TRAINER TAMAYO WINS 7 RACES IN 3 DAYS
Trainer Isidro Tamayo was all smiles Wednesday morning, days removed after a 7-win week which saw the 33-year-old conditioner springboard to second place in the trainer standings at the current fall meeting. Tamayo won a duo of races on Friday and Saturday before capping off his week with a 3-bagger on Sunday. In 2 of the 7 races that Tamayo won, he also saddled the second-place finisher.
“It was about as good of a week as you could have asked for,” said Tamayo. “I’m very lucky to have good help in my barn that works hard every day. My owners have been very supportive and I am very thankful for the opportunity to train their horses.”
Tamayo was born into a racing family. In fact, he entered the world on the property of Old English Rancho Farm where his father, Alfonzo Tamayo, was a longtime assistant for trainer Don Warren. Alfonzo also worked for trainer Lonnie Arterburn in a career caring for horses that lasted many decades.
In 2004, Isidro began working for longtime Northern California trainer Gil Matos as a hotwalker and groom. Three years later, Tamayo picked up his assistant trainer’s license and stayed with the Matos barn for an additional 10 years.
“I learned a lot from Gil and his crew,” said Tamayo. “Gil did not claim nearly as many horses as I do. He developed a lot of younger horses. I learned about how to be patient with younger horses and how to develop them into successful, improving racehorses over time.”
Isidro voyaged out on his own in 2017 and started out with 3 horses given to him by owner Graeme Chung, who is still a major supporter of the Tamayo barn. Tamayo has grown his stable from 3 horses to 50 in just about two years.
“I’ve picked up many owners along the way. We’ve claimed a lot of nice horses. This was the first year where I was given about a dozen 2-year-olds to train.”
Tamayo credits his father Alfonzo as a mentor.
“My dad is retired now but lives close to the track,” said Tamayo. “I always pick him up early in the morning and he comes to the barn with me and helps out during morning training. He’s taught me a lot about good horsemanship. I want to be in this business for the rest of my life. I love horses and I love what I do.”
JOCKEY LUIS R. REYES SHIPS TACK TO GOLDEN GATE
New York-based rider Luis R. Reyes will begin riding at Golden Gate Fields this weekend and has picked up the services of jockey agent Fernando “Shoes” Navarro, who will be handling his book. Reyes is named on 7 horses this Saturday.
“The process of Luis coming here happened very quickly-within a matter of days,” said Navarro. “I spoke over the phone with [New York jockey] Jose Ortiz, who is really good friends with Luis. Jose told me [Luis] is a good rider and he has talent, but he wanted to see his buddy get an opportunity somewhere else other than New York because [Luis] wasn’t getting as much business as he would have liked.”
No harm, no foul. The New York riding colony has arguably the strongest roster of jockeys in the United States, which makes it very difficult for any rider to break in there.
The 24-year-old Reyes is a graduate of the Escuela Vocacional Hipica jockey school in Puerto Rico, where he was born and raised. Other highly rated riders to graduate from the school include John Velazquez, Manny Franco, Jose Ortiz and his brother Irad. All four aforementioned journeyman riders are based in New York and sit at the top of their profession.
“I’ve watched replays. Luis looks great on a horse,” said Navarro. “He told me he is ready to work hard. People are genuinely interested in using him right away, which is a positive sign. I think he can do well here. He just needs to get the right opportunities. I think we’ve got some live mounts for him this week and hopefully we get the ball rolling with a few winners right off the bat.”
$100,000 GUARANTEED LATE PICK 4 POOL FEATURED ON EXCEPTIONAL SATURDAY PROGRAM
Golden Gate Fields management announced Wednesday afternoon that the bayside track will offer a $100,000 guaranteed Late Pick 4 pool on Saturday, which features a 10 race program and a first post time of 12:45 PM. The 50-cent minimum Late Pick 4 drew 44 horses in the 4-race sequence, which averages out to 11 horses per race.
The first leg of the Late Pick 4 sequence (Race 7) attracts a full field of 12 starter allowance runners. Post time for the mile and a sixteenth Tapeta contest is 3:45 PM PT, although that time is subject to change. The second leg (Race 8), a maiden special weight on the turf, drew ten 2-year-olds, with one also-eligible. #5 A.P. Pharoah is a well-regarded colt sired by Triple Crown hero American Pharoah who makes his career debut. The Peter Redekop owned equine was purchased for $300,000 by his current connections and will be ridden by trainer Blaine Wright’s go-to rider, Juan Hernandez. Also entered in the race is #1 Penman, trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Neil Drysdale, and #10 American Farmer, a full sibling to stakes-placed filly Blue Diva. Leg 3 (Race 9), a one-mile allowance on Tapeta for fillies and mares three-year-olds and upward, also drew a full field with an also-eligible. Among the leading contenders is (none other than) #2 Blue Diva, Pacific Northwest stakes winner #5 Little Dancer and Southern California shipper #8 Noble Contessa. The last leg (Race 10), lists a field of ten $12,500 claiming sprinters on the main track.
The Saturday program is enticing from beginning to the end. The first five races comprise the Early Pick 5 sequence, which is a 50 Cent minimum bet and a low 14% takeout wager. The Golden Pick Six Jackpot wager, a 20 cent minimum bet, starts in Race 5. 94 horses are entered on the 10 race program, which equates to over 9 horses per race.
FINISH LINES: Jockey Juan Hernandez leads in the jockey standings with 26 wins, 3 more than Frank Alvarado…Trainer Jonathan Wong has a 16-13 lead over Isidro Tamayo in the trainer standings…Leg D of the Stronach 5 wager goes as Race 3 at Golden Gate on Friday…Nominations for the Golden Gate Debutante (to be run Friday, November 29) and the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap (on Saturday, November 30) close Thursday…Heading into Thursday’s card, there is an $8,895 carryover in the 20 Cent Golden Pick Six jackpot wager. The $1 Rolling Super High Five wager has a $9,015 carryover in Race 4, given 7 starters remain in the field…Good luck to jockeys Kevin Orozco and David C. Lopez. Orozco moved to Turf Paradise over the weekend and already won a race there on Tuesday while Lopez has relocated to Parx.