EPIC REMATCH SCHEDULED BETWEEN TOP THREE BERKELEY HANDICAP FINISHERS ON SUNDAY
In a September 30 allowance race, 2021 Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap winner Freeport Joe got the better of minor stakes winner I’mgonnabesomebody, easily winning the head-to-head matchup. In their next showdown in the Joseph T. Grace Stakes over a month later, I’mgonnabesomebody turned the tables on Freeport Joe and beat him by three quarters of a length. Lammas, a new shooter to the older handicap division, ran a better than looked third that day after encountering minor traffic issues in the stretch.
But three weeks later, it was Lammas’s turn to shine. He outdueled I’mgonnabesomebody and Freeport Joe to score a first career graded stakes win in one of the top races at Golden Gate for older handicap horses, the Grade III Berkeley Handicap.
We fast forward to Race 7 this Sunday. The big three are set to square off once again: this time in an open allowance race at the one mile and a sixteenth distance. Lammas, who sports three consecutive bullet workouts leading up to the Sunday feature, appears cranked up and ready for another prime effort. Since moving to the United States last spring, the improving European bred has shown an affinity for the Golden Gate Tapeta surface. Not surprising, either, as his best work overseas always came when competing over synthetic surfaces. Kevin Radke, who was aboard Lammas in the Berkeley, will be back in the saddle this Sunday for trainer Manny Badilla and owners Ron Charles and Sam Gordon.
Like Lammas, handicappers should always give Freeport Joe a second look if he is competing over a synthetic surface. A two-time stakes winner, seven of eight lifetime wins have come over the GGF Tapeta. Freeport Joe is projected to sit off the speed and make his customary one run move with regular jockey Assael Espinoza, who retains the mount for trainer Gloria Haley and owner Larry Odbert.
I’mgonnabesomebody, on the contrary, has tactical speed. The Kentucky bred earned a career high Beyer speed figure (94) in defeat when finishing second in the Berkeley. He enters Sunday’s trial with a pair of gate workouts on display. A winner of two stakes, I’mgonnabesomebody was a picture of consistency in 2022. His only off the board finish in seven route tries came in the Wickerr Stakes art Del Mar. That afternoon, he only lost by a length and a half to the likes of Grade 2 placed Irideo and graded stakes winners Gregorian Chant and Bran. Jockey Santos Rivera teams up once again with trainer Bill McLean and a large ownership group.
Four others line up to face the big dogs in the Sunday feature. Harmon has finished behind the top three in a handful of races last year and looks to pull off a surprise if he beats them all on Sunday. Rimprotector cuts back in distance after a three-length decisive victory against first level allowance foes at the 12-furlong marathon distance. Crazy Dreams is also a first level allowance winner, but he has yet to win a race of this higher quality. Dulas hasn’t been seen in 11 months but finished as the runner up in a pair of second level allowance races last winter.
8 races are on the docket for Sunday afternoon. First post on an 8-race program is 12:45 PM.
Race 7 on Sunday (Open allowance at one mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta for 4-year-olds & up)
#1 Harmon (Jockey Julien Couton…Trainer Monty Meier)
#2 Crazy Dreams (Alexander Chavez…Isidro Tamayo)
#3 Freeport Joe (Assael Espinoza…Gloria Haley)
#4 Lammas (Kevin Radke…Manny Badilla)
#5 Rimprotector (Armando Ayuso…Tim McCanna)
#6 I’mgonnabesomebody (Santos Rivera…Bill McLean)
#7 Dulas (Frank Alvarado…Manny Badilla)
GOLDEN GATE ADDS THREE NEW CALIFORNIA-BRED STAKES RACES AT WINTER/SPRING MEET
Golden Gate Fields officials, the CTBA (California Thoroughbred Breeders Association), and the TOC (Thoroughbred Owners of California) have joined forces to add three stakes races to the 2023 Golden Gate Winter/Spring meet schedule. The trio of stakes are a part of the Golden State Series, a stakes schedule throughout the year designed specifically for California-bred or sired horses. Del Mar, Golden Gate, Los Alamitos, and Santa Anita all conduct numerous Golden State Series races throughout the calendar year.
Nominations close on Thursday for the inaugural running of the Moscow Burning, for California-bred or sired fillies and mares 4-years-old and upward at one mile on the Tapeta main track. The race is slated for next Saturday, January 19. On Saturday, March 18, Golden Gate presents the first edition of the McCann’s Mojave, for state-bred 4-year-olds and upward at one mile and an eighth on the Tapeta. The final stake of the Winter/Spring meet is also the last of the three newly added California-bred stakes: the $75,000 Dream of Summer for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at five furlongs on turf. The race will be run on Closing Day Sunday, June 11. All three stakes will have a guaranteed purse of $75,000 each.
“We’re thrilled to add these races to our stakes schedule,” said Golden Gate Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Steve Martinelli. “We have a couple of Golden State Series races in April, but we wanted to give opportunities to other divisions here in Northern California. Southern California has an awful lot of them, and we wanted to add a few more up here.
We felt like we could offer them and be successful,” continued Martinelli. “There are a lot of people here who have horses that are eligible that would jump at the chance to run for a good purse. We expect all three of the [new stakes] to fill pretty well.”
Golden Gate offers sixteen stakes races throughout the Winter/Spring meet. The most notable events are the El Camino Real Derby on Saturday, February 11, and a series of eight stakes races on Gold Rush Weekend, which runs on Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30 this year.
MEMO DADDY CONTINUES TO SHOW CONSISTENT FORM HEADING INTO FRIDAY FEATURE
The Chilean bred Memo Daddy seeks back-to-back wins at the $32,000 claiming condition after a sharp-looking victory at the aforementioned level on December 3. He is entered to compete in the penultimate race on Friday, Race 7, and is listed as the 9-5 morning line favorite.
Memo Daddy began his career in Chile before moving to North America and campaigning under the care of Southern California trainer Michael McCarthy. After several failed attempts at beating allowance company at Santa Anita and Del Mar, McCarthy shipped Memo Daddy north to run in a restricted $20,000 claimer. He ran second but arguably should have won, suffering a traffic trip filled trip in the stretch. Before the race, Bellasis dropped the $20,000 for the son of Scat Daddy, and after Memo Daddy passed his post-race examination, the gelding was his.
“He won his first career race in Chile and then never won again,” said Bellasis. “He still had his non winners of two [races lifetime] condition.”
Since the claim by Bellasis in March, Memo Daddy has won four races from 10 starts, including a starter allowance, first level allowance, and two high level claimers.
“He’s a hard galloper,” said Bellasis. “When he gallops hard, it’s good because he doesn’t need too much more training. He keeps himself fit. He’s calm in the barn. I feed him oranges and stuff all the time. In his races, he almost always gives you a good effort. He’s not quite good enough to win a second level allowance race-I don’t think anyway-and he’s already broken his first level allowance condition, so here we are. This is a good condition for him.”
Memo Daddy was ridden by Kevin Radke for the first time in his last start and retains the mount on Friday. Among the top players set to face Memo Daddy is Our Silver Oak, who finished as the runner up to Memo Daddy in his last start and looks to turn the tables. Third place finisher Jeffnjohn’sthunder is also entered in Friday’s seventh race.
The 10-year-old pro Ward ‘n Jerry makes his 2023 debut after a lengthy vacation. Winner of the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes in 2020 at Santa Anita, the son of Lucky Pulpit was last seen in August of 2021 finished third in a second level allowance race at Del Mar as the 2-1 favorite. The Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams homebred wracks off a steady series of morning workouts for new trainer Steve Specht, including a one-mile drill on the morning of December 24.
Black Caspian was well beaten in a second level allowance last month and drops in class for trainer Manny Badilla. In August of last year, the Irish bred beat Memo Daddy in a first level allowance race over turf at Santa Rosa.
Love Candy won the last time he routed, in November, for a $20,000 restricted claiming condition, and faces tougher in Friday’s seventh race. Rounding out the field is Govenor’s Party, who has failed to be competitive in long distance allowance races as of late and drops in for a tag.
First post on Friday is later than usual: 1:15 PM. Eight races are on the docket.
Race 7 on Friday (32k Claimer at one mile on Tapeta for 4-year-olds & up)
#1 Jeffnjohn’sthunder (Jockey William Antongeorgi III…Trainer Andy Mathis…morning line odds of 10-)
#2 Love Candy (Silvio Amador…Ed Moger Jr…8-1)
#3 Our Silver Oak (Irving Orozco…Blaine Wright…5-2)
#4 Memo Daddy (Kevin Radke…Tim Bellasis…9-5)
#5 Ward ‘n Jerry (Frank Alvarado…Steve Specht…4-1)
#6 Black Caspian (Assael Espinoza…Manny Badilla…5-1)
#7 Govenor’s Party (Cristobal Herrera…Dan Franko…15-1)
STAR RACER BACK ON COURSE AFTER CONFIDENCE BOOSTER WIN, RETURNS THIS SATURDAY
Trainer Angelo Tekos Jr. has always thought highly of stable star Star Racer. According to Tekos, the California-bred by Vronsky showed talent since before he even ran in a race. He made his first trip to the winner’s circle when defeating maiden special weight company in January of 2021 and followed up with a third-place finish in a first level allowance-his debut try against proven winners.
Star Racer took some time off before returning in the summer of 2021 at Del Mar. After a pair of in-the-money finishes against California-bred allowance company, he scored a triumphant victory at the aforementioned condition in a five-furlong turf sprint.
“That was really an exciting win,” reflected Tekos Jr. “It’s especially fun when you can win a race at Del Mar like that.”
After a poor showing in his next start against open company, Star Racer was turned out until October. He proceeded to finish off the top board in six consecutive races.
Tekos Jr. decided to move Star Racer back to Golden Gate, the scene of his maiden win. His first start back in the Bay Area came sprinting in a first level allowance race on turf. That day, he checked on the far turn before re-rallying and hitting the line third behind the ultra-tough Johnny Podres and Del Mar maiden winner To Speight Her. Star Racer wheeled back on November 20 and finished a length behind race winner Heavenly Prince, who wheeled back to finish as the runner up in a second level allowance race.
With a couple of solid runs under his belt, Star Racer’s confidence began to grow again. And sure enough, he proved that to be in the case in his next and most recent afternoon appearance on December 10, defeating a solid group of allowance sprinters by three and a half-lengths. He earned a career high 93 Beyer speed figure for the effort.
Star Racer returns to action on Saturday in the nightcap: a first level allowance at five and a half furlongs. Being a California-bred, he is eligible to win at the condition once more.
“In a race [on November 20], he earned a career best speed figure [83],” said Tekos Jr. “I was a little concerned because I was just hoping he could run back to that three weeks later. Of course, he ran even better than that.
He really likes this Tapeta, but he’s run well on turf too. He’s a turf/synthetic horse…doesn’t care for the dirt. He had a couple of unlucky trips down south at Del Mar and since coming back up here, he’s run really well.”
Star Racer draws the rail and will need to work out a good trip breaking inside of nine other starters. Assael Espinoza rode Star Racer for the first time in his runaway victory last month and will be back atop the 6-year-old gelding on Saturday.
“I don’t love the draw,” admitted Tekos Jr. “The one good thing is he doesn’t need the lead. He’s very tactical. Assael knows the horse now. I don’t need to give him instructions. He’s riding great and he can make the decisions. He’ll have to play it by the break.”
Off his last race, Star Racer should be tabbed as the one to beat. Among the main contenders in Race 9 on Saturday is Lmlooknformischief, who won a first level allowance against restricted 3-year-olds on December 26 and now faces older foes as a newly turned 4-year-old. Terry’s Boy finished as the runner up to Star Racer on December 10 and is also entered in this Saturday’s finale. Playing Hardball finished third on December 10 and, like Star Racer, has already won once at this level. Recent maiden special weight winners I’m a Lucky Man, Lucky Lad, and Papa Tiger are all new shooters to the allowance conditions and make their first starts of 2023 on Saturday. Disko Tribute, Should Be Illegal, and Shut Up Michael complete the list of entrants.
9 races have been carded for Saturday. Early first post of 12:15 PM.
Race 9 on Saturday (First level allowance at six furlongs on Tapeta for 4-year-olds & up)
#1 Star Racer (Jockey Assael Espinoza…Trainer Angelo Tekos Jr…morning line odds of 5-2)
#2 I’m a Lucky Man (Brayan Pena…Jamey Thomas…15-1)
#3 Papa Tiger (Julien Couton…Andy Mathis…12-1)
#4 Disko Tribute (Frank Alvarado…Reid France…12-1)
#5 Should Be Illegal (Alexander Chavez…Steve Sherman…9-2)
#6 Shut Up Michael (Santos Rivera…Jonathan Wong…6-1)
#7 Lmlooknformischief (Irving Orozco…Faith Taylor…8-1)
#8 Terry’s Boy (Armando Ayuso…Tim McCanna…7-2)
#9 Lucky Lad (Leonel Camacho Flores…Jose Puentes…20-1)
#10 Playing Hardball (William Antongeorgi III…Andy Mathis…10-1)
CLAIMS REPORT
Below is a list of claims from last week:
Friday
Race 1: Roaring Tiger (New trainer Ed Moger Jr…new owner Al P. Pitchko)
Race 4: Dance Lady (Blaine Wright…Ann Clark and Robert Clary)
Race 7: Grigoro (Ed Moger Jr…Al P. Pitchko)
Saturday
Race 2: Runaway Kristin (Jose Puentes…Luciano Medina)
Race 3: Walking Boss (Isidro Tamayo…Miguel Chavez)
Race 6: Darnquick (Reed Saldana…Johnny Taboada)
Race 12: Austrian Navy (Jonathan Wong…TAK Racing)
Sunday
Race 1: Bold Daughter (Roger Hansen…Paul Lininger)
Race 1: Miracle in Motion (Jose Puentes…Luciano Medina and Xuewen Zhu)
Race 6: Amanda Rose (Tim Bellasis…Bellasis, Donna Smartt and Cassandra Tschanz)
Race 7: Handsome Gary (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables, Clay Sides and Gary Winters)
Race 9: Wellswort (Simon Hobson…Amy Hobson)
FINISH LINES: Last Friday, jockey Assael Espinoza won four races on the card. 24 hours later, Irving Orozco countered with four wins of his own and, on Sunday, Frank Alvarado picked up a hat trick…The Saturday co-feature is a second level allowance featuring graded stakes placed Tarantino and Kiwi’s Dream, minor stakes winners American Farmer and Dr Pescado, Southern California shipper Mr. Impossible, recent second level allowance winner Long Lance, and 2022 El Camino Real Derby participant Stormy Samurai…Golden Gate will be the only California racetrack in play on Saturday. Both Santa Anita and Los Alamitos have cancelled their Saturday race cards due to projected wet weather…On Sunday at Santa Anita, Golden Gate stakes winner Natural Colour is entered in the Grade 2 $200,000 La Canada Stakes on dirt. Flavien Prat rides for trainer Manny Badilla…Both Golden Hour races from Golden Gate on Sunday are sure to attract attention. The second leg of the Golden Hour Late Pick 4 (Race 7) features Freeport Joe, I’mgonnabesomebody, and Lammas. The last leg of the Golden Hour Pick 4 and Golden Hour Double (Race 8) features a full field of 10 allowance routers. 2 others are on the also eligible list hoping to draw in if a scratch or two occurs…Golden Gate offers a Martin Luther King Jr. Day live race card this Monday. First post is 12:45 PM…$16,291 is carried over into the Golden Pick Six jackpot bet on Friday.