RETURN TO TURF COULD BE KEY FOR CLOCKSTRIKESTWELVE IN LUTHER BURBANK STAKES
Admist a 5-race win streak late last year, 5-year-old mare Clockstrikestwelve had terrific form on turf-a surface she thrived over since breaking her maiden at Gulfstream Park in 2019. But after a pair of sharp Southern California dirt wins in early 2021, trainer Jonathan Wong and owner Michael Rosenmayer opted to keep the daughter of New Year’s Day on the main track.
“She had run through her conditions and the owner wanted to get some black type for her,” said Wong.
After a pair of off-the-board efforts in the Grade I Beholder Mile and Grade 2 Santa Margarita in Southern California, Clockstrikestwelve picked up her first in-the-money stakes placing with a second-place finish in the She’s a Tiger Stakes at Pleasanton. Clockstrikestwelve was then entered in last week’s Grade I Clement Hirsch, but Wong scratched in favor of this Saturday’s feature race at Golden Gate, the Luther Burbank Stakes for fillies and mares at one mile and a sixteenth. With the entry, Clockstrikestwelve is also reacquainted with a familiar friend: the turf.
“If the field was small [in the Clement Hirsch] we might’ve taken a shot,” said Wong. “But the race came up super tough. It’s possible she may like turf the most, but she has run well on all surfaces [dirt, synthetic and turf]. She is pretty versatile.”
Jockey Evin Roman, who got to know Clockstrikestwelve in the She’s a Tiger, retains the mount on Saturday. Clockstrikestwelve breaks from post 6 in a field of 7.
“I’m hoping she can settle, sit off the speed and make a strong run in the end,” said Wong.
Wong also saddles Dynasty of Her Own, coming off a loss at Del Mar against stakes company.
“This is an easier spot than the Del Mar race,” said Wong. “She won the California Oaks going two turns as a 3-year-old, so routing isn’t a problem.”
Two Southern California shippers add to the intrigue of the Luther Burank. Avenue de France makes the trip north for Leonard Powell after a third-place finish behind Grade 3 winner and Grade I placed filly Going to Vegas at Del Mar last month. Star of Africa exits allowance company and will also compete for trainer Paddy Gallagher.
The Luther Burbank goes as Race 7 on a 9-race card this Saturday. First post each live racing day this week-Friday, Saturday and Sunday-is 1:45 PM PT.
Race 7 on Saturday: $50,000 Luther Burbank Stakes (fillies & mares 3 YO and up at 1 & 1/16th miles on turf)
#1 Convince (jockey Pedro Terrero…trainer Bruce Dillenback)
#2 Dynasty of Her Own (Irving Orozco…Jonathan Wong)
#3 Star of Africa (William Antongeorgi III…Paddy Gallagher)
#4 Misty Cat (Silvio Amador…Dan Franko)
#5 Dutch Painting (Frank Alvarado…Manny Badilla)
#6 Clockstrikestwelve (Evin Roman…Jonathan Wong)
#7 Avenue de France (Assael Espinoza…Leonard Powell)
MCCANNA OPTIMISTIC THINGS WILL WORK OUT FOR CREATIVE ROMANCE
In February, trainer Tim McCanna and owner Alan Mindell claimed 5-year-old mare Creative Romance for $12,500. To their delight, they made their money back right away in her first start for the barn. Sent off at odds 4-1 on March 27, the daughter of Creative Cause stalked the pace before powering away for a runaway win against first level allowance foes.
“She’s a nice, hard knocking mare that has some decent pedigree,” said McCanna. “That’s what we saw when we claimed her. So far things have worked out well.”
Although Creative Romance has lost four straight races since the March victory, she managed to hit the board in three of those runs-all against allowance company. Most recently, Creative Romance placed second to stakes caliber filly Nardini in a dirt race at Pleasanton.
“She ran pretty well at Pleasanton the other day, but I think she really likes the synthetic [at Golden Gate],” said McCanna.
Friday, Creative Romance draws the rail in Race 4, a five-horse allowance affair for filly and mare routers. Creative Romance is the 2-1 morning line favorite. McCanna is not privy to the fact that troubled trips are still a possibility in a small field and, like any trainer, is hoping for a clean trip come race day.
“Sometimes, horses can find trouble in small fields,” said McCanna. “I don’t think she wants to be in front [early in the race]. Hopefully, she can save some ground and find some room to run late.”
TRIP TO SPAIN LOOKS TO MAKE THE TRIP TO THE DEL MAR WINNERS CIRCLE IN SUNDAY’S GRADUATION STAKES
On July 25, 2-year-old colt Trip to Spain caught the eye of race watchers with an impressive gate-to-wire win in his career debut at Golden Gate Fields. He earned a 66 Beyer speed figure for the maiden special weight score. Two weeks later, trainer Jamey Thomas has decided to wheel back his precocious talent in the co-feature at Del Mar on Sunday, the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for California-bred 2-year-olds.
“Usually I don’t run my two-year-olds back this quick,” said Thomas. “Originally, I didn’t have the intention of running him in the race. We were going to wait for the I’m Smokin Stakes [at Del Mar next month.]”
Then Thomas received a call from the Del Mar racing office.
“They told me the race only had 4 or 5 others in it,” said Thomas. “I noticed [stakes winner] Big City Lights was entered in the Best Pal Stakes [against open company] on Saturday. Trip to Spain…he came out of his maiden win in terrific shape. He ate up all his food the night of the race and he’s still eating well. He’s been training great. He has great energy. So, we’re gonna give it a go. I think he fits.”
Thomas is not concerned with the switch from Golden Gate’s synthetic to the Del Mar dirt main track. In fact, Trip to Spain has already worked out over a dirt surface in the past.
“He was training just OK [at Golden Gate] in the spring,” said Thomas. “Then I brought him to Pleasanton to train on the dirt there. When he got to Pleasanton, the lightbulb turned on. He was like, ‘I know what I’m supposed to do now.’ He started working really good. When he got back to Golden Gate [and worked a week before his debut race], one of the clockers said to me, ‘Wow. What happened to him?’ He could see how much he improved.”
Thomas indicated that, although Trip to Spain was in front at every call in his maiden win, securing the lead in the early part of Sunday’s race is not a necessity.
“We’ve worked him behind horses and he doesn’t mind it at all,” said Thomas. “He’ll do whatever you ask him to do. Hopefully he breaks well [on Sunday] and we’ll go from there.”
Jockey Santos Rivera was aboard for Trip to Spain’s first career race. This time, Trip to Spain will have a new rider in Kyle Frey, who coincidentally worked Trip to Spain a few times before his career debut. Frey was riding at Del Mar the day Trip to Spain debuted, and Rivera inherited the mount as a result.
Trip to Spain, a son of Stay Thirsty, is out of the Comic Strip mare Spanish Doll. His breeder, Myles McMahon, owns Trip to Spain.
Another Northern California shipper entered in the Graduation, Northvale Road, broke his maiden over Pleasanton’s dirt surface and makes his career debut against winners for trainer Ed Moger Jr. A son of Grazen, Northvale Road drew post 5 of 6. Trip to Spain breaks from post position 2.
The Graduation Stakes goes as Race 6 at Del Mar on Sunday.
DEL MAR WATCH LIST
Below is a list of Golden Gate horses and human connections running at Del Mar this week. Keep an eye out for them…
THURSDAY
Race 1: #7 Smiling Ann (Trainer Bill McLean…Jockey Kyle Frey)
Race 2: #1 Tom’s Surprise (Jonathan Wong…Jose Valdivia Jr.)
Race 2: #4 Respect the Hustle (Bill McLean…Abel Cedillo)
Race 2: #5 Mahi Mahi (Isidro Tamayo…Kyle Frey)
Race 4: #2 T Bones Trick (Jonathan Wong…Juan Hernandez)
Race 4: #3 Satanta (Reid France…Evin Roman)
Race 4: #7 Sayin Grace (Ed Moger Jr…Tiago Pereira)
Race 6: #5 Nina En Fuego (Isidro Tamayo…Kyle Frey)
Race 7: #3 Lion’s Lair (Ed Moger Jr…Tiago Pereira)
Race 7: #6 Irish Wahine (Ed Moger Jr…Abel Cedillo)
FRIDAY
Race 1: #5 Here’s My Point (Jonathan Wong…Evin Roman)
Race 2: #3 Truly Fabulous (Jonathan Wong…Juan Hernandez)
Race 2: #4 Ten the Smart Way (Andy Mathis…Ricky Gonzalez)
Race 4: #14 On Deck (Bill McLean…Ricky Gonzalez)
Race 5: #3 Time to Smile (Ed Moger Jr…Jessica Pyfer)
Race 5: #4 Dizzy Lizzy (Ed Moger Jr…Tiago Pereira)
Race 8: #7 Zahra (O.J. Jauregui…Kyle Frey)
SATURDAY
Race 3: #1 Hawk Hill (Ed Moger Jr…Tiago Pereira)
Race 3: #10 Double Tiger (Jamey Thomas…Kent Desormeaux)
Race 5: #5 Zippy Baby (Tim McCanna…Trevor McCarthy)
Race 7: #3 I’mgonnabesomebody (Bill McLean…Jessica Pyfer)
Race 7: #4 By Moonlight (Isidro Tamayo…Kyle Frey)
Race 10: #6 Keeper Ofthe Stars (Jonathan Wong…Abel Cedillo)
Race 11: #12 Uncaged Kitty (Andy Mathis…Ricky Gonzalez)
SUNDAY
Race 3: #9 Tiz a Speed Bomb (Isidro Tamayo…Juan Espinoza)
Race 6: #2 Trip to Spain (Jamey Thomas…Kyle Frey)
Race 6: #5 Northvale Road (Ed Moger Jr…Tiago Pereira)
Race 3: #3 Bonita Leona (Andy Mathis…Kyle Frey)
Race 8: #10 Amanda Rose (Ed Moger Jr…Juan Hernandez)
CLAIMS REPORT
Below is a list of claims from last week:
FRIDAY
Race 2: Project Leader (New trainer Jonathan Wong…new owner Battle Born Racing & MJVET Stables)
Race 3: Beautyinthebeast (Pablo De Jesus…Cindy Winschell)
Race 4: Perseverance (Isidro Tamayo…Leon Scott)
Race 6: Italiano (O.J. Jauregui…Carina Jauregui)
Race 9: Made in Karoo (Monty Meier…Browne Cattle Co. and William Branch)
SATURDAY
Race 1: Elusive Virtue (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)
Race 4: Evenrevenworse (Blaine Wright…Seamist Racing, Becker, Lancaster, Manzoni & Manzoni)
Race 7: Imperial Creed (Owner/Trainer Victor Trujillo)
Race 8: Trouble N Paradise (Tim McCanna…Ron Glatt)
Race 8: Where’s Frankie (Gary Greiner…Renee Greiner)
SUNDAY
Race 1: Vangogo (D. Wayne Baker…Richard Barton)
Race 4: Bluegrass Sky (Daniel Franko…Joseph Franko)
Race 4: Wicks and Chappies (Bill McLean…Ables, Auyeung, McLean and Miller)
Race 9: He Be Mojo Risin (Steve Sherman…Cicero Farms LLC)
FINISH LINES: At the recently concluded “Part 1 of the Endless Summer Meet” season, jockey Pedro Terrero won the most races out of any rider with 8 trips to the winner’s circle. Steve Sherman posted the most wins of any trainer with 6 first-place finishes…San Francisco Mile runner up Keeper Ofthe Stars races in the Grade 2, $200,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at Del Mar this Saturday…Multiple Golden Gate Fields stakes winner Camino Del Paraiso continues to prep for a 2021 return to the races. Last Sunday morning, the California-bred breezed six furlongs in 1:13.60 seconds for trainer O.J. Jauregui…Iowa Derby winner Stilleto Boy makes his West Coast debut in the La Jolla Handicap on turf at Del Mar this Sunday for trainer Ed Moger Jr. Moger’s brother, owner Steve Moger, purchased Stilleto Boy for $420,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Horses of Racing Age sale after the Iowa Derby win…Trainer Jamey Thomas saddles impressive GGF maiden winner Trip to Spain in the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for California-bred 2-year-olds while Ed Moger Jr. campaigns Northvale Road in the same race…Happy birthday to Golden Gate Director of Administration Cynthia Seidl, who celebrates her birthday on Sunday…Friday is Opening Day of the 6-day “Wine Country Racing at Golden Gate” Summer meet. With that, the Golden Pick Six pool begins anew on Friday.