***REMEMBER TO SCROLL DOWN FOR NEWS AND NOTES FROM THURSDAY, APRIL 22 AS WELL!***
JOCKEY RICKY GONZALEZ “HAPPY TO BE BACK” AT GOLDEN GATE ON GOLD RUSH WEEKEND SATURDAY
Jockey Ricky Gonzalez moved his tack to Southern California last summer and has since held his own on the Santa Anita, Los Alamitos, and Del Mar circuit. For 25-year-old Gonzalez, nostalgia may kick in Saturday afternoon at Golden Gate Fields, where he picked up steam as a top apprentice in 2013 and 2014 before having a successful stint as a journeyman from late 2014 to last summer.
“I miss my friends [at Golden Gate],” said Gonzalez. “I’m happy to be back. It’ll be good to see everyone.”
Gonzalez hops aboard Ohio in the Grade 3, $250,000 San Francisco Mile, the marquee race of the second annual Gold Rush Weekend this Saturday and Sunday. Ohio is trained by Michael McCarthy.
“[Ohio] is a pro,” says Gonzalez. “He is easy to ride. He knows what to do.”
Ohio, a 10-year-old Brazilian-bred by Elusive Quality, sports quite the resume. In 2019, he won the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita and is the only horse in the history of Arizona horse racing to win three consecutive Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile’s. In his career, Ohio has made 11 winners circle appearances, with nine other in-the-money finishes and earnings of $639,298.
Trainer Michael McCarthy, who conditions both Ohio and another ‘Mile contender in Brown Storm, relayed that both of his entrants are doing well heading into Northern California’s premier horse race.
“Ohio is a really cool horse,” said McCarthy. “He’s 10 now and has really been a nice surprise that fell into our lap. He’s getting older and smarter and knows what his job is. It looks like he’ll get a great scenario with a projected fast pace in the race. I expect him to run well. Brown Storm is training great. Off a layoff last time out, he might have been a work or two short [to being 100% cranked up], but [jockey] John Velazquez came back after his race and said that he thought the horse ran well and could take a step forward. The way he’s training, it wouldn’t surprise me if he won.”
Gonzalez rides in three other stakes on the Saturday card. He’ll guide Grade I Del Mar Oaks winner Red Lark in the $75,000 Golden Poppy Stakes for trainer Paddy Gallagher. Gallagher and Gonzalez also team up in Race 10, the $75,000 California Oaks, with European import Styledome. Gonzalez is named on two horses in the $75,000 Camilla Urso for filly and mare turf sprinters: Sadie Bluegrass and Five Pics Please. The latter filly is on the “also eligible” list and will need two defections to draw into the main body of the field. If she does not run, then Gonzalez will be aboard Sadie Bluegrass, who made the field on entry day Wednesday.
RECENT MAIDEN WINNERS POSSESS PEDIGREE TO ENJOY ROUTING ON TURF
Amazen Grazen and Tura Lura, two fillies likely to go off at prices in Sunday’s $75,000 Campanile Stakes for California-bred or sired 3-year-old fillies, are longshots to win. That said, for some horses the light bulb turns on after a maiden victory.
Trainer Ed Moger Jr., who conditions Amazen Grazen, was positive when discussing his filly on Sunday morning during training hours.
“I’ve always liked this filly,” said Moger. “You know what? I’ve always thought she’d like going a route of ground and her pedigree says she should handle the turf. She does things the right way. It took her a few races to win but she tries hard every time and I think she’ll get better as she gets older.”
Tim McCanna, who conditions the Idiot Proof filly Tura Lura, watched his filly break her maiden on March 26 in what was considered by many to be an upset. She beat a 4-5 favorite and a 9-5 second choice, both who dominated the wager.
“[Tura Lura] has always trained steadily,” said McCanna. “Even though her sire was a sprinter, I trained her dam, and she broke her maiden routing.”
Annie Graham, trained by Steve Miyadi, has run consistently well since moving to Golden Gate Fields from Miyadi’s Southern California string in late February. Her dam, Rule the Storm, was a stake winner going two turns on grass at Turf Paradise, and as a broodmare has produced a half sibling, Skeeter Davis, who was a very effective turf router.
The Campanile goes as Race 9 on an 11-race card.
Race 9 on Saturday: $75,000 Campanile (California-bred or sired 3-year-old filles; one mile on turf)
#1 I’m So Anna (Jockey Kyle Frey, Trainer Steve Sherman)
#2 Squared Shady (Edwin Maldonado, Jeff Bonde)
#3 Street Dancing (Julien Couton, Dan Franko)
#4 Annie Graham (Evin Roman, Steve Miyadi)
#5 Do You Hear That (Santos Rivera, Quinn Howey)
#6 Amazen Grazen (Irving Orozco, Ed Moger Jr.)
#7 Silk Road Sally (Cristobal Herrera, Felix Rondan)
#8 Tura Lura (Armando Ayuso, Tim McCanna)
#9 Maybe I Will (Catalino Martinez, Brendan Galvin)
BERNALINHO HOPES FOR A SMOOTHER JOURNEY IN SILKY SULLIVAN STAKES
In his first start against winners on March 26, 3-year-old California-bred colt Bernalinho stumbled at the break and nearly unseated his jockey, Billy Antongeorgi III. Antongeorgi, using superb athleticism and great balance, was able to keep his seat aboard the horse.
“I was amazed Billy stayed on,” said Bernalinho’s trainer, Isidro Tamayo. “It was a heck of a recovery.”
After such a disastrous beginning, Bernalinho was somehow able to produce a strong, eye-catching move on the far turn and turning for home. He flattened out in the final furlong, understandably so, but held fourth in what really was a good effort.
“It was just bad luck he stumbled like he did [at the start],” said Tamayo. “It was pretty impressive for him to make a move like he did and pass a few horses. There’s a chance he would have won if he broke well. He can run a little bit, for sure.”
Tamayo is hoping Bernalinho receives a better trip on Sunday in his stakes debut, the $75,000 Silky Sullivan Stakes for 3-year-old California bred or sired colts and geldings at one mile on turf. He has never tried grass before, but his stallion, Mr. Big, has produced several solid turf runners.
“Bernalinho is still learning,” said Tamayo. “He’s green and just figuring things out. But he’s getting better, and I think there’s plenty of room for him to grow.”
Race 11 on Saturday: $75,000 Silky Sullivan (California-bred or sired 3-year-olds; one mile on turf)
#1 Gallant Guy (Jockey Francisco Monroy, Trainer Reina Gonzalez)
#2 Bobby’s Alibi (Kevin Orozco, Faith Taylor)
#3 None Above The Law (Evin Roman, Peter Miller)
#4 Top Harbor (Armando Ayuso, Tim McCanna)
#5 Jimmy Blue Jeans (Assael Espinoza, Andy Mathis)
#6 Seattle Bold (Kyle Frey, Jamey Thomas)
#7 Mister Bold (Edwin Maldonado, Jeff Bonde)
#8 Bernalinho (William Antongeorgi III, Isidro Tamayo)
#9 Tacoflavoredkisses (Geovanni Franco, Andy Mathis)
#10 Positivity (Julien Couton, Paddy Gallagher)
#11 I’ll Stand Taller (Catalino Martinez, Doug O’Neill)
#12 Big Talker (Irving Orozco, Tim Yakteen)
MEDIA LINKS TO HANDICAPPING ANALYSIS
XBTV’S Jeff Siegel and 1/ST Bet’s Jeremy Plonk analyze the San Francisco Mile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsshg0Mu28o
The Daily Racing Form’s Brad Free discussing the San Francisco Mile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMWZJanu71Q
The Racing Dude’s “Magic Mike Show” analyze the All Stakes, Late Pick 4 sequence on Saturday:
Handicapper Ellis Starr Gives His Thoughts on the San Francisco Mile: https://www.americasbestracing.net/gambling/2021-keeper-ofthe-stars-can-beat-the-boys-san-francisco-mile
FINISH LINES: The Late Pick 4 sequence on both Saturday and Sunday is guaranteed at $200,000… A lengthy list of Southern California trainers sends horses to compete in stakes races throughout the weekend. Those names include Jeff Bonde, Val Brinkerhoff, Simon Callaghan, Neil Drysdale, Paddy Gallagher, Andrew Lerner, Richard Mandella, Michael McCarthy, Doug O’Neill, Peter Miller, Leonard Powell, John Sadler, and Tim Yakteen. Jockeys who travel from Santa Anita to ride: Tyler Baze, Geovanni Franco, Ricky Gonzalez, and Edwin Maldonado.