It was nice to get back in the swing of things as racing returned to Golden Gate Fields for the Summer Meeting. There was some exciting racing during opening week, and I am going to recap it below.
Standings:
Thursday:
Race 6 was the feature race of the day, and it was a 25k ALW O/C going 1m on the main track. SoCal invader Miss Voluptuous set the pace and was then joined by Kynance and Its Alexus on the far turn. These 3 put a good distance between themselves and the others, and it looked like it was a 3-horse race turning for home. However, Music Babe closed fast late to pull off the 7/1 upset. Jockey Frank Alvarado dropped out to last early and was able to save a lot of ground. He made a strong move with Music Babe on the turn and was loaded turning for home, all he had to do was point her in the right direction. The John Martin trainee is now 10-25 lifetime and has racked up $130,957 in total earnings.
Jockey Kyle Frey had a huge opening day, as he took 3 of the 7 races. He won race 2 aboard first time starter Always in Vegas, race 3 aboard River House, and race 5 aboard another first time starter in Friend of Autism.
After racing in Northern California 3-4 years ago, jockey David Lopez returned a winner in his first mount back at Golden Gate Fields. It was great to see him back after having some serious injury issues. He sat in 7th out of 8 horses early on and took 2/1 choice Drill Time to the outside in the lane and flew home to score by 1 3/4 lengths going away. Steve Miyadi was the winning trainer.
Thursday Full Card Results: https://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/GG081519USA.pdf
Friday:
Trainer Ari Herbertson had a double on the day with wins in races 2 and 8. In the 2nd, Monstodamous, who is by freshmen sire Curlintomischief, won a 12.5k MCL by a comfortable 3 lengths. Also his 3yo Desert Code gelding, Ruxin, dominated by 6 lengths in a 5k MCL race– he stopped the clock in 58.66, which is fast for the level.
The feature race on the day was a loaded 25k ALW O/C for 3yos and Up going 1m on the main track. Lymebyrd was a horse that we saw impress during the winter/spring meet, and after a subpar dirt performance at Pleasanton, he returned to his winning ways. Breaking from the rail, jockey Irving Orozco did a great job hustling him early to grab a forward position in the clear. He stalked the pace-setter River of Champagne and was able to save enough for the stretch drive to blow past him and hold off the closers. The Angelo Tekos Jr. trainee ran the mile in a final time of 1:37.94.
Lastly, jockey William Antongeorgi had an impressive day, as he scored a hat trick with wins in races 3, 5, and 8.
Friday Full Card Results: https://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/GG081619USA.pdf
Saturday:
We saw the Northern California return for dominant Pleasanton debut winner Darnquick in the 4th race. The 2yo Run Brother Ron gelding broke quickly and rocketed to the lead. He set a very swift opening 1/4 in 21.81 and still found enough in reserve to hold off the late-closing Thisonesfordan to win by 1 1/4 lengths. The Allen Rogers trainee is now 2/3 lifetime and has banked $48,460 in earnings.
In Race 7, we saw an impressive debut win from the Clubhouse Ride filly, Warm Summer. She broke last of all and found herself far off the pace early. Jockey Ricky Gonzalez made a move into the far turn to get decent position, and then wheeled her to the outside on the turn– she began to pick off her rivals one by one. In the lane, she had so much momentum and closed nicely to win by 3 lengths going away. The final time for this 5.5f race was 1:05.68. She was purchased at the FTSANA Sale for 50k. The most impressive thing to me was that she was able to win first time out for O. J. Jauregui, who is a trainer that usually never has his runners cranked up on debut. We have seen him have nice runners in recent years with horses like Amaranth and Camino Del Paraiso, so it will be interesting to see how this talented filly Warm Summer pans out.
A field of 10 lined up for the feature on the card, which was a 6f ALWn1x for F&M 3yo and Up. Miss Super Saint was coming off of a 4 month layoff, and backed up to a sprint distance. While she has shown speed in the past, sprint speed is different than route speed. The Super Saver filly found herself well off the pace and was forced to make a wide closing bid. She started to find her best stride in the lane and won by 1 1/2 lengths. She gave Ricky Gonzalez a riding double on the day. We saw some team tactics pay off by trainer Steve Specht as pace-setter My Sweet Lou was able to hold on for 2nd to complete the exacta. Miss Super Saint’s best form seems to have been around 2 turns, so look out for her next time 2nd off the layoff.
We also saw another trainer exacta in race 5, as D Wayne Baker pulled off the 16/1 upset with Cool Hunter.
Saturday Full Card Results: https://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/GG081719USA.pdf
Sunday:
In the 5th, Fairy Tale Bliss broke her maiden going wire-to-wire on the turf in her Northern California debut for new trainer Sergio Ledezma. Jockey Juan Hernandez was able to control things on an easy lead up front, the 1/2 was set in 48.85 and 3/4s in 1:14.39. The Goldenscents filly was challenged by Zahra at the top of the lane, but ultimately repelled her, to score by a measured 2 lengths.
Race 6 was also a MSW, but this time it was for CA-bred 2yos going 5.5f on the main track. Doc Tommy must have shown some promise early on as he was entered in the Everett Nevin Stakes on debut. He ran a very credible 4th that day behind undefeated Bulletproof One, and then got hooked up in a pace duel at Del Mar and found the waters a bit too deep last out. The Comic Strip colt was looking to rebound, and he did just that– he was sent straight to the lead under Juan Hernandez and never looked back. Doc Tommy won by 4 lengths over the favorite Admirably and did it well in-hand. He stopped the clock in a fast 1:04.45. Trainer Felix Rondan adds to his growing list of 2yo winners this season.
In the feature, the Michael McCarthy trained son of War Front scored an Allowance win on the drop in class from the Siren Lure Stakes at Santa Anita. Oiseau de Guerre sat 3rd to last early on, but the 45.10 1/2 mile was a solid enough pace for him to run at. Julien Couton gave him fantastic ride and found an open gap on the inside– once he got clear, the race was all but over. Runner-up El Chavo Del Ocho took the overland route and was forced wide on the turn. Oiseau de Guerre ran 6f in 1:10.20 and won by a final margin of 2 1/2 lengths.
Jockey Juan Hernandez had a big afternoon, scoring 3 wins on the Dollar Day card. He won races 5, 6, and 8.
Sunday Full Card Results: https://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/GG081819USA.pdf
NorCal Horse Racing News 