We saw the road to the El Camino Real Derby begin last month with the Golden Nugget Stakes. Now, we stretch out to 2-turns for Saturday’s Gold Rush Stakes. An overflow field of 11 is set to square off in this $75,000 stake going 1 mile over the tapeta. Something to remember is that the 1st turn comes up very quickly at this distance on the main track. This is going to be a great betting race as it looks wide open on paper.
Past 5 Gold Rush Stakes winners:
2018- Sueno
2017- City Plan
2016- Colonel Samsen
2015- Mana Strike
2014- Stand and Salute
1- Final Final (Antongeorgi/ McLean): Son of Dare Devil had a 3rd and a 6th sprinting on the dirt at Del Mar. Shipped back to GGF and stretched out to a mile on the turf where he ran 2nd by 8 lengths to eventual Breeders Cup Juvenile runner-up Anneau d’Or. Dug down against Music Icon to win a turf MSW last out. Runs on main track for the 1st time. Proven at 2 turns and will be saving a lot of ground on the inside.
2- Music Icon (Gonzalez/ Wright): Finished just behind Final Final in his last 2 starts on turf. Wider trip last time might have made the difference. Ran well sprinting over the tapeta on the career debut back in September– might be a better surface for him. Very precocious pedigree being by Macleans Music and out of a Chief Seattle mare. Has proven he can route. Talented but still a maiden.
3- Rager (Reyes/ Lerner): Won on debut sprinting on the turf at Santa Anita. Then came back in the G3 Bob Hope and ran last of 4 by 14 lengths behind High Velocity. Broke from the rail, got in a good spot on the turn, and then failed to keep up turning for home. Maybe he didn’t like the dirt? Reyes seems like he likes to ride aggressively in what I’ve seen so far of him at Golden Gate, so I would imagine we will see Rager in a spot close early. On debut he checked on the far turn, fell back in the field, and was able to find a gear late to win. None of the 8 runners from that race came back to win. Not sure what to make of him.
4- Call Me Peppy (Herrera/ Psarras): Broke his maiden routing on the dirt at Santa Rosa back in August. Laid off after that race and came back in the 6f Golden Nugget to run 5th by 10 lengths behind the Gold Rush ML favorite Bettor Trip Nick. Sports a bullet 5f work in 100.40 (best of 36) on November 29th. 2nd off layoff here, working well, and is proven routing. Big price on the board and could make some noise underneath.
5- Jedi Knight (Couton/ Psarras): The 2nd of 2 entries for trainer Andreas Psarras. Won on debut back in June and has been knocking heads with the likes of Bulletproof One, Darnquick, and No Longer Silent. Stretched out to 2 turns on the turf last out in a Starter Allowance and won by 10 lengths in a dominant wire-to-wire score. Not sure what he beat that day, but he looked good doing it. Facing a much tougher field today.
6- Absolute Weapon (Gryder/ Lerner): Son of Preakness winner Oxbow won last time out in an Allowance/Optional Claimer by 6 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita– shot straight to that lead today and never looked back. Out of a Bernardini mare, so him running better at 2-turns is no surprise. 3 of the 4 runners from that October 31st race have come back and improved their figures. Has speed and might have to go since he’s drawn just inside Bettor Trip Nick.
7- Bettor Trip Nick (Martinez/ Delia): Been impressive during his 2yo campaign– has 3 wins and a 2nd in 4 career starts. Pulled off a gate-to-wire shocker at 15/1 last time out in the Golden Nugget Stakes and looked good doing it. Blaisin Eamon came out of that race to win an Allowance last week. Trying 2-turns for the 1st time here. His sire was primarily a turf sprinter and he is out of an In Excess mare. Has a lot of speed but isn’t necessarily a “need the lead” type. Delia having a strong meet so far. Talented horse, but tough to take a short price considering there’s other pace and that he has never routed before.
8- Indian Peak (Gomez/ Howey): Has improved in all 3 starts. Debut was over the tapeta, but it was sprinting. He has shown he is clearly a router and has a 2nd and a win at 2 turns on the turf. Closed into 2nd behind Sacred Rider 2 starts back, and won last time in the A.P. Pharoah debut race. Got a big setup that day as the top 2 finishers were sitting 2nd to last and last early on (did travel very wide that day though). Saw him in paddock and he is a really big horse. Continues to get better and could get pace to run at here. Gomez riding at just 4% this meet, and Howey has been an uncharacteristically low 9% during the meet (21% on year). Wheeling back in just 2 weeks.
9- Champers (Valdivia Jr/ Hess Jr): Still a maiden but has some strong runs since being claimed for 50k back in early September. Ran 4th 2 starts back and then 3rd by a neck last time out at the MSW level going 1m on the turf. Sat in 4th and made a move on the turn behind a hot pace. Took the lead in mid-stretch, but just got ran down late. 6 horses have run back out of last race and only winner was in an 80k MCL. By Cairo Prince and out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare, so tapeta should be no problem. Valdivia Jr. has had a lot of success riding on a synthetic track at Arlington Park. Improving type.
10- Sacred Rider (Alvarado/ Specht): Got his 1st win last out in career start number 6. His 2 runs at 2-turns (Turf) were a 4th behind Anneau d’Or and a front running 3 1/2 length win. 3 of 4 horses out of his last race have come back to win. Tough draw here. Alvarado has been riding well (22% this meet) and is going to have to work out a trip from the far outside. His 2 runs over the tapeta were a 5th and 7th place finishes, but they were at a sprint. Improving and has a steady worktab coming into this one. Specht 21% with last out maiden winners.
11- Ajourneytofreedom (Krigger/ Wright): Is going to need a defection to draw into the main body of the field. If he does get in, he will have to try to work out a trip from the far outside post. Got on the ‘Horses to Watch’ list for his last run after being boxed and running on late for 2nd. Should love 2-turns considering he is by Hard Spun and is a 1/2 brother to Anothertwistafate. Krigger has been riding well lately too. Needs a lot to go right, but he has talent.
Pace scenario:
I see the pace being quick here with proven route speed and a stretch-out sprinter in Bettor Trip Nick.
I think Absolute Weapon is going to send and Bettor Trip Nick is going to stick to him from his outside. Sacred Rider will likely have to use speed early to save some ground going into the first turn. Jedi Knight has speed and is a bit of a wildcard in terms of where he is going to sit– I see him sitting just off the speed. Rager should be sitting close behind the leaders from the inside on the stretch-out. Final Final and Champers look like they will be in a stalking position. Music Icon, Call Me Peppy, and Ajourneytofreedom will be towards the back of the stalking group. Indian Peak will likely be at the back.
Selections: 2-9-(11)-1-10
#2 Music Icon (10/1): Going to be a nice price in a wide open race. Should sit a great trip and think he’s better on a synthetic surface.
#9 Champers (4/1): Good runs down south and should be sitting in the clear. Valdivia Jr can ride the synthetics.
#11 Ajourneytofreedom (6/1): Picking maidens to run 1-2-3?! Why not! Needs to draw in and overcome a wide post. Has talent and should get pace to run at.
#1 Final Final (10/1): Route form is strong and figures to get a ground saving trip on the inside.
#10 Sacred Rider (8/1): Wide post is not ideal but has speed to clear over. Last race very productive. Seems progressive. Lets see if he handles the surface better this time.
NorCal Horse Racing News 