Unbeaten Goggles McCoy lived up to his 2-5 favoritism and then some
Wednesday with a romping victory under Russell Baze, the world's
leading rider in number of winners, in the featured $100,000 Real Good
Deal Stakes before 14,011 fans.
Taking command shortly
after the break, Goggles McCoy relaxed on the lead for Baze and had
plenty left in the stretch to cruise to a 2 1/2 length triumph in
1:24.28 for the seven furlongs.
Runaway Bandido was runner-up, almost two lengths in front of Killer
Bear, with Very Fair fourth in the field of California-bred
three-year-olds. Pacific Avenue and Blue Jay Attack were scratched from
the original line-up.
Goggles McCoy, notching his fourth victory for owners/breeders Mr. and
Mrs. Tom Shapiro and trainer Steve Sherman, paid $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10
while earning $60,000 to increase his bankroll to $120,160. The winner,
a son of In Excess, has been on the lead in all of his races from the
start, including two outings at Golden Gate Fields and his most recent
race at Pleasanton.
Runaway Bandido paid $5 and $3, while Killer Bear returned $3 to show.
Goggles McCoy provided Baze with the 10,996th win of his Hall of Fame
career as he closes in on the milestone 11,000-victory mark.
With $1,251,491 bet Wednesday added to a $178,834 carryover from
Sunday, the Pick Six pool totaled $1,430,325. There were 52 perfect
tickets and each paid $16,839.
Apprentice Alex Gonzalez apparently escaped with no more than a
concussion in a mid-stretch spill in Wednesday's fifth race. His mount,
Victory Joe, appeared to clip heels and then fall, unseating Gonzalez.
The young rider was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla for
examination. Victory Joe was uninjured in the mishap.
