Friday, March 16 2012

INTRIGUING VISION WINS AGAIN, IS CLAIMED AGAIN BY HOLLENDORFER

ALBANY -- The 4-year-old filly Intriguing Vision won her fourth straight race Thursday at Golden Gate Fields and was claimed for the third consecutive race.

Intriguing Vision kicked off her winning streak on Dec. 30 when she captured a $10,000 claiming race for trainer Andy Mathis. Mathis entered Intriguing Vision back in a $16,000 claiming race on Jan. 29 and she won again while being claimed by leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Thursday, March 15 2012

A RINGER WILL BE WORTH $100,000 AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS SATURDAY

ALBANY -- Fans that plan to attend the races at Golden Gate Fields Saturday should not only handicap the horses, but also work on their horseshoe pitch.

Golden Gate Fields will host a St. Patrick’s Day Horseshoe Pitch and the first person to throw a ringer will win $100,000. Ten lucky fans will be chosen by raffle to participate in the contest.

Friday, March 09 2012

3-YEAR-OLDS IN MAIN EVENT AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS SATURDAY

ALBANY -- Five 3-year-olds, including a pair of runners that competed in both the California Derby and El Camino Real Derby, will meet Saturday at Golden Gate Fields in a $30,000 allowance race.

The one-mile test is the second race on a nine-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m. and features a carryover of $54,932 in the Pick Six. The Pick Six will be held on races four through nine and post time for the fourth is 2:18 p.m.

LIGHT UP THE SKY MAKES IT TWO IN A ROW AT GGF

ALBANY -- Light Up the Sky recorded her second straight victory at Golden Gate Fields Thursday when she upset her heavily-favored stablemate, Sweet Nothings, in the $35,340 allowance feature.

Light Up the Sky defeated front-running Sweet Nothings by a half-length as trainer Jerry Hollendorfer saddled the exacta in the one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies. Ms Pianist finished third.

Wednesday, March 07 2012

CALIFORNIA OAKS RUNNER-UP SWEET NOTHINGS FAVORED IN MILE CONTEST AT GGF THURSDAY

ALBANY -- Sweet Nothings has been the playing the bridesmaid role lately but she’s favored to get back into the winner’s circle Thursday at Golden Gate Fields.

Sweeting Nothings is the 8-to-5 morning line choice in the featured third race, a one-mile allowance contest for 3-year-old fillies. Sweet Nothings will break from post position three in a field of five.

Monday, March 05 2012

JOCKEY COUTON RIDES A PAIR OF LONGSHOT WINNERS AT GGF

ALBANY -- While some fans lit up cigars Sunday at Golden Gate Fields, French jockey Julien Couton chose to light up the tote board.

Couton won the one-mile fourth race in wire-to-wire fashion with 8-to-1 shot She Laughs an Flys ($19.40), who just held off Rachel Raccoon to score by a nose.

Sunday, March 04 2012

ALVARADO, MAWING, JOSEPHSON ALL WIN A PAIR OF RACES AT GGF

ALBANY -- Jockeys Frank Alvarado and Leslie Mawing and trainer Jedd Josephson all won a pair of races at Golden Gate Fields Saturday.

Alvarado won the first and last races on the card, taking the opener with Woodpulp ($6.80) and the ninth with Lornefivehundred ($6.60).

Saturday, March 03 2012

SHARP CHUKCHI SUNRISE CAPTURES SPRINT FEATURE

ALBANY -- The sharp 6-year-old mare Chukchi Sunrise recorded her second straight victory Friday at Golden Gate Fields when she posted a front-running score in the $29,400 allowance feature.

Chukchi Sunrise turned back a challenge from English Royal on the turn and went on to win the six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares by 2 1/4 lengths over Big Honey Bee. English Royal finished third.

Thursday, March 01 2012

SKIPSHOT EDGES LIVE SUNDAYS AT GGF TO END LONG VICTORY DROUGHT

ALBANY -- Skipshot put an end to a long victory drought when he ran down pacesetter Live Sundays in the final strides to win the $41,070 allowance feature at Golden Gate Fields Thursday.

Skipshot, receiving a strong ride from jockey Frank Alvarado, prevailed by a head over Live Sundays in the one-mile race for older horses. The victory was Skipshot’s first since July 17, 2010, when he captured the Grade 2 Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park by a head over Sidney’s Candy.

Wednesday, February 29 2012

2011 CALIFORNIA DERBY CHAMPION POSITIVE RESPONSE RETURNS TO RACES

ALBANY -- Positive Response, the 2011 California Derby winner, will return from a layoff of more than 11 months when he competes in the featured seventh race at Golden Gate Fields Thursday.

The one-mile allowance test for older horses will be Positive Response’s first race since March 26 of last year when he finished eighth in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky. Positive Response was favored in the Spiral, a race that was won by eventual Kentucky Derby champ Animal Kingdom.

Monday, February 27 2012

STREAKY WEEKEND FOR ALVARADO ENDS WITH RIDING HAT TRICK

ALBANY -- Veteran jockey Frank Alvarado enjoyed a streaky but successful weekend at Golden Gate Fields.

Alvarado started off the weekend with a bang when he won with all five of his mounts Friday. Alvarado fans went home with their pockets full as three of his winners returned double-digit payoffs.

Saturday, February 25 2012

JOCKEY ALVARADO GOES 5-FOR-5 AT GGF, TEAMS WITH TRAINER SPECHT FOR THREE WINS

ALBANY -- Jockey Frank Alvarado rode a perfect game Friday at Golden Gate Fields, winning with all five of his mounts on the eight-race program. Three of his victories came aboard horses trained by Steve Specht, who also won every race in which he participated.

The trainer-jockey combination of Specht and Alvarado has been a strong angle for Bay Area handicappers for many years and the duo showed why Friday. They teamed up to win the first race with Ur My Dixie Girl ($11.00), who ran down stablemate Skye Memo in the final strides to score by a neck. The $1 Specht exacta returned $39.50.