Golden Gate Fields News and Notes: Thursday, October 27, 2022

LATE PICK 5 CARRYOVER OF $38,250 ON FRIDAY

With multiple longshots scoring surprise victories late in the card last Sunday afternoon, no one correctly tabbed all five winners in the Late Pick 5 sequence. With that, there will be a carryover in this Friday’s Late Pick 5 wager of $38,250.

The Late Pick 5, a 50-cent minimum bet, is comprised of the last five races on any given race program. 40 horses are entered throughout the five-race sequence on Friday, with a pair of allowance races highlighting the lineup.

First post on Friday is 1:45 PM. The first leg of the Late Pick 5, Race 4, has a scheduled post time of 3:24 PM. 

CONTENTIOUS ALLOWANCE FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS KICKS OFF FRIDAY’S LATE PICK 5 CARRYOVER BET

Handicappers who wish to divulge in the Late Pick 5 sequence on Friday will start out by analyzing a race (Race 4) that is filled with quality 3-year-olds. In fact, all six entrants in the one-mile Tapeta contest have started in at least one stakes race. Come post time, there is unlikely to be a clear-cut favorite.

Off the pace type C’mon Man drew the rail for trainer Bill McLean. McLean is hoping that his gelding-along with jockey Irving Orozco-can work their way towards the outside of the field by the time the group hits the stretch run.

“He’s not very aggressive on the inside,” said McLean. “He’s not the bravest down in there.”

In the Golden Nugget Stakes as a 2-year-old, C’Mon Man had room to come through a hole on the rail in the final furlong. He failed to move forward and wound up third as the favorite. In the Robert Dupret Derby at Santa Rosa two starts ago, C’Mon Man was gathering momentum on the fence, then was in tight at the quarter pole, had to put on the breaks, and failed to finish ahead of the top three.

“I don’t think he’s a horse who can really ‘start and stop,’” said McLean. “He’s got a nice, long stride and a good cruising speed, but you have to keep him moving.”

C’Mon Man exits a fifth-place finish against older second-level allowance foes. The winner of the race, A Man’s Man, returned to win the Bulldog Stakes at Fresno two weeks ago.

“Getting back to his age group should be good for him,” said McLean. “Being an off the pace horse, we’re hoping for a little speed to run into. I’m happy with the way he’s training.”

Crazy Dreams draws to the immediate outside of C’Mon Man and appears as a legit player. Trained by Isidro Tamayo, the California-bred by Gallant Son romped in a first level allowance at Sacramento over the summer and was last seen finishing as the runner up behind Southern California shipper Optimising in an allowance race on turf. Tamayo noted that, although Crazy Dreams has shown talent since Day 1, he has been a work in progress.

“He has natural speed and can get aggressive,” said Tamayo. “Last race, we took the blinkers off and it helped him relax. What I want him to do is learn to stalk. In his last race, he finally relaxed off a pacesetter. I was really happy with that. If we can get him to settle in his races, he’s going to be a good horse for the future.”

After a double-digit length loss on turf, Midnight Mammoth returns to the Tapeta for the first time since beating first level allowance caliber rivals in May. His best race would be good enough to win; he picked up the silver medal when finishing second behind stakes winner I’mgonnabesomebody at Pleasanton in June and was a much better than looked third in the Robert Dupret Derby.

“The key with him is not taking too much of a hold of him,” said Midnight Mammoth’s trainer, Steve Sherman. “If you let him run his race and let him place himself as the race unfolds, he’ll give you a good effort. He sort of wants the rider to be the passenger, not the pilot. I can’t tell you that he’s an easy horse to ride because he isn’t, but as soon as you start taking a hold of him and trying to tell him what to do, he’s going to call it a day.”

Lmlooknformischief attempts routing for the first time for trainer Faith Taylor and appears as a colt who has only improved with racing experience. His recent afternoon showings have been very respectable, running second behind stakes winner Boise and hard knocker Johnny Podres in his last two starts. The latter racer was just .03 seconds off the track record when he defeated Lmlooknformischief and returned last week to defeat older allowance turf sprinters.

“We always liked him from the get-go,” said Taylor. “We had intended to run him going long [earlier in his career], but he had some foot problems and we had to be patient. He’s past that now. He covers a lot of ground when he runs; I’m hopeful he’ll get the distance. I think he’ll probably be coming from off the pace, but the rider will have to see how he gets out of the gate and how the race plays out.”

2021 Golden Nugget Stakes winner Dr Pescado returns off a layoff for trainer Felix Rondan and appears as a compelling price horse. His first start at a route of ground resulted in a third-place finish behind Boise and Degree of Risk. He then finished well behind the winner in the El Camino Real Derby and was given eight and a half months off. Rondan also saddles Nuestro Engreido, who finished fourth behind Optimising and Crazy Dreams in September.

“Dr Pescado is doing good,” said Rondan. “He’s fit. He’s been ready to race. We’ve just been looking for a race for him. Nuestro Engreido is going [to the front]. So, we have one in front and one off the pace.”

Race 4 on Friday (Open Allowance for 3-year-olds at one mile on the Tapeta)

#1 C’Mon Man (Jockey Irving Orozco…Trainer Bill McLean…Morning line odds of 2-1)

#2 Crazy Dreams (Evin Roman…Isidro Tamayo…6-1)

#3 Nuestro Engreido (Brayan Pena…Felix Rondan…10-1)

#4 Lmlooknformischief (Assael Espinoza…Faith Taylor…9-2)

#5 Midnight Mammoth (William Antongeorgi III…Steve Sherman…9-5)

#6 Dr Pescado (Santos Rivera…Felix Rondan…5-1)

JUANA GALLO TAKES ON TOUGH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INVADERS IN PIKE PLACE DANCER ON SATURDAY

The Felix Rondan trained Juana Gallo has won a pair of allowance races on dirt and looks to transfer her precocious, winning form to the turf while stretching out in distance in the first stake of the Golden Gate fall meet this Saturday, the $75,000 Pike Place Dancer for 2-year-old fillies at one mile on turf.

Juana Gallo drew the rail for her route debut. A filly that has shown front running speed in sprints, she figures to be close to the pace going longer.

“Juana Gallo is ready,” said Rondan. “Her workouts have been nice and easy. I’ve been training her to go a mile. She’s always trained like a filly with talent.”

Juana Gallo will need to run a career best race if she wants to take home the Pike Place Dancer Stakes trophy. Among the main contenders are a pair of Southern California maiden winners who appear as the ones to beat. Bolt’s Broad, trained by Shelbe Ruis, was last seen running third behind Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies turf contender Comanche Country in the Grade 3 Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita three weeks ago. Ami Please, trained by Doug O’Neill, was a gate to wire winner in a maiden special weight on October 2 and makes her first start against winners in the Pike Place Dancer.

Maiden Jennifer’s d’Light comes off a three-quarter length loss in her first try going long at Santa Anita and has been installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite for trainer Michael McCarthy. Purchased for a whopping $650,000 as a yearling, the daughter of City of Light seeks black type and a first career stakes win. E Z Pharis is a daughter of American Pharoah who broke her maiden sprinting but has failed to make an impact in her last three afternoon appearances. She routes for the first time on grass for Southern California conditioner Ruben Alvarado.

Sally’s Sassy was a first-out turf sprint winner for Jonathan Wong and Tommy Town Thoroughbreds at Del Mar in August. She returned one month later against stakes company and only beat one horse home. The $190,000 sale purchase by West Coast looks to improve in her second lifetime route race while racing in Northern California for the first time.

California-bred Smiling Lady broke her maiden sprinting at Pleasanton and has since finished off-the-board twice in a pair of state bred sprint races at Del Mar for trainer Andy Mathis. Another California-bred entered in the Pike Place Dancer, Quickly Park It, freshens up two months after a maiden victory at Del Mar. Sean McCarthy trains the daughter of Prospect Park for owner/breeder Jon Harris.

First post on the 9-race cards this Saturday and Sunday is 1:45 PM.

Race 7 on Saturday (Pike Place Dancer Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at one mile on turf)

#1 Juana Gallo (Jockey Santos Rivera…Trainer Felix Rondan…Morning line odds of 10-1)

#2 Ami Please (Armando Ayuso…Doug O’Neill …2-1)

#3 E Z Pharis (Irving Orozco…Ruben Alvarado …20-1)

#4 Jennifer’s d’Light (Assael Espinoza…Michael McCarthy…9-5)

#5 Bolt’s Broad (Frank Alvarado…Shelbe Ruis…9-2)

#6 Sally’s Sassy (Evin Roman…Jonathan Wong …8-1)

#7 Quickly Park It (William Antongeorgi III…Sean McCarthy…15-1)

#8 Smiling Lady (Kevin Radke…Andy Mathis…10-1)

CLAIMS REPORT

Below is a list of claims from last week

Friday

Race 2: Jaycee (New trainer Isidro Tamayo…new owner Joel Gonzalez)

Race 6: Danielle’s Secret (Isidro Tamayo…Frankly Speaking LLC)

Race 8: Sassy Einstein (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)

Saturday

Race 2: Mybluebell (Reid France…Lamonte Isom)

Race 3: Big Chick (Reid France…Hat Trick Racing)

Race 4: Bronze Warrior (Isidro Tamayo…Narasimham L. Ayyagari)

Race 7: Mr Botanicals (Isidro Tamayo…Miguel Chavez)

Race 7: Thunder of Zion (Isidro Tamayo…Raymond Brogliatti and Michael Fried)

Race 8: Hot Rageous (Isidro Tamayo…Frankly Speaking LLC)

Race 9: Mischievous Pirate (Blaine Wright…George, George, Isetta, Isetta and Wall)

Sunday

Race 1: Friday’s At Shady (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)

Race 1: Implicitly (Jonathan Wong…TAK Racing)

Race 3: Arma d’Oro (Dan Markle…Glyn Kelly, Anne MacLellan and Len Strandley Jr.)

Race 5: Rocktillyoudrop (Tim Bellasis…Bellasis, Donna Smartt and Cassandra Tschanz)

Race 9: Dizzy Dazmura (Owner/Trainer Jose Bautista)

FINISH LINES: Along with the fourth race on Friday, Race 6 is the co-feature: a first level allowance for fillies and mares at one mile and an eighth. Morning line favorite Imperial Creed has thrived on the Tapeta and faces seven other rivals…The signature race of the day on Sunday is a first level allowance at six furlongs, Race 8. Among the main contenders in the field of nine are horses who have already won at the level: Bobby’s Alibi, Gerlach’s and Playing Hardball…Golden Gate allowance winner Passarando faces California-bred stakes company in the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile at Santa Anita on Saturday. Trainer Steve Specht employs Umberto Rispoli to ride the Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams homebred, who is 4-1 on the morning line…Also on Saturday, multiple Golden Gate stakes winner Avenue de France competes in the $200,000 Goldikova Stakes at Santa Anita for trainer Leonard Powell…We welcome back Jim Gilmour, Sergio Perez, Jose Puentes, and Angelo Tekos Jr. to the training colony. Tekos Jr. had his string in Southern California since June of 2021 but has relocated to GGF. The other three trainers raced at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington over the summer and are back in the Bay Area for the foreseeable future…Along with the $38,250 Late Pick 5 carryover on Friday, the Golden Pick Six carryover pool sits at $2,504…Happy birthday to trainer Jeff Bonde, who celebrates his birthday on Sunday.