We have turned the calendar to June as we kick off another great week of racing. This week we have two feature events once again with one on Saturday ($50k Albany) for 3 year olds and up to sprint 5 furlongs on the turf, and one on Sunday ($75k Golden Poppy) for fillies and mares 3 year olds and up going 1 Mile & 1/16 on grass as well. Now a quick recap on what has happened the past week and a half. The payoffs have been really well of late and the key is beating favorites. Even if a low odds second choice horse comes home on top the key is the favorite not winning and will result in some nice returns. As for today we have a nice 7 race card. We look to stay hot from our last writeup as we had a great day of handicapping including 4 top pick winners. Here are my thoughts for today:
126 race selections – 35 top pick winners (28%), 82 top picks in the money (65%)
Race 1: 1 Mile Tapeta $8,000 Maiden Claiming 3 year old Fillies (1-3-2)
1 Sweet Sarah Bear comes in off a second at this level beaten by a neck. She returned to facing restricted 3 year olds that day and also took a drop in class. I think she should sit a good stalking trip just off the early leader. Francisco Monroy rode the early double on Sunday so he has been riding some winners of late.
3 Stand in Your Love is a filly who is dropping in class and also going from a sprint to a route. She routed in the past against tougher and led into the stretch before tiring. This filly figures to get play on the class drop but she has been the favorite the last couple tries and hasn’t won. She could be on the engine early.
2 Oh What a Ride exits a common race to our top pick. In fact this filly finished third and 2 and a half lengths behind the top pick here. David Lopez has rode well of late including a stakes win last week but this filly seems to be running the same race each time. She stalks and makes minimal ground in the stretch.
Other to watch: 4 Firstclasstoparis comes in here off a 3.5 month break. She also tries two turns for a first. Has never hit the board and drops in class today. Could two turns be what she wants?
Race 2: 1 Mile Tapeta $12,500 Claiming 3 year old Fillies (7-6-1)
Another nice competitive group of sophomore fillies here.
7 Miss You Mom is a daughter of Lookin at Lucky. She returns to the tapeta surface where she has done rather well on. She has only missed the money once in 4 tries and that was because she dumped the jockey at the start. She comes in here making her third start off the layoff and could be fit to bounce back. 6/1 seems to be a fair price for her.
6 Charlie’s Belle comes back in 10 days. She steps back up in class after facing half of today’s claiming tag last out. She is consistent in picking up ground in the stretch. Hoping she isn’t too far out of it early on as the pace could be a concern for her.
1 Galwalksintoabar ships in from Santa Anita for trainer Steve Miyadi. Miyadi seems to be firing on all cylinders of late hitting at 38% for the meet and 27% for 2020. This horse drops from allowance company to the 12.5 tag today. The concern is two turns for the first time as she does appear to be the quickest in the field.
Others to consider: 4 Snow Pack is a consistent runner who likes to come late. She exits a common race to the second pick and has always been consistent over the tapeta (8 for 10 in the money). Lone win interestly was gate to wire. 2 Billy’sgotasingle exits a common turf allowance race to our top pick. She gets back on tapeta where she broke her maiden for 20 sitting from off the pace. She makes her second start off a freshening as trainer Samuel Calvario is 31% off 45-180 day breaks. 5 Anna Lee Encore is a vulnerable favorite in my opinion. Her 3 tapeta races weren’t great. She is dropping and her lone route race was a third place finish. Top connections team up here with Juan Hernandez and Blaine Wright.
Race 3: 4.5 Furlongs Tapeta $25,000 Maiden Claiming 2 year olds (2-3-4)
I’ll be honest, handicapping baby races is not something I like. Only 1 horse has experience in this group.
2 Fireitup is one of three fillies taking on the boys. Quinn Howey is striking at 42% from his last 12 first timers. She comes in off a nice workout 10 days ago.
3 A Little Bit Lucky is a 2 year old son of Itsmyluckyday. Trainer Efrain Miranda has a 21% strike rate from 14 2 year olds. David Lopez who pulled off an upset in the first baby race gets aboard here.
4 The Henrietta is the lone runner with experience. She didn’t show much speed on debut trailing the field home and is one of two trained by Daniel Franko.
Other newcomers: 5 Poso Creek is the other Franko trainee. She had a nice 3 furlong workout a week ago. The other two runners are both trained by Duane Offield. 6 Scarlet Iris appears to be the better horse as she’s outworked stablemate 1 Drumadoon. This colt appears to be behind the filly.
Race 4: 5 Furlongs Turf $16,000 Maiden Claiming F & M 3 & up (1-3-4)
1 Darling Demon is a class dropping 4 year old. Last time she dropped from maiden special weights in for a 25 tag. Today she drops another step in for 16. She has speed from an inside post and appears to be quicker than most of her rivals. Speed is such a key in turf sprints illustrated Saturday by Tomlin in the Camilla Urso. She has a second and third in 2 tries at the distance and surface.
3 Thunder Woman is the most experienced in the field. She is also coming out of a common event with our top pick. This filly does her best running late. She is also trying turf for the first time and will hope for speed to close into.
4 Talia ships North after a miserable debut at Santa Anita. She was beaten 15 lengths finishing 10th. She hopes the class drop will be beneficial to her and she also will try a turf surface for the first time. Leading jockey Juan Hernandez gets aboard today.
Other to consider: 7 Cultured Pearl debuted at a softer maiden 8 on tapeta. That day she broke slow and rallied for third. It’s nice to see a step up the class ladder and she tries out turf today.
Race 5: 1 Mile Tapeta $12,500 Maiden Claiming 3 year olds & up (7-1-2)
7 Luck Is My Name takes a drop in class off a quick 10 day return and also goes back to a route. It appears that the last race might’ve been a race to get him back for today. He has routed in the past with a second and two thirds at today’s distance. He could be sent to the front coming out of a sprint race in a paceless race.
1 Silver Fury is a 14 time maiden who goes from a sprint to a route. She finished second at this level, sprinting 6 furlongs last time. Trainer Blake Heap has had success from limited runners here. It is also encouraging he had a work here 10 days ago after scratching two weeks ago.
2 Cape Point exits a turf race and drops in class today. He hasn’t really done much against tougher in 6 tries. I like that Juan Hernandez gets aboard for John Sadler. I’m interested in what this horse does early.
Other to consider: 3 El Borracho exits a common even with our third pick. In fact this son drifted into Cape Point and was dq’ed to 4th from 3rd. He should be coming late as he often does have a third over this surface. WIll need some pace help.
Race 6: 1 Mile & ⅛th Turf $40,000 Claiming 3 year olds & up (3-2-6)
3 Mithqaal gets back on the turf as he is graded stakes placed on grass. He has missed the trifecta once in 6 starts at Golden Gate and that was in the San Francisco Mile a grade 3. He appears to be one of the two with early speed and he will look to carry that throughout. Frank Alvarado gets back aboard today.
2 Cupid’s Claw is also getting back on the turf as he’s by Kitten’s Joy. This horse will like a super hot pace duel up front to close into. He has closed to win an allowance on tapeta and returns to turf where he broke the maiden down South from off the pace. Ricardo Gonzalez stays aboard to ride and could be closer to the front than expected.
6 More Power To Him is a nice veteran 6 year old. He seems to run his race every time. He is always at the back making up ground late. There appears to be a pace setup to his liking. Hopefully he won’t be too far out of it.
Horse to watch: 1 Harvest a Storm is a horse that looks to be involved for speed. If given an easy lead he could go gate to wire but if he doesn’t go to the front the closers won’t get their wanted setup.
Race 7: 5.5 Furlongs Tapeta $12,500 Maiden Claiming 3 year old Fillies (5-8-9)
We end the day with what looks to be a pace less race as there appear to be many runners who like to close into a pace (1, 4, and 10)
5 Super Party ran third at this level going 6 furlongs. She lost the lead in mid stretch so I like the cutback in distance for her today. The race lacks a ton of speed so if she can get forward positioning and be clear she could be the one to catch. I like that Francisco Duran retains the mount today.
8 Endless Story showed a little speed last time before weakening around the turn. I think she can improve with the second time start today and a good speed jockey in William Antongeorgi.
9 Streusel has run well in two tries but comes from well out of it. She actually finished in front of our top pick last out closing for second. The cutback won’t do her a favor so she will have to sit much closer today especially with the lack of speed.
Other to consider: 6 Kenna Is Spicy finished 5th in the common race with the top and third picks. That was her first start in two months. Second start off the break could bring improvement. She appears to be the one that could get first jump on the leaders if they tire.
Best Bet: Race 7 Super Party 7/2
Price Play: Race 2 Miss You Mom 6/1
Good luck on today’s 7 race card and all week long at Golden Gate Fields. Great racing in store all weekend long.
Twitter: @sportsandhorse