Berkeley, Calif. (June 14, 2020)- A final furlong stretch battle between four-year-old gelding Neptune’s Storm and five-year-old gelding Kiwi’s Dream ended in Neptune’s Storm with his head in front at the wire, concluding an exciting and thrilling rendition of one of the Bay Area’s most prestigious horse races, the $250,000 Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on Sunday afternoon at Golden Gate Fields.
Under journeyman jockey William Antongeorgi III, Neptune’s Storm stalked early pacesetter Kiwi’s Dream for the first three-quarters of a mile before pouncing on the aforementioned foe turning for home. Down the stretch, Neptune’s Storm stuck his head in front and kept it there for the remainder of the race while Kiwi’s Dream continued to cling on to Neptune’s Storm until the very end. Local gelding Camino Del Paraiso completed the trifecta and 8-5 post time favorite Restrainedvengence, winner of the All-American Stakes on Tapeta last month, checked in fourth. Arch Prince, Majestic Eagle, Simply Breathless and Murad Khan completed the field.
Neptune’s Storm, who won the Grade 2 Hill Prince Stakes last year at Belmont Park, improved his lifetime record to 6 wins, 3 second and 5 thirds with career earnings of $788,085. The son of Stormy Atlantic is trained by Richard Baltas, who picked up his first career San Francisco Mile victory. Neptune’s Storm was bred in Kentucky by Tracy Farmer and is currently owned by CYBT, Saul Gevertz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig and Daniel Weiner.
Neptune’s Storm completed the one mile on firm turf in 1:35.50 seconds. Neptune’s Storm paid $8.00 to win, $4.00 to place and $3.20 to show. Kiwi’s Dream paid $7.80 to place and $5.40 to show while Camino Del Paraiso paid $7.00 to show.
Live racing of the 2019-2020 Winter/Spring meet at Golden Gate concluded on Sunday with mandatory payouts in the Pick 5’s, Rolling Super High Five and Golden Pick Six jackpot wagers. Racing resumes at Golden Gate Fields on July 29 with the “Sonoma County Fair Meet at Golden Gate Fields” which runs through August 11. The Golden Gate Fields Summer meet immediately follows with live racing from August 12 through October 6.