GOLD RUSH STAKES LURES A FULL FIELD
An oversubscribed field of 11 enters to compete in Saturday’s featured eighth race, the $75,000 Gold Rush Stakes for 2-year-olds at one mile on the Tapeta. A maximum of 10 runners are allowed in the starting gate at the one-mile distance, which means one horse-Unraptured in this case-sits on the also eligible list and will draw into the main body of the field if a defection occurs.
Degree of Risk and Boise exit the same race, the Qatar Golden Mile, and enter back in the Gold Rush as the ones to beat. Degree of Risk ships north for trainer Eoin Harty while Boise runs out of his own stall for Jonathan Wong.
Degree of Risk, a Godolphin homebred by Cairo Prince, broke his maiden over a synthetic surface at Arlington Park. Since then, he has run in three stakes races. Before the Qatar Golden Mile, Degree of Risk finished as the runner up in the Soaring Free Stakes at Woodbine and, one month later, followed up with a third-place finish in the Grade I Summer Stakes (also at Woodbine). Irving Orozco will be aboard for the first time.
Boise, a son of Temple City, won his career debut sprinting on turf. He returned in the Qatar Golden Mile, a one-mile grass race on the Breeders Cup Friday undercard, sat off the speed early, waited for racing room turning for home and commenced a strong rally late, finishing a half-length behind the winner Astronomer. He lost a three-way nose bob for second.
“We’re hoping for a good tracking trip [in the Gold Rush],” said Wong. “We always thought he’d be a better route horse. He got the worst of the bob the other day; with a better bob he runs second. Evin worked him last Sunday and he worked lights out. He did it real easy and galloped out in 1:12 and change. I love the way he’s coming into this race. I wouldn’t trade spots with anybody.”
Evin Roman, who has ridden C’Mon Man and Il Capitano in prior starts, opts to ride Boise. Wong also saddles Stanford Bay, who stretches out from sprints to a route after a runner-up finish in the Golden Nugget Stakes on November 13.
“I’m hoping he’ll be able to clear on the lead and lope around there,” said Wong. “He’s doing well, and he always tries hard for us.”
The winner of the Golden Nugget, California-bred Dr Pescado, attempts routing for the first time for trainer Felix Rondan. Dr Pescado’s sire and dam (Fullbridled and Sweetly Peppered) were both turf routers. Dr Pescado broke his maiden by 7 lengths in the career debut and rebounded significantly in the Golden Nugget after an off-the-board finish in his second lifetime start against winners.
C’Mon Man, who went off as the heavy favorite in the Golden Nugget after a pair of wins against maiden and allowance company, found himself down on the rail turning for home in the aforementioned stake. He finished third in what ended up being an undesirable trip.
“He cut a leg in his last race. He missed a few days of training after that but not much,” said McLean. “Evin Roman [who rode him last time] said that he had enough horse to get through on the rail, but [C’Mon Man] got intimidated in there and didn’t want to go through. I worked him 7/8ths the other day and he seemed to handle it. This race coming up is a salty race, but I’ve always thought he’d like more distance and he continues to train well.”
Il Capitano is an intriguing shipper for Southern California trainer Simon Callaghan. The son of Air Force Blue scratched out of the Grade 3 Cecille B. DeMille Stakes last week at Del Mar in favor of competing in the Gold Rush. We know he likes the main-track Tapeta; he won an allowance race over the local strip last month. Jockey Ruben Fuentes is slated to ride.
Maiden winner Saint Ives came home strong in his first career start routing, breaking his maiden by a widening margin in the end. Midnight Mojo won Emerald Downs’s most prestigious 2-year-old race, the Gottstein Futurity at one mile and a sixteenth, as a maiden. He tries Tapeta for the second time after a fourth-place finish behind Il Capitano in the November 6 allowance race. Maiden victor Bandera Azteca and longshot Dimmi Quando, a distant fifth in the November 6 allowance, complete the main body of the field.
Also-eligible Unraptured comes off a dominant maiden win for trainer Tim McCanna. If he draws into the race with a scratch before 10 AM on Saturday, McCanna is hopeful that going a route of ground is within Unraptured’s scope.
“I think he’ll get the two turns fine,” said McCanna. “He’s got natural air. He can barely blow out a match after he trains. He’s doing well.”
Post time for the 2021 Gold Rush Stakes is 4:15 PM PT.
Race 8: $75,000 Gold Rush Stakes (for 2-year-olds at one mile on Tapeta)
#1 Degree of Risk (Jockey Irving Orozco…Trainer Eoin Harty…Morning line odds of 9-5)
#2 Boise (Evin Roman…Jonathan Wong…2-1)
#3 Saint Ives (Catalino Martinez…Jose Bautista…10-1)
#4 C’Mon Man (William Antongeorgi III…Bill McLean…8-1)
#5 Bandera Azteca (Brayan Pena…Victor Trujillo…30-1)
#6 Il Capitano (Ruben Fuentes…Simon Callaghan…5-1)
#7 Stanford Bay (Silvio Amador…Jonathan Wong…12-1)
#8 Midnight Mojo (Kevin Orozco…Blaine Wright…20-1)
#9 Dimmi Quando (Cristobal Herrera…Dan Franko…50-1)
#10 Dr Pescado (Pedro Terrero…Felix Rondan…12-1)
ALSO ELIGIBLE
#11 Unraptured (Frank Alvarado…Tim McCanna…6-1)
FREEPORT JOE GIVES GLORIA HALEY HER FIRST GRADED STAKES WIN IN BERKELEY HANDICAP
Four-year-old gelding Freeport Joe sprung a 10-1 upset after sitting off the pace and producing a powerful late run in last Saturday’s Grade 3 $100,000 Berkeley Handicap. For three-year-old’s and upward, The Berkeley is the marquee race of the fall season every year at Golden Gate.
According to trainer Gloria Haley, Freeport Joe emerged from his graded stakes victory in good shape. His next start is yet to be determined.
“We’re taking it one step at a time,” said Haley. “I’m waiting to talk to [owner] Larry Odbert. We’ve got a little team. There’s Larry, Joe, and Sally. They’re the three mustakeers that usually come for his races. We discuss our strategy and then decide what to do. The horse is named after Joe and he’s always there to root for him. Joe and Larry went to school together and have been friends for a long time.”
Freeport Joe entered the Berkeley Handicap off a first level allowance win on Tapeta 20 days earlier. Being a California-bred, he was eligible to win at the first level allowance condition once more, but Haley had reasons to give Freeport Joe a shot against stakes company.
“He has really shown a liking for the Tapeta,” said Haley. “The next first-level [allowance] condition was on the turf. I wanted to keep him on the Tapeta. He is on the improve, his Ragozin numbers were good, and you usually don’t want to wait around when a horse is doing well.”
Jockey Assael Espinoza was aboard for the winning ride in the Berkeley. Espinoza has ridden Freeport Joe five times; three of those efforts resulted in wins, with the other two races ending in better-than-looked in-the-money finishes.
“Assael absolutely loves this horse, and [Freeport Joe] loves him,” said Haley. “They really have an affinity for one another. A loving companion makes a big difference in life. [Assael] really has a lot of confidence in this horse.”
The Berkeley Handicap win was the first graded stakes victory for Haley, who took out her training license in the 1980’s. She has been a Bay Area resident throughout her career.
“Watching the [Berkeley], Assael took him on the inside, so I was a little worried because usually he races [on the outside] on the turns,” said Haley. “But I trusted Assael’s judgement. He sure gave him a great ride. It was a special win. It’s great to share [this win] with such wonderful owners and such a nice horse and the [barn] crew I have.”
LATE PICK 5 CARRYOVER OF $32,360 ON FRIDAY
Last Sunday, 30-1 maiden winner Tolonisito helped propel a $32,360 Late Pick 5 carryover into Friday’s 9-race program at Golden Gate Fields. Track officials expect the new-money pool to soar well into the six figures.
The Late Pick 5, a 50-cent minimum bet, begins in Race 5 and ends in the final race of the day, Race 9. The lineup of races features a pair of allowance events and attracts 42 entrants, equating to 8.4 horses per race.
The fifth race, with post time set for 2:43 PM PT, kicks off the sequence with a field of seven claimers routing on the turf. Southern California trainer Doug O’Neill ships Malibu Hannah north to face a half-dozen local entrants. The morning line favorite, however, is hometown hopeful Bandeena. The sixth race, a mid-level claimer for hard knocking filly and mare sprinters, attracts class droppers This Is the One and Queen of the Track. Southern California invader Magical Gray will likely get bet as well.
Race 7, a first level allowance for fillies and mares sprinting five and one-half furlongs on the main track, is a competitive heat. Lagatha has won two races in a row since being claimed by red-hot trainer Reid France and takes another bump up in class. Queen Molotov broke her maiden by six lengths in the winter, has been given 9 months off, and returns to the races with a flashy work tab. March 11 allowance winner Maybe I Will also makes her first start off a layoff in Friday’s seventh race and moves to the barn of Blaine Wright. Trainer Andy Mathis saddles a pair of contenders; Vegan makes her first start for Mathis since moving north from trainer Mark Glatt’s stable while Del Mar allowance winner Seven Sisters tries Tapeta. Stakes placed Squared Shady faces easier foes for Jeff Bonde after a couple of tries against allowance company in Southern California. Crystal Proof exits a better-than-looked third place finish at this level two weeks ago, and Tiger Queen has already won at this condition once and seeks a second victory at the level. Maiden winners Back on the Street and Seems Logical complete the field of 10.
Race 8 is a five-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds and upward. All eight runners are geldings. Tom’s Surprise won for a $20,000 tag last time out and makes his first start off the claim for trainer Jack Steiner. Earlier this year, Tom’s Surprise ran second in the two-turn Bertrando Stakes at Los Alamitos. Silver Claim is 4 for 5 in 2021 and looks to continue a 4-race Northern California win streak for leading trainer Jonathan Wong. A Man’s Man has not made an afternoon appearance since May and moves to Steve Sherman’s barn in Northern California. His only career win came in a turf sprint at Santa Anita against California-bred maiden special weight foes. Stakes placed router Thegloryismine, the Victor Trujillo trained pair of Phantom Drop and R M C Hook’em, longshot Poso Creek and Fresno maiden winner Smiling Tony round out the field.
The last leg of the Late Pick 5, a starter allowance at one mile on Tapeta, drew a field of 9. In what appears as a wide-open finale, the 7-2 morning line favorite is Awesome Dude.
Two additional carryovers add appeal to the Friday card. Race 1 has a Rolling Super High Five carryover of $11,583 while the Golden Pick Six jackpot carryover sits at $16,928.
CLAIMS REPORT
Below is a list of claims from last week.
Thursday
Race 3: Luck Is Golden (New trainer Reid France…new owner(s) Albert and Kathleen Mattivi)
Race 6: Nicole Grace (Isidro Tamayo…Tom Lenberg and Michael Wickman)
Friday
Race 2: Lyrically Violent (D. Wayne Baker…Richard Barton)
Race 3: Pay Tavasco Rent (Jonathan Wong…Johnny Taboada)
Race 9: Vronilla Parfait (Reid France…Williamson Racing LLC)
Saturday
Race 1: Many Roses (Victor Trujillo…Marron Road Ventures LLC and Trujillo)
Race 6: Full of Luck (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables and Clay Sides)
Race 7: Liberal (Kristin Mulhall…Big Iron Racing LLC)
Sunday
Race 5: Orczy (Owner/Trainer Reid France)
Race 5: Purr Cat (Aggie Ordonez…Stepaside Farm LLC)
FINISH LINES: With two weeks left to go at the current fall meet, Pedro Terrero leads the way in the jockey standings with 25 wins. Armando Ayuso and Catalino Martinez are tied for second with 17 victories while Evin Roman and Ruben Fuentes are locked together in fourth with 16 wins apiece…The top six trainers in the fall meet standings are Jonathan Wong (27 wins), Tim McCanna and Reid France (13 each), Steve Sherman (9) and Bill McLean and Andy Mathis (7 each)…On Thanksgiving, full siblings American Farmer (4-year-old colt) and Blue Diva (5-year-old mare) raced against one another in Race 5. Amazingly, they raced together the whole way around, and American Farmer edged out Blue Diva in a photo finish for third…Golden Gate Fields stakes winners Navy Armed Guard (winner of the 2021 All American) and Sloane Garden (2020 Golden Poppy and Luther Burbank) are working in preparation for their return to the races after taking vacations…Another comebacker is 2021 El Camino Real Derby and Preakness champion Rombauer, who is back at Santa Anita Park with trainer Michael McCarthy after taking the fall off…Happy birthday to trainer Bill Delia, who celebrates his birthday on Sunday.