BAJA SUR VS. BETTOR TRIP NICK: ROUND 3 IN THE LOST IN THE FOG
Multiple stakes winners Baja Sur and Bettor Trip Nick have sparred in two separate Golden Gate races: the November 1 El Dorado Shooter Stakes and an allowance on April 2. The outcomes were different in each race.
In the El Dorado Shooter last fall, Bettor Trip Nick set a sizzling fast pace -21.18 for the first quarter mile and 43.56 for the second-before relinquishing the lead in upper stretch to Baja Sur. Baja Sur drew off and won the six-furlong contest by four lengths, but Bettor Trip Nick stuck around for second in what was considered by many as an admirable effort.
Fast forward five months later to the April 2 allowance affair. Baja Sur hadn’t run since the El Dorado Shooter, enjoying a nice vacation on a farm for most of the winter. Bettor Trip Nick, on the other hand, had raced twice since the El Dorado Shooter, with both runs resulting in double digit length losses over dirt courses in Southern California.
Despite the poor recent form, Bettor Trip Nick went to the front on April 2, cleared off from the competition, and defeated 3-5 favorite Baja Sur by three-quarters of a length. Sweet redemption, I suppose, but celebrations are short lived. The next race is always on the horizon.
The score is 1-1. According to trainer Blaine Wright, Baja Sur, with a race under his belt this year, is cranked up and ready to go.
“He needed his last start,” said Wright. “In my mind, I figured I’d be training him into the Lost in the Fog, but the allowance race [on April 2] filled and we decided to run him. He got a lot out of the race from a conditioning standpoint. He had a beautiful work [Sunday] morning. He worked strong. He’s ready.”
Trainer Quinn Howey, who conditions 4-year-old California-bred Bettor Trip Nick, is similarly pleased with how Bettor Trip Nick is doing heading into the Lost in the Fog.
“He worked super [Saturday] morning [a half mile in 48.20],” said Howey. “When he was in Southern California, he was in another barn and training down there. He really likes being at Golden Gate, training here and running over this track.”
Baja Sur and Bettor Trip Nick are no cinches to win. Landeskog, supplemented by trainer Doug O’Neill, placed second in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob Stakes in 2019 and could go off favored. He moves to the O’Neill barn after racing under the care of Brad Cox throughout the Midwest. 2019 Lost in the Fog Stakes winner Anyportinastorm enters for trainer Peter Miller and has shown an affinity for the Golden Gate all-weather Tapeta. California-bred Jamming Eddy comes off a runner-up finish in the Sensational Star Stakes at Santa Anita and ships in from his Southern California home base while Thanks Mr. Eidson finished third behind Grade 3 winner Gregorian Chant earlier this year and makes the trip North for trainer Jeff Bonde. On the local front, Sunset Dragunn ran a career best race for trainer Isidro Tamayo last month and enters in good form. Hardknockers El Chavo Del Ocho and Silent Movies round out the field.
Saturday’s 12 Race: The $75,000 Lost in the Fog Stakes (6 furlongs on Tapeta)
#1 Thanks Mr. Eidson (Jockey Edwin Maldonado, Trainer Jeff Bonde)
#2 Sunset Dragunn (Francisco Monroy, Isidro Tamayo)
#3 Silent Movies (Assael Espinoza, Reina Gonzalez)
#4 Bettor Trip Nick (Santos Rivera, Quinn Howey
#5 El Chavo Del Ocho (Irving Orozco, Jonathan Wong)
#6 Baja Sur (Catalino Martinez, Blaine Wright)
#7 Anyportinastorm (Evin Roman, Peter Miller)
#8 Jamming Eddy (Tyler Baze, Andrew Lerner)
#9 Landeskog (Kyle Frey, Doug O’Neill)
TRUJILLO LOOKING FOR REDEMPTION IN SAN FRANCISCO MILE WITH KIWI’S DREAM
Last year, trainer Victor Trujillo watched his gelding Kiwi’s Dream run a terrific race, only to lose by a neck to Southern California shipper Neptune’s Storm, in the San Francisco Mile. This year, Trujillo returns with Kiwi’s Dream, an Australian-bred who makes his second start of 2021 in the ‘Mile.
Kiwi’s Dream had a case of “seconditis” last year. He had to settle for the runner up spot in four separate stakes: the San Francisco Mile, The All American, The Wickerr and The Rolling Green. All four efforts were admirable tries against good company.
Heading into the 2021 edition of the San Francisco Mile, Trujillo has planted a steady series of morning drills into his stable star, including a pair of 7-furlong workouts, a bullet five-furlong drill, and a handful of sharp half-mile breezes. Working fast is not uncharacteristic of Kiwi’s Dream, however. He’s a good horse…and a front runner, too.
On Saturday, Kiwi’s Dream will have another speed foe to deal with in Diamond Blitz, a gelding who typically opens up 8 to 10 lengths early on in his races. With that in mind, the trip Kiwi’s Dream receives in the ‘Mile may not be one we’ve seen with him before.
“We’ve never seen [Kiwi’s Dream] stalking the pace in a route race,” said Trujillo. “To be honest, I’m not 100% sure what type of trip he’s going to get. I’m going to leave it up to the jockey [Irving Orozco]. He’s training well coming into this race and we have a good horse.”
Trujillo, a longtime Bay Area horseman, also saddles 3-year-old filly Liam’s Secret in the California Oaks. The daughter of Liam’s Map broke her maiden at first asking in March and enters the ‘Oaks off a third-place finish routing on turf.
“She has always showed that she could run,” said Trujillo of Liam’s Secret. “[The California Oaks] is not an easy race but we are going in as ready as we can be. She’s always done things the right way and she is training good.”
Saturday’s 9th Race: The $250,000 Grade 3 San Francisco Mile (One mile on turf)
#1 Kiwi’s Dream (Jockey Irving Orozco, Trainer Victor Trujillo)
#2 Keeper Ofthe Stars (Frank Alvarado, Jonathan Wong)
#3 Whisper Not (Geovanni Franco, Richard Baltas)
#4 Diamond Blitz (Assael Espinoza, Jesus Ramos)
#5 Ohio (Ricky Gonzalez, Michael McCarthy)
#6 Border Town (Evin Roman, Richard Mandella)
#7 Brown Storm (Kyle Frey, Michael McCarthy)
#8 Restrainedvengence (Tyler Baze, Val Brinkerhoff)
LEADING TRAINER WONG READY TO PLAY HIS HAND ON GOLD RUSH WEEKEND
Golden Gate leading trainer Jonathan Wong is coming to play on Gold Rush Weekend. On Saturday, Wong saddles 10 entrants on an 11-race card, with 6 of those runners slated to compete in stakes races.
We begin with Empire House, a 3-year-old daughter of 2003 Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker set to start in the $75,000 California Oaks. She has been well-regarded since Day 1, having been purchased as a yearling for a whopping $500,000 by Tom and Debi Stull, a.k.a. Tommy Town Thoroughbreds. In December, Empire House broke her maiden in Southern California, and has since come back to run twice against winners. Most recently, she ran a subpar seventh as the favorite in the Arizona Oaks at Turf Paradise. Don’t worry, says Wong. An excuse can be made for her “no-show.”
“There was a torrential hailstorm when we were in the paddock,” said Wong. “I don’t think she cared for the [racing surface] at all. She also broke slow and she’s one that needs to be forwardly placed, so when she got behind horses and got some dirt in her face, she said, ‘Forget about it.’ We’re going to give her another shot. We’ve always thought she’d be a route horse.”
3-year-old colt Jimmy Irish goes in the $100,000 California Derby at one-mile and a sixteenth. A $60,000 yearling purchase at Keeneland, the son of Jimmy Creed broke his maiden at first asking three weeks ago in a maiden special weight at Golden Gate, winning the race by over 3 lengths and earning a 71 Beyer speed figure for his effort.
“Jimmy Irish gets a chance against stakes company,” said Wong. “This race…it’s obviously a really tough task for him. It’ll be his first-time routing, first time against winners and only the second start of his life. It’s a lot to throw at him, but he’s handled everything well so far. He worked lights out on Friday morning [5 furlongs in 1:02.20] and we think he’s a really nice horse.”
Stalking Shadow, a 3-year-old California-bred colt fresh off an allowance victory in late March, is also entered to race in the California Derby. After much deliberation, Wong opted to bypass Sunday’s $75,000 Silky Sullivan for California-bred or sired 3-year-olds on turf.
“We don’t want to try to fix what’s not broken,” quipped Wong. “We know he likes the Tapeta. He’s never run on the turf. So, we decided to keep him on the all-weather surface for now and maybe try grass later on down the road.
Stalking Shadow is really sharp right now,” continued Wong. “The funny thing is…he’s not a good work horse. But that’s how he has been his whole life. In the afternoon, he shows up. He likes being on the outside. If he can get to the outside, he’s a different horse. [Regular rider] Evin [Roman] has figured this horse out to where he gets him to settle, puts him in a good position and then gets clear turning for home. Once you ask him down the lane, he rolls.”
Wong has a duo of contenders ready for the Camilla Urso Stakes at five panels on turf. 2020 California Oaks winner Dynasty of Her Own is the strongest entrant of the pair. She is considered the top filly and mare sprinter at Golden Gate right now, having won a pair of allowance races in impressive fashion earlier this year.
“Dynasty of Her Own is training at Santa Anita. She’s doing really well,” said Wong. “She was down south because we were debating whether to run her in the Camilla Urso or last week in the Mizdirection [Stakes at Santa Anita]. We decided to run her here. She drew a good post and should run a good race as long as she takes to the turf.”
The other Wong entrant, Sadie Bluegrass, is no slouch herself. In March, Sadie Bluegrass finished third in the Irish O’Brien Stakes behind one of the top filly and mare turf sprinters in Southern California, Leggs Galore, and wheels back in just 8 days after an easy starter allowance victory on Tapeta last week.
“Sadie Bluegrass came out of her race last week in great shape,” said Wong. “The race was sort of like a workout for her. She has good energy at the barn and seems happy. She’s a hard tryer. After this race, we’ll freshen her up before Del Mar.”
Last but not least, we get to the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile, where Wong saddles 5-year-old mare Keeper Ofthe Stars against male counterparts. Last year, Keeper Ofthe Stars won the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes and Grade I Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita. Off an eighth month layoff, Keeper Ofthe Stars made her first start of the year in an allowance on April 2 and defeated Golden Poppy Stakes contender Northwest Factor.
“We were debating between running her in either the San Francisco Mile or the Gamely again,” said Wong. “Her workout last week [5 furlongs in 59.80 seconds] was one of the best works I’ve seen from her since joining my stable. She worked really, really good. She’s all class.”
Wong entered Clockstrikestwelve in the $75,000 Golden Poppy for filly and mare turf routers but will scratch in favor of the $200,000 Grade 2 Santa Margarita on dirt at Santa Anita this Saturday. Since moving to the Wong barn in August of 2020, the 5-year-old mare has won five of six starts, with her first loss coming in the Grade I Beholder Mile last month.
“We’re taking a chance down south in hopes of picking up a graded stake placing on Saturday,” said Wong.
While speaking to Wong, a tone of excitement could be heard in his voice.
“It’s pretty cool for Golden Gate to have a big weekend like this,” said Wong. “Hopefully we can get lucky. It’s always fun to win a big race in your hometown. And if we were to win the San Francisco Mile, it would be a dream come true. I’m a Northern California guy and have always liked this race. It’s a prestigious race and good horses and good trainers always show up.”
Saturday’s 7th Race: The $75,000 Golden Poppy Stakes (One mile and a sixteenth on turf)
#1 Northwest Factor (Irving Orozco, Manny Badilla)
#2 Colonial Creed (Edwin Maldonado, Richard Baltas)
#3 Guitty (Tyler Baze, Leonard Powell)
#4 Sloane Garden (Frank Alvarado, Manny Badilla)
#5 Altea (Kyle Frey, Michael McCarthy)
#6 Red Lark (Ricky Gonzalez, Paddy Gallagher)
#7 Clockstrikestwelve (Evin Roman, Jonathan Wong)
Saturday’s 11th Race: The $75,000 Camilla Urso Stakes (Five furlongs on the turf)
#1 Square Peggy (Santos Rivera, Quinn Howey)
#2 Storming Lady (Tyler Baze, Alfredo Marquez)
#3 Red Livy (Ryan Barber, Salvador Naranjo)
#4 Sadie Bluegrass (Ricky Gonzalez, Jonathan Wong)
#5 Gypsy Spirit (Edwin Maldonado, Leonard Powell)
#6 Nardini (Irving Orozco, Andy Mathis)
#7 Dynasty Of Her Own (Evin Roman, Jonathan Wong)
#8 Bohemian Bourbon (Kyle Frey, Michael McCarthy)
#9 Gotham Desire (Assael Espinoza, Ed Moger Jr.)
#10 Acting Out (William Antongeorgi III, Art Sherman)
Also Eligibles
#11 Habobanero (Francisco Monroy, Reina Gonzalez)
#12 Gayles Evening (Kyle Frey, Jamey Thomas)
#13 Five Pics Please (Ricky Gonzalez, John Sadler)
#14 Lotsa Pepper (Anne Sanguinetti, Manny Badilla)
JAUREGUI LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING IDA CLAIRE AND TESORO AGAINST STAKES COMPANY
On Wednesday morning, trainer O.J. Jauregui was in Florida inspecting potential stars of the future-2-year-olds-to purchase at the 2021 Ocala Sale. By Saturday, he’ll be back in the racing scene, saddling two current stable stars in the $100,000 California Derby and the $75,000 California Oaks.
Jauregui’s Tesoro, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Anchor Down purchased for $75,000 as a 2-year-old, has taken an unconventional path to the California Derby. In his career debut on January 24, he hit the wire first in what was a gutsy effort.
But wait. Hold all tickets.
Minutes after unofficially breaking his maiden, he was disqualified for drifting out and interfering with another rival in midstretch.
Jauregui and owners Glen Road Racing LLC, Highland Yard LLC, Ben Raygoza and Arthur Spencer opted to try Tesoro in the El Camino Real Derby (still a maiden, remember.) That day, he missed the break and lost all chance at that point.
“He didn’t show us his best in the El Camino Real Derby, but the start didn’t help,” said Jauregui. “I see it as a toss-out race.”
Tesoro dropped back down to maiden special weight company in his most recent start, on March 12, and scored a gate to wire victory with leading GGF jockey Kyle Frey aboard. Frey retains the mount in the California Derby. Since then, Tesoro has posted three workouts in preparation for Saturday’s ‘Derby.
“Tesoro is doing fine,” said Jauregui. “After his maiden win, he got a little sick, but it was nothing major and he bounced back really quickly. He had a nice breeze [6 furlongs in 1:14.60] the other morning and galloped out good. He’s developing and getting better.”
3-year-old filly Ida Claire, purchased for $60,000 by owner Highland Yard LLC last year, has made a favorable impression amongst race watchers. She ran a very respectable second in her career debut, a one-mile route race on Tapeta in March, and returned one month later on April Fool’s Day to win an eight-furlong turf route. Her effort was no joke (yes, pun intended.)
“Ida Clare is a pretty nice filly,” said Jauregui. “Her [Equibase] speed figure on turf was actually lower when she won than in her synthetic race where she lost. I think she can run well on either surface. She got a little tired in her first start and got a lot out of it. She moved forward in her maiden win.”
Jauregui noted that neither the California Derby or California Oaks is an easy race, but that taking a step up in class and facing tough company isn’t always a bad thing.
“When you put the horses in races like these, it can teach you what you have,” said Jauregui. “There are some nice races at Del Mar this summer that might fit horses like Tesoro and Ida Claire. These types of races, for horses like them, give us a good idea where we stand.”
Saturday’s 10th Race: The $75,000 California Oaks (One mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta)
#1 Risen Lady (William Antongeorgi III, Michael McCarthy)
#2 Joymaker (Alejandro Gomez, Quinn Howey)
#3 A Real Hero (Tyler Baze, Michael McCarthy)
#4 Styldome (Ricky Gonzalez, Paddy Gallagher)
#5 Ida Claire (Irving Orozco, O.J Jauregui)
#6 Liam’s Secret (Assael Espinoza, Victor Trujillo)
#7 Pizzazz (Kyle Frey, Richard Mandella)
#8 Miss Peaky Blinder (Edwin Maldonado, Neil Drysdale)
#9 Empire House (Catalino Martinez, Jonathan Wong)
#10 Misty Cat (Cristobal Herrera, Dan Franko)
#11 Freedom Flyer (Evin Roman, Simon Callaghan)
Saturday’s 8th Race: The $100,000 California Derby (One mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta)
#1. Lost In Space (Tyler Baze, Simon Callaghan)
#2 Jimmy Irish (Armando Ayuso, Jonathan Wong)
#3. Parnelli (Edwin Maldonado, John Shirreffs)
#4. Twilight Rider (Irving Orozco, Blaine Wright)
#5. Stalking Shadow (Evin Roman, Jonathan Wong)
#6. Govenor’s Party (Cristobal Herrera, Dan Franko)
#7. Tesoro (Kyle Frey, O.J. Jauregui)
#8. Omph (Frank Alvarado, Quinn Howey)
LATE PICK 4 POOLS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY GUARANTEED AT $200,000
Golden Gate Fields racing officials announced Sunday morning that the bayside racecourse will guarantee the Late Pick 4 pools on Gold Rush Weekend Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25 at $200,000. The Late Pick 4 sequence consists of the last four races every day and is a 50-cent minimum bet. Gold Rush Weekend, a 2-day festival, features 8-stakes races; a half dozen on Saturday and two more on Sunday.
“We are expecting a terrific weekend of racing all around,” said Golden Gate Fields General Manager and Vice President David Duggan. “We truly appreciate the support of our horseplayers worldwide and very much look forward to providing them with an excellent product to watch and wager on next weekend. With that, we have guaranteed our Late Pick 4 pools on Saturday [April 24] and Sunday [April 25] at $200,000. Our inaugural Gold Rush Weekend in 2019 was a success and we are equally excited about this year’s event.”
Saturday’s Late Pick 4 order is an “All Stakes” sequence. It begins with Race 9, the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile. The California Oaks goes as Race 10, with a strong field of 11 assembled. A full field will sprint five furlongs in Race 11, The Camilla Urso Stakes for fillies and mares on grass, and the Lost in the Fog Stakes attracted 9 male sprinters in what should be an epic nightcap to end the racing day.
On Sunday, the co-featured Silky Sullivan and Campanile Stakes are part of another stellar Late Pick 4 sequence. The Silky Sullivan, for 3-year-old California-bred or sired colts and geldings, goes as the last of 11 races and drew a full field of 12. The Campanile, for California-bred or sired fillies, drew 9 and runs as the 9th race. A claiming sprint kicks off the Late Pick 4 in Race 8, with 11 entered, and Race 10 is a second level allowance with 10 horses set to enter the starting gate.
CLAIMS REPORT
Below is a list of claims from last week:
Friday
Race 2: Irish Declaration (New trainer Mike Lenzini…new owner John Parker)
Race 2: Silver Fury (Mike Lenzini…Stephen Post)
Race 6: Please Me (Dan Markle…Bruce Cudahy)
Race 7: Novella (Mark Glatt…William Branch)
Race 8: Bold Roman (Owner/Trainer Arturo Williams)
Saturday
Race 2: Incredibly Lucky (Jeff Metz…Horseplayers Racing Club)
Race 9: Maycee Jo (Reid France…Hat Trick Racing)
Sunday
Race 9: Sizzling Indian (Owner/Trainer Sergio Morfin)
FINISH LINES: Last Saturday, 4-year-old gelding Night Gig won a starter allowance sprint race. Just one race later, older brother Union Dance (a 5-year-old gelding) won the allowance one-mile feature. Both horses are trained by Isidro Tamayo and owned by John Molloy. Timothy Francis O’Leary, who owns a share of Night Gig, bred both horses and owns the dam, the Street Sense mare Night Dance…Also on Saturday, fledgling trainer Reid France scored his first 3-win day since going out on his own. The former assistant to longtime Bay Area horseman John Martin won Races 2,4, and 6…The Golden Pick Six jackpot was hit last Saturday for a whopping $135,220.02! Heading into the Friday program, there is a $4,462 carryover in the ‘jackpot pool…Race 3 at Golden Gate Fields on Friday is Leg E (the last leg) of the Stronach 5 wager this week.