Friday, October 03, 2008

NOR CAL HORSES HIT ROAD FOR RICH STAKES THIS WEEKEND

Several Golden Gate Fields-based horses will compete in rich stakes races on the road this weekend and Northern California racing fans will be able to follow the local runners via simulcast.

The outstanding 3-year-old filly Indyanne is in Lexington, Kentucky, where she'll contest the $300,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland. A six-furlong dash for fillies and mares, the Thoroughbred Club of America is a "Win and You're In" event for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, which will be run Oct. 24 at Santa Anita.

Indyanne, trained by Greg Gilchrist and owned by David and Jill Heerensperger, won her first four starts before running a troubled second in the Victory Ride Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 23. She'll break from the rail in the Thoroughbred Club of America and be ridden by Robby Albarado.


Victorina, another talented distaffer from the Gilchrist barn, will race at Santa Anita Saturday in the $100,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Handicap. Contested on Santa Anita's famed hillside turf course, the Ken Maddy is a sprint test for fillies and mares run at "about 6 1/2 furlongs."

Victorina has amassed 11 wins and five seconds in 20 career starts and enters the Ken Maddy with $529,733 in earnings. The 5-year-old mare is owned by the estate of Harry J. Aleo.

Bold Chieftain and Pass the Heat, a pair of 5-year-olds trained by William J. Morey, Jr., will both start in the $175,000 California Cup Mile at Santa Anita Sunday. The Mile is part of the 19th annual California Cup racing program that features 10 stakes exclusively for horses bred in California. The Cal Cup purses total $1.3 million.

Bold Chieftain won the $250,000 Cal Cup Classic last year but will start Sunday in the Mile, which is run on the turf.

"He's getting a little older and he comes back so well from his turf races," said Morey of his decision to run Bold Chieftain in the Mile. "I'm sure he'll run well. He always brings his 'A' game. And the other horse (Pass the Heat) is sharp as a tack. I expect him to run real well too."

Bold Chieftain has won 11 of his 21 lifetime starts and $793,327. Pass the Heat has eight victories in 16 starts and $280,579 in earnings.

Jerry Hollendorfer, Northern California's all-time leading trainer, will start the following horses in the Cal Cup: Rockella in the $150,000 Distaff, Babs Moossa in the $125,000 Juvenile, Kool Comic in the $50,000 Starter Sprint, and Lockford in the $50,000 Starter Handicap.

The Distaff is for fillies and mares and will be run down the hillside course at "about 6 1/2 furlongs." The Juvenile is for 2-year-old colts and geldings and will be contested at 1 1/16-miles on Santa Anita's Pro-Ride synthetic racing surface.

The Starter Sprint, which will be run on Pro-Ride, is a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $32,000 or less in 2008. The Starter Handicap is a 1 1/2-mile turf marathon for 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $40,000 or less in 2008.

Golden Gate Fields will present an eight-race card on Friday and nine-race programs on Saturday and Sunday. Post time each day is 12:45 p.m.

GGF NOTES: Sunday's card will feature $1 general admission $1 general parking, $1 hot dogs, $1 beers, $1 sodas and television coverage of all NFL games....Through 10 days of racing at the fall meeting, Hollendorfer and William E. Morey are tied for first place in the trainer standings with nine wins apiece. Lloyd Mason is third with six victories....Russell Baze has opened up a 22-8 lead over Frank Alvarado in the jockey standings. William Antongeorgi III, Roberto Gonzalez and Omar Figueroa are tied for third with six wins apiece.

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