JAUREGUI CONFIDENT STABLE STAR CAMINO DEL PARAISO IS FIT IN ADVANCE OF THE ROLLING GREEN STAKES
Multiple Golden Gate Fields Stakes winner Camino Del Paraiso makes his first start of 2021 in the feature race on Monday, the $50,000 Rolling Green Stakes for 3-year-olds and upward. Camino Del Paraiso, an 8-year-old California-bred gelding, has not raced since an off-the-board finish in the Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar last November. That afternoon, Camino Del Paraiso was in contention to pounce entering the far turn but took back to last and lost all chance after a rival pulling up in front backed into Camino Del Paraiso.
Trainer O.J. Jauregui knows Camino Del Paraiso as well as anyone; the longtime Bay Area horseman has overseen the conditioning of Camino Del Paraiso from the start of his racing career in 2015 to present day. Jauregui has one message for horseplayers thinking about betting Camino Del Paraiso off a 9-month vacation.
“He’s training really well,” said Jauregui. “It looks like he hasn’t missed a beat.”
Camino Del Paraiso has recorded 13 workouts leading up to the Rolling Green. Among them: a 6-furlong drill on the first of August, and a pair of 7-furlong stamina-building works on August 8 and August 14. Catalino Martinez, who rode Camino Del Paraiso to victory in the 2020 Rolling Green and in the Joseph T. Grace Stakes last year, is back aboard for this Monday’s assignment.
“I’m really happy with how Camino’ is doing,” said Jauregui. “In these works, he’s galloping out strong. I think he’s fit enough [off the layoff] to run well. No excuses.”
Owned by Paradise Roach Ranch LLC, Camino Del Paraiso was purchased for $5,000 as a yearling in 2014. Since then, the son of Suances has earned $480,042 as a racehorse. His current record shows 7 wins, 12 seconds and 4 thirds from 41 lifetime starts.
Camino Del Paraiso was given time off after suffering an eye injury in his stall last year, said Jauregui. He was treated for the issue at the UC Davis Equine Medical Center and subsequently given time off to freshen up for the second half of 2021.
“I’m just happy he’s back to the races,” concluded Jauregui. “He’s a really neat horse.”
Remember: Golden Gate offers live racing Friday through Monday this week. Monday’s Rolling Green Stakes, to be drawn on Friday afternoon, is likely to include Cupid’s Claws, Harmon, Jungle Cry, Mecklenberg and Shadrack. Southern California nominees Border Town and Proud Pedro are listed as “possible.”
J T’S WATCH CONTINUES TO SHINE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
California-bred colt J T’s Watch is entered to race against 3-year-old counterparts in the co-feature fourth race on Sunday, a first level allowance at one mile on the Tapeta main track. According to trainer Reid France, the son of Bold Chieftain has been “a blessing.”
“He lost his mother after he was born,” said France. “He’s always been a trooper.”
As an inexperienced and green 2-year-old last fall, J T’s Watch began training with France.
“He didn’t really show us much when he first got to the barn,” said France. “Once he started working a half mile, he started to show us he could run. [Jockey] Aislinn Finn worked him a half [mile] one morning and said afterwards, ‘This is a nice horse.’ The next week, Irving Orozco worked him and said the same thing.”
In November, Golden Gate Fields ceased racing operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the stoppage, J T’s Watch was sent to Southern California and continued training under the care of trainer Peter Miller. J T’s Watch ran in one race for Miller-a run which resulted in a double-digit length loss against maiden claiming dirt sprinters. With the poor effort in mind, Miller huddled up with owner Henry Williamson and suggested a solution.
“After his race, and once we got back up and running [at Golden Gate], Pete thought J T’s Watch might be a better Tapeta horse,” said France. “So, he came back up to Golden Gate.”
Although still a maiden, France was impressed with J T’s Watch when he resurfaced as a newly turned 3-year-old.
“He looked like a new horse,” said France. “He was definitely better. I always figured he might get better with more distance and wasn’t a super precocious horse anyway.”
France was right. Since getting to a route of ground, J T’s Watch has thrived. In eight races for the France barn (all routing), J T’s Watch has won four, including in his most recent start on July 31 when defeating California Derby winner Stalking Shadow in a first level allowance race. Another notable effort came three starts ago, when J T’s Watch finished as the runner up behind next-out Robert Dupret Derby winner Jungle Cry.
This Sunday, J T’s Watch figures to be one of the favorites in the fourth race. Regular rider Irving Orozco retains the mount. A California-bred, J T’s Watch is eligible to win at the first level allowance condition once more and is running at the aforementioned level. France noted J T’s Watch is a “tactical” horse that always tries.
“He’s a grinder,” said France. “He’s a pretty smart horse and knows what to do out there. I think he likes to look his competition in the eye and say a few words along the way.”
GOLDEN GATE FIELDS CLAIMS REPORT
Below is a list of claims from last week:
Friday
Race 7: Infatuate (New trainer Jonathan Wong…new owner Madden Racing
Saturday
Race 2: Quick Time (Jack Steiner…Randy Marriott and Steiner)
Race 8: Italiano (Victor Trujillo…Marron Road Ventures LLC and Trujillo)
Race 8: Slam Dunk Sermon (Jonathan Wong…MJVET Stables)
Race 8: Torpedo Away (Manny Badilla…Dave Marshall and Badilla)
Race 9: Sherilinda (Andy Mathis…Strohmaier Racing)
Sunday
Race 3: Bigfoot City (Reid France…Hat Trick Racing)
Race 5: Imperial Creed (Reid France…Hat Trick Racing)
Race 6: Elusive Virtue (Isidro Tamayo…Lourdes Ochoa and Rafael Sanchez)
Race 8: River Rose (Isidro Tamayo…Johnny Taboada)
DEL MAR WATCH LIST
Below is a list of Golden Gate horses competing at Del Mar:
Thursday
Race 3: I’mgonnabesomebody (Trainer Bill McLean…Jockey Drayden Van Dyke)
Race 5: Seven Sisters (Andy Mathis…Ricky Gonzalez)
Race 6: Amanda Rose (Ed Moger Jr…Wayne Barnett)
Race 9: Prudent (Quinn Howey…Emily Ellingwood)
Race 9: Zahra (Jonathan Wong…Hat Trick Racing and MJVET Stables)
Friday
Race 3: Dy Wysong (Jonathan Wong…Kyle Frey)
Race 6: Stopdropandroll (Blaine Wright…Ricky Gonzalez)
Race 6: Irish Wahine (Ed Moger Jr…Kent Desormeaux)
Saturday
Race 3: Hawk Hill (Ed Moger Jr…Geovanni Franco)
Race 8: Maximum Risk (Isidro Tamayo…Juan Espinoza)
Race 8: Charge Cash (Tim McCanna…Tiago Pereira)
Race 11: Jimmy Blue Jeans (Andy Mathis…Kyle Frey)
Sunday
Race 4: Bold Mistress (Ed Moger Jr…Geovanni Franco)
Race 4: Til I Found You (Jonathan Wong…Emily Ellingwood)
Race 4: Jasmine Chieftain (Tim McCanna…Kyle Frey)
Race 5: Reiwa (Jonathan Wong…Abel Cedillo)
FINISH LINES: An enticing Late Pick 4 sequence (Races 6-9) on Sunday shows 40 entries throughout 4 races (10 horses per race.) The sequence: a salty starter allowance turf route (8 entries), a maiden claiming sprint (10), a first level allowance turf route (11) and a sprint for claimers (10)…July 24 Golden Gate maiden winner Stopdropnroll competes in the $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies on Friday at Del Mar. Ricky Gonzalez rides for trainer Blaine Wright…Golden Gate allowance winner Jimmy Blue Jeans runs in Saturday’s $250,000 Del Mar Derby for trainer Andy Mathis and retains the services of jockey Kyle Frey…Congratulations to three Golden Gate winners at Del Mar on Thursday. In Race 3, trainer Bill McLean saddled 56-1 winner I’mgonnabesomebody to the biggest upset of the meet so far. Drayden Van Dyke was aboard. Two races later, Seven Sisters went gate-to-wire for a 13-1 score; trainer Andy Mathis and Ricky Gonzalez teamed up for the win. In Race 8, Star Racer rode the rail to the lead in midstretch under Kyle Frey, springing a 10-1 upset. Star Racer is trained by Angelo Tekos Jr…Happy birthday to jockey Lorenzo Lopez, who celebrates his birthday on Sunday…$4,465 is carried over into the Golden Pick Six jackpot wager heading into Friday’s card.