: Jimmy Blue Jeans (Andy Mathis…Kyle Frey)

Sunday

Race 4: Bold Mistress (Ed Moger Jr…Geovanni Franco)

Race 4: Til I Found You (Jonathan Wong…Emily Ellingwood)

Race 4: Jasmine Chieftain (Tim McCanna…Kyle Frey)

Race 5: Reiwa (Jonathan Wong…Abel Cedillo)

FINISH LINES: An enticing Late Pick 4 sequence (Races 6-9) on Sunday shows 40 entries throughout 4 races (10 horses per race.) The sequence: a salty starter allowance turf route (8 entries), a maiden claiming sprint (10), a first level allowance turf route (11) and a sprint for claimers (10)…July 24 Golden Gate maiden winner Stopdropnroll competes in the $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies on Friday at Del Mar. Ricky Gonzalez rides for trainer Blaine Wright…Golden Gate allowance winner Jimmy Blue Jeans runs in Saturday’s $250,000 Del Mar Derby for trainer Andy Mathis and retains the services of jockey Kyle Frey…Congratulations to three Golden Gate winners at Del Mar on Thursday. In Race 3, trainer Bill McLean saddled 56-1 winner I’mgonnabesomebody to the biggest upset of the meet so far. Drayden Van Dyke was aboard. Two races later, Seven Sisters went gate-to-wire for a 13-1 score; trainer Andy Mathis and Ricky Gonzalez teamed up for the win. In Race 8, Star Racer rode the rail to the lead in midstretch under Kyle Frey, springing a 10-1 upset. Star Racer is trained by Angelo Tekos Jr…Happy birthday to jockey Lorenzo Lopez, who celebrates his birthday on Sunday…$4,465 is carried over into the Golden Pick Six jackpot wager heading into Friday’s card.