2-YEAR-OLDS CONTINUE TO IMPRESS AT GOLDEN GATE
For racing fans, the summer and fall months are always a fun time to be on the lookout for future stars. Golden Gate Fields has already had its fair share of 2-year-olds race and display talent with room for improvement. This past week, three 2-year-olds caught the eyes of handicappers and horsemen alike.
2-year-old filly Tomlin showed that her 3-length maiden victory at Santa Rosa was no fluke when winning an allowance event on the Golden Gate Tapeta by 4 lengths last Friday. The Steve Specht trainee improved her career record to 2 wins from 3 lifetime races. Tomlin has always been well regarded; by Distorted Humor, she was purchased for $200,000 at Keeneland in 2017 and is out of a Grade 2 winning dam. Tomlin is also a half sibling to Grade 3 winner Strike It Rich and stakes placed Sumptuous.
In Race 7 on Saturday, 2-year-old filly Silk Ransom defeated a field of maidens by four lengths. Silk Ransom, owned by KMN Racing and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, is a daughter of Regal Ransom who was purchased for $70,000 as a yearling. She is a half sibling to Grade I winner Joking, who won the Vosbourgh Handicap at Belmont Park in 2016. Spun Silk, the dam of Silk Ransom, was a minor stakes winner herself.
24 hours later, 2-year-old colt The White Shadow finished ahead of six other rivals in good time for trainer Jonathan Wong and owners Michael Nentwig and Scott Herbertson. The White Shadow, purchased for just $6,000 in the winter, is by Grade I winner Graydar and out of a Johannesburg mare who never raced. The word was out that The White Shadow could run as he was heavily favored in the paddock and ended up going off favored when the gates opened 15 minutes later.
2-year-old action continues In Thursday’s second race, where promising sophomore colts and geldings look to prove they have what it takes to compete against stakes company later on in the year. The morning line favorite is Cooney, a Willam E. Morey trainee he has won both career starts (a maiden race and starter allowance) with great ease at low odds. Also entered are a quartet of recent maiden special weight winners: Arcadia Calls, Peppers Ace, Rey Coliman and Tap It Champ. Arcadia Calls is a well-regarded colt from the Blaine Wright barn who was purchased for $215,000 as a yearling and broke his maiden at Pleasanton on June 30. Peppers Ace made his first trip to the winner’s circle at Sacramento in July and, like the aforementioned rival, also freshens up for his first start against winners. Rey Coliman scored a 58-1 shocker on August 26 and faces tougher company in this spot while Tap It Champ, from the Faith Taylor Stable, was on the “Horses to Watch” list on our first News and Notes of the summer meet and looks to stay unbeaten after a sharp debut win at Santa Rosa.
FINISH LINES: Congratulations to trainer Blaine Wright, who won a duo of stakes races over the weekend. On Saturday, Wright finished first and third in the $50,000 Delta Coleen Stakes at Hastings with Reginella and Top Quality, both whom raced at Golden Gate Fields this winter. Reginella, fresh off a win in the $65,000 Emerald Distaff in August, went to the front early and held off late rallies from second place finisher Notis the Jewell and Top Quality to win the mile and an eighth contest. One day later, the Wright trained Fly Far Away surged late to win the $50,000 Washington Cup Filly and Mare Stakes at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington…Shades of Victory, who began his career at Golden Gate Fields last year, won the E.B. Johnston stakes at Los Alamitos at astronomical odds of 80-1. The gray or roan colt is now owned and trained by Reed Saldana. Grecian Fire, a Jerry Hollendorfer trainee who also competed at Golden Gate Fields in past starts, was another entrant in the race and finished fourth…Irving Orozco has surged ahead in the jockey standings with 18 wins at the current meeting, four more than Juan Hernandez and five better than William Antongoergi III and Abel Cedillo…For the second week in a row, there is a three way tie in the trainer standings: Jerry Hollendorfer, Victor Trujillo and Jonathan Wong all have eight victories…Word on the street is that jockeys Julien Couton and Kevin Orozco will be back at Golden Gate Fields in October. Both journeyman jockeys are currently riding at Emerald Downs and have had successful meets. Orozco sits second in the jockey standings with 66 wins, 3 more than third place jockey Couton…Jerry Hollendorfer has a number of stakes performers scheduled to compete at Santa Anita on Saturday, September 30: 2-year-old colt Instagrand in the Grade I Frontrunner, 2-year-old filly Brill in the Grade I Chandelier, 5-year-old mare Vasilika in the Grade I Rodeo Drive. 2017 Breeders Cup Dirt Mile winner Battle of Midway is “possible” but not “probable” for the Grade I Awesome Again…The Golden Pick Six Jackpot carryover heading into Thursday’s card is $12,631.