I thought I
would use this week to talk about some news and notes around Golden Gate Fields
and update you on some horses and jockeys that I have mentioned over the past
few months.
Saddle up and here we go.
The call to the post signifies the horses are on the track for the next race. These days, those races are getting harder and harder to fill at Golden Gate Fields. Here is a small example. Last week we ran four days, Thursday thru Sunday. During those days, we carded 34 races. Would you be surprised if I told you that 20 of those 34 races had 6 horses or less?
Trainer Steve Sherman (left) came within 2 lengths of equaling a 15 year-old record. Sherman went into Friday’s sixth race with 8 straight wins over a four day period. The record of 9 is held by leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. However Sherman’s horse, Milyone, ridden by Kevin Krigger ran third narrowly missing after a late close down the stretch. Krigger though is a big reason Sherman had the wins as he was on board for 4 of the 8.
Speaking of Krigger, he and Aaron Gryder have found success quickly in their short stints at GGF. Through Sunday, Krigger has won 21 races from 88 mounts and Gryder has won 17 of 85 starts.
And now for the one that got away. Apprentice Kyle Frey left GGF last month to ride at Parx Racecourse in Philadelphia and in a short time is making a big impression. Frey has had 13 mounts through Sunday and has 5 wins, 1 second and 4 thirds.
When I last spoke of William E. Morey’s Positive Response, he was a disappointing third in the El Camino Real Derby. Since then though, he has found a liking for the synthetic surface at Turfway Park. Under regular jockey Julien Couton, ‘Response won the John Battaglia Memorial on March 5th by seven lengths and now will be aiming at the $500,000 Spiral Stakes this Saturday, also at Turfway. Is the Kentucky Derby a possibility? We will see after this weekend.
Remember Cathy's Crunches? She was last seen locally losing the California Oaks to Lilacs and Lace. But since then, the Jerry Hollendorfer trainee has run third in the La Habra Stakes and second in the China Doll Stakes, both at Santa Anita. Both races were won by Pleasanton trainer Jeff Bonde’s Cambina. Lilacs and Lace has since been sold and is stabled back east.
We may not have a close jockey race but the trainer title is now up for grabs. Russell Baze has kept his distance from his challengers, with 75 wins through Saturday, but Francisco Duran and Julien Couton are battling for second with Duran holding a 41-39 edge. On the trainer side, Sherman’s run mentioned earlier has him in a tie with Hollendorfer through Saturday with 40 wins apiece. Sherman has started 40 horses less than Hollendorfer and won his first training title in the summer of 2010 when he edged Billy Morey 22-21.
And finally, to say that Sunday was a pretty “chalky” day may be an understatement. The highest paying winner of the first six races was $4.40 and the $1 pick 3 for races 4 thru 6 paid a whopping $2.90
