The first days of April have arrived. We have a very nice 8 race program today with an average of 8 horses per race before scratches are reported. We had some nice handles last weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully those continue as we are just one of the few tracks still operating across the country. There appears to be some shippers from SoCal barns this weekend like Doug O’Neill, Richard Mandella, and many others as well as a few from Turf Paradise so that should allow for some nice field sizes. Turf racing will be returning to Golden Gate Fields this Saturday for the first turf event since December. The Golden Pick 6 jackpot continues to grow. It is at $398,294 and I have a sense this is going to last until Gold Rush Weekend. Quick recap of last week’s action. Great handicapping by our friends who did the writeup Friday through Sunday as they had a great handicapping day. Rob swept the program with his top three picks, Warren gave out a $55 winner, and Taylor gave out 5 top pick winners. Jockey and trainer wise featured Juan Hernandez with 12 wins and 20 total in the money finishes from 23 mounts, Jonathan Wong with 11 wins, 9 seconds, 4 thirds counting for 24 in the money finishes from 27 starters. Steve Miyadi also saddled a couple winners and his win percentage has creeped up to 42%. On the cold side Clifford Delima is 0 for his last 14 and Francisco Monroy is 0 for 10. My picks are also in this cold end. Very nice 8 race program to look forward to and here are my thoughts below:
99 race selections – 28 top pick winners (28%), 65 top picks in the money (66%)
Race 1: 5 Furlongs $5,000 Maiden Claiming F & M 4 & up (4-6-5)
Wide open event in the opener here. Trying to beat the rail running favorite Enchanting Eva who has shown speed and faded in five straight runs.
4 Rebel At Heart is a class dropping filly. She hasn’t run as well of late especially compared to her first four tries where she finished second against maiden 25s. Since she’s gone down the class ladder with each start. Drops to the basement maiden 5s and takes the blinkers off. She does have a 3 furlong work 12 days ago. Hoping she sits just off the early speed and pounces turning for home.
6 Bank of Many will be wheeling back from a route to a sprint. She is a 14 time maiden which isn’t too attractive however she has been close knocking on the door of late. She should have the stamina edge over the others here. Hoping she doesn’t sit too far behind since this race is only 5 furlongs.
5 Pajama Queen is a lightly raced 4 year old. She debuted at this level last May but was a voided claim. She took 10 months off and returned against maiden 8s and made a brief rally in the stretch. She’s back in for the maiden 5 today making her second start off a long layoff. Much rather pick a lightly raced maiden than those who have run similar races over and over like the 2 Noble Girl and 9 Please Zip It both 0 for 12.
Horse to watch: 7 Kelly’s Amber is a firster out of the Jose Bautista barn. Trainer has some good numbers with firsters and in a group where there isn’t a clear standout the mystery horse could be the one that comes out on top.
Race 2: 1 Mile $12,500 Claiming 4 year olds & up (6-2-1)
A compact group of six with price potential and some early pace signed on.
6 Robs Lucky Spirit is the top pick in here at 10/1. He is one of four runners exiting a common event. He is a horse who has faced tougher competition routing in the past. The last two trips at this level have been very good races. He tends to do his best running late and this is his third start routing at this condition.
2 Eldritch is another class dropper. He, like our top pick, should appreciate some class relief. Lowest level he’s been in for and should appreciate a hot pace up front. Will be coming on from the back of the pack.
1 Wilshire Dude is one of the three who could be showing speed early. I don’t think he’s as fast as the other two speed horses (3 & 5) thus I expect him to sit just off the early leaders. He should get first jump on the rest of the field. This is his third start in the form cycle and he has shown a good record over the tapeta sporting a win, a second, and a third in three tries compared to 4 Carolina Island who is 1 for 18 over the tapeta and 0 for 12 at this mile trip.
Race 3: 5.5 Furlongs $8,000 Claiming F & M 4 & up (4-7-8)
4 Jenpirestrikesback will be the top pick in the field of eight. She exits a tougher starter allowance event in which she finished fifth beaten three lengths. She will stalk the pace and look to pass runners in the stretch. The class relief should be a difference maker for this mare.
7 Joyous is looking for her third win in a row. She has won at the condition before this at 13/1 and also beat a group of starter allowance 4 runners. This is a slight hike up in class but she’s trending up. Alejandro Gomez has been the go to jockey on this filly.
8 Diamondsnchampagne has speed from an outside position which is always nice. She is a seven time winner over the tapeta and six of those came at today’s 5.5 furlong distance. Nobody appears to be as fast or seems to be able to keep up with her speed so gate to wire could be possible if she doesn’t get tired in the stretch.
Other to consider: 3 Cash for Cass is going out for the red hot barn of Jacqui Navarre. This filly was claimed two back for 5 and went up against beaten 8 claimers. Today she drops in for the n2x condition which is a slight class drop but she will be sprinting. No sprints to go off of in her last 12 starts. Last out winner came back to win again.
Race 4: 6 Furlongs $12,500 Maiden Claiming 3 year old Fillies (6-8-9)
Big group of 11 here with not a lot of speed expected. Gonna try to beat the 2 Keepinmypromise here as she’s just not been able to break that maiden.
6 Sassy and Hot will be the top pick here. If she runs the race she did last time I think she wins easily. There’s no pace in the race. The first horse to the half mile pole might be the winner. If Julien Couton is able to ration the speed she will win for fun.
8 Breakfast Ball is a daughter of Bayern making her second lifetime start. I could see this filly routing in the future. Kent Desormeaux gets aboard today and second time out should allow room for improvement.
9 Kenna Is Spicy made up ground in the stretch last time. That race was a half furlong shorter which means today’s extra half furlong should benefit her style. Catalino Martinez the go to pilot for William Delia rides once again.
Others to consider: 7 Via Alpina is making her first start for trainer Jeff Metz. This runner comes in from Turf Paradise as she worked over that track last week. Lone try here in NorCal came routing against open maidens. Last try sprinting was a forgettable one for this filly. 10 Salsa Verde makes her first start sprinting. She had routed all five starts before. She could be heard from late with the cutback. 3 Spirit Lake ran second at this condition and distance on debut at 67/1. Last out she started her running and the race was over at 5.5. The extra distance maybe will help her at a big number.
Race 5: 1 Mile & 1/16 $50,000 Claiming 4 year olds & up (3-5-6)
Higher level runners go two turns to kick off the late pick 4. It appears the highest claiming rank now will be a 50 claimer instead of a 40 claimer.
3 Mithqaal is our top pick here. He makes his third start of the form cycle and drops in class slightly. Appears to be the class of the field and it’s the dangerous combination of Juan Hernandez and Jonathan Wong. Only thing not to like is the odds and appears he might try to go wire to wire with the field.
5 Respect the Hustle makes his second start off a three month freshening. He rallied into fourth sprinting last time and probably that was just to get a race in him. He does have two wins at this distance however the lone negative is 0 for 8 on tapeta. But he does have 5 second or thirds so that’s positive. Expect this runner late.
6 Truth Seeker makes his first start off the claim for trainer Steve Miyadi. Miyadi has had a nice meet hitting at 42%. This horse broke the maiden over at Ellis Park in Kentucky. Lightly raced 4 year old should sit close just off the speed. Gets the preference over the 1 More Power to Him based on positioning early and 2 Cimpl Man who is stepping up in class.
Race 6: 1 Mile & 1/16 $20,000 Claiming F & M 4 & up (5-6-2)
Appears to be a two horse race.
5 Crazy Sexy Munny is looking for lifetime win number nine. She is a horse that loves running over this tapeta surface. In fact she hasn’t missed the exacta in ten tries as she sports eight lifetime wins here. She’s going for her fourth win in a row this season and appears to be the one to beat. I expect to sit just off the early leader and make a move on the turn.
6 Gratzie is stepping up in class from 16 claimers to the 20 level today. She’s been second in her last two against a weaker group. Her win three back came at the optional claiming 20 event at today’s distance. She does her best running, stalking the pace. Not a lot of speed in here to chase.
2 Ruby Bradley appears to be the lone speed in here. She ships back up North for trainer Steve Miyadi. This filly has been up here in the past and has set the speed routing against slightly tougher allowance runners. I expect her on the front end trying to take the field wire to wire.
Horse to watch underneath: 4 Please Do is 10/1 and if she comes home underneath it could spice up some exotic wagers. She will also sit a stalking trip and come running late. Her last win was at this level although it was in September. She’s also 0 for 7 at today’s distance.
Race 7: 1 Mile & 1/16 Starter Allowance $50,000 F & M 4 & up (6-3-1)
Good group of eight with not a lot of early speed signed on. A wide open event here.
6 Posh Holly ran a good race first off a four month break last out. She finished behind Crazy Sexy Munny who runs before this race. How that horse finishes could affect what bettors make of this one’s chances. Kent Desormeaux stays aboard at if the 5/1 m/L holds up that would be a gift. She gets an extra half furlong to run at second off the break.
3 Mulhima has run two good races since shipping up North. This is a horse who could be on the front end if the pace is wickedly slow. She set a 26 second opening quarter two back and lost by a nose. The extra half furlong might be a concern but the tapeta surface isn’t as she’s been in the money in all five synthetic tries.
1 Shanghai Truffles is one of the shippers trainer Patrick Gallagher brings up. She goes from a sprint to a route but is not expected to be on the front end as she’s never really set the pace in route races in the past. If her turf race two back is duplicated over this tapeta surface she has a big shot.
Others to consider: 4 Lady of Perception makes her first start routing. She broke the maiden against 25s and stepped into starter allowance company. She rallied into third. She’s a considerable longshot at 12/1 considering she could improve with a route of ground. 5 Clockstrikestwelve is a horse who started her career on the East Coast. Her form of late is muddy but if the past returns here she could beat this group. 8 Sure Angel faced tougher allowance optional claiming company last out. Two back at this level she was 2/1 and finished third. Today she’s 10/1 and could offer some value if she runs on. 0 for 4 on the tapeta isn’t attractive.
Race 8: 1 Mile Maiden Special Weight 3 year olds (2-4-5)
2 Railsplitter one of two Doug O’Neill runners in here was a $125k purchase. He’s a son of Bodemeister and that brings up Megameister who didn’t have a problem over the tapeta surface in the past. I get he ran in for maiden 75s down South but it’s not much of a class hike to maiden special weights up here. Two year old races featured nice runners like Nucky so this horse has a little class edge.
4 Lookin for Revenge could very much get a perfect pace setup. There appears to be two speed horses up front which could set this gelding up if he sits just off the leaders. Juan Hernandez gets back aboard and if he doesn’t bounce he could have a shot. Lone negative is the 8/5 morning line.
5 Exhort is the other Doug O’Neill highly priced colt. This one cost $135k and exits a maiden special weight event down South where he set the pace and tired. He puts blinkers on so probably will be on the engine but does it make sense for Doug O’Neill to have both his runners next and next early. This one debuted over this tapeta sprinting.
Others to consider: 3 Gallant Warren exits a state bred maiden race and was second beaten two and a half lengths. He will have the experience of this distance others lack. He could sit a stalking trip and benefit from the speed. Last out winner returned and was a next out winner. 6 Temple of Sol will try two turns for the first time. He puts blinkers so maybe he could add to the pace setup. 7 Big Perm is a 12/1 longshot from the leading barn. He steps up after debuting in a maiden claiming 25 event. Step up in class and two turns are both question marks. Jockey Juan Hernandez opts to go in a different direction here.
Best Bets:
Race 4 Sassy and Hot 2/1
Price Play:
Race 2 Robs Lucky Spirit 10/1
This is a super competitive Thursday card. Good luck and stay well at home! Next write up for me in a couple weeks as there’s no Thursday racing for two weeks.