Sunday is closing day for the Summer Meeting at Golden Gate Fields. There are big fields all throughout the card, including the late pick 4, which has a guaranteed pool of $100,000. I am going to go over some of the contenders in each leg, and hopefully it will help you guys narrow down your selections. Fields of 11, 10, 10, and 14 make up the sequence.
Race 8: 2yo Maiden Special Weight 1m Turf
#2 Victus- Plenty of works on the tab– should be fit for today’s debut. Trainer Howey Quinn is a strong 22% with FTS (27% with MSW FTS). Pedigree on bottom side for turf. Interesting at 15/1 on the ML.
#5 Music Icon- Got away a bit slow from the gate and was void of any early speed on debut sprinting. Made a steady bid and ran on well late. Nice gallop out and seemed like a good learning experience. Wright 19% 2nd time out. Precocity on both sides of pedigree. Turf?? Should sit a forwardly placed trip on stretchout.
#6 Sacred Rider- Run 2 back was decent as he lost to a horse that caught a better part of bias. Caught in speed duel last race. Strong turf and route pedigree– dam is multiple turf stakes winner and he is a full to stakes winner Pulpit Rider. Should show some speed.
#7 Final Final- Has had gate issues in both career starts at Del Mar. 2 turns should definitely help him and has some sneaky turf pedigree. Leading rider Irving Orozco is 5 for his last 7 with trainer Bill McLean. Interesting horse at a price. At least an underneath use.
#9 Speeding Runing- Looked well beaten in both career races but found a way to flash a very strong turn of foot. Making a big class jump here from MC12.5k to MSW. By Heatseeker and out of an English Channel mare, so should love the turf. Also has 2 turn experience. Needs pace to run at. Interesting price horse.
#10 Anneau d’Or- The likely favorite. Been waiting all summer to see this 480k son of Medaglia d’Oro make his debut. Should handle the grass as his dam is a G3 winner on turf. Had a 28 day gap between works in August but drills since seem steady. Future El Camino Real Derby contender?
Selections:
#10 Anneau d’Or (5/2)
#5 Music Icon (7/2)
#9 Speeding Running (20/1)
#6 Sacred Rider (4/1)
Race 9: 2yo Allowance/Optional Claiming 40k 5 1/2f
#1 Blaisin’ Eamon- Coming off a strong 5 length maiden score. Flashed potential on debut by running 3rd against a strong inside bias and having a big gallop out. Hand is probably forced to send from the rail.
#3 Misirlou- Talented filly is coming off a 4 length maiden win. Jumps up to open company and faces the boys here. Is a full sister to El Camino Real Derby winner Zakaroff. Close on figures and gets leading rider Irving Orozco.
#6 Ardenlee Star- Cuts back to a sprint here after running 3rd in the 100k Del Mar Juvenile Turf. Won debut going 6f and should handle the tapeta fine. Could sit a nice trip with there being some pace horses in here. McCarthy 2/4 at GGF this meet.
#7 No Longer Silent- Put it all together in his last start, as he pulled away to break his maiden by 6 lengths. Wong and Frey are 29% at the meet together. Figures fit well here. Has speed.
#8 Little John- Broke his maiden for 25k on debut and then came back to win a Starter Allowance. Improving type. Figures are well behind. Should get pace to run at. Interesting price horse. Acid test here.
#10 Warm Summer- Eye catching debut win on 8/17, and then came back to run 2nd against talented 2yo Darnquick on 9/8. Rail draw last time, now moves to the outside here. Coming off 4f bullet in 48 flat (quickest of 79). Figures fit.
Selections:
#1 Blaisin’ Eamon (7/2)
#10 Warm Summer (8/1)
#7 No Longer Silent (3/1)
#6 Ardenlee Star (5/2)
Race 10: 3yoUp CLM20k 5f Turf
#2 Regal Born- Ships back North and drops from 40k after 2 turf sprints at Del Mar. Picks up leading rider Irving Orozco and should sit a ground saving trip on the inside.
#3 Whoa Buddy- Interesting longshot. Coming off of a close 3rd place effort on the main track, and ran 2nd for 20k 2 back on the turf at 23/1. One to consider at least underneath.
#4 Sunrise Journey- Class of the field, but he hasn’t been seen since December. Has a nice win going 5f on the turf. Mathis spots his runners well, so have to respect him on the drop.
#6 Incensed- Has early speed but can sit off of the pace too. Synthetic numbers tower over the rest of the field. Will be interesting to see how he does on turf. Belvoir only 5% going dirt to turf.
#9 Royal Creed- Turf run at Del Mar against tougher was decent. Been working up a storm at Golden Gate for Jeff Bonde– son of Jimmy Creed is coming off 3 straight bullet works. Good post and Antongeorgi can put him wherever he wants to.
#10 Karma King- Wong is a STRONG 28% first off the claim. Off the board in all 7 turf starts, but Wong must see something to enter him here. Quick 1 week wheelback. Numbers fit. Turf and quick turnaround are the questions.
Selections:
#9 Royal Creed (6/1)
#2 Regal Born (4/1)
#6 Incensed (7/2)
#10 Karma King (9/2)
Race 11: 3yoUP 50k Starter Allowance 1m Turf
#1 Mo Bob- Got the job done last time out in a 12.5k claimer after not having the cleanest of trips. Will get to save ground on the inside under Frank Alvarado. Ran 2nd against a few other of these at Starter 40k level 2 back.
#2 Smiling Bandit- Don’t see many runners coming off of a 20 length victory. Obviously facing way tougher here and turf is a big question mark. Brings Emerald Downs speed, and would have to think Kevin Krigger is going to send from the inside.
#3 Roman Rush- Another Emerald shipper. Stretching out from sprint to route. Should be forwardly placed. Has a 2nd place finish going 1 1/16m on this turf course. Figures fit, but can he duplicate them on grass?
#5 Kid Arcade- Coming off a 5th place effort behind Premium Forest at 1 1/8. Shortens up to 1m here, which is the same distance of his win 2 starts back. Deep closer that is going to need pace to run at. Figures are slow but he is improving.
#7 Bronze Warrior- Coming off 20k claiming win going wire-to-wire. Seems like he doesn’t need the lead, but both of his lifetime wins were on the lead– will be tough to grab the lead in here. Have to respect the connections, but a tough favorite to lean on.
#8 Rustic Canyon- Has solid form lines and has been knocking on the door at the level. Versatile running style helps him here. Numbers fit well here.
#10 Ready Say Go- Goes from the rail to the 10 post and cuts back from 9f to 8f. Orozco can get a good idea of where to put this 5yo son of Unusual Heat, as he is drawn outside the other speed. Has races that fit.
#12 Pioneerofthestorm- Coming off a narrow defeat by a nose at the 12.5k level on the main track. 2nd off the layoff and get on the turf. Wong should have him ready and Kyle Frey stays aboard. Numbers are right there.
#13 River God- Needs to draw in off the AE list, but brings strong SoCal form into today’s race. Does not have a ton of speed, so post is a concern as he could get caught pretty wide on the first turn.
#14 Kichiro- Will need at least 2 defections to draw in off the AE list. Making first start since March. Improving 3yo could take another step forward as worktab looks like he is ready to fire off layoff for Wong. Has speed, so hopefully won’t get caught too wide.
Selections:
#12 Pioneerofthestorm (9/2)
#14 Kichiro (9/2)
#10 Ready Say Go (4/1)
#13 River God (5/2)
Usually I like to play P4s with the ABC method, but I will put a suggested “caveman” style ticket below (It’s more so a guide to help you if you haven’t finalized your ticket yet).
My suggested .50 Pick 4 ticket
10w 1,6,7,10 w 2,4,6,9,10w 10,12(13,14)
Cost: $20 ($40 if AEs draw in)
NorCal Horse Racing News 