Monday, November 03 2008

POWERS LILSIS SCORES UPSET IN SPRINT FEATURE AT GGF

ALBANY -- Powers Lilsis seized the lead from pacesetter Beaming Babe at the top of the stretch and went on to post a 1 1/2-length victory in the $40,620 sprint feature at Golden Gate Fields Sunday.

Dismissed at 12-to-1 in the wagering, Powers Lilsis won the six-furlong allowance dash for fillies and mares in 1:09.62 under veteran jockey Roberto Gonzalez. Powers Lilsis paid $26.60 to win.

Rocket Kitty took second by 1 1/2 lengths over Beaming Babe.

Sunday, November 02 2008

PASS THE HEAT EARNS NINTH CAREER VICTORY

ALBANY -- Pass the Heat upped his winning percentage to .500 Saturday when he recorded a smart victory in the $47,724 allowance feature at Golden Gate Fields.

Pass the Heat, ridden by Russell Baze, surged away from his five opponents in the final furlong to win the one-mile contest for 3-year-olds and up by three lengths in 1:38.15. Saratoga's Magic took second by a neck over Cover Magic.

The victory was the ninth in 18 career starts for Pass the Heat, a 5-year-old gelding by Unusual Heat. Trained by William J. Morey, Jr., Pass the Heat paid $2.80 to win as an overwhelming 2-to-5 favorite.

Friday, October 31 2008

JOCKEY MAWLING HAS RIDING DOUBLE AT GGF

ALBANY -- Jockey Leslie Mawing guided two horses to front-running victories at Golden Gate Fields Thursday.

Mawing won the first race of the day aboard even-money favorite Perfect Honey, who sped away to a 3 1/2-length victory in a six-furlong dash for fillies and mares. Trained by Steve Sherman, Perfect Honey paid $4.20.

Mawing finished second in the second race aboard 14-to-1 long shot Fergie's Fantasy and then sat out the third race. Mawing came off the bench to capture the fourth race with 7-to-1 outsider Defensive Move, who held off fellow 7-to-1 shot Jet Iron by a half-length in the six-furlong contest for 3-year-olds and up.

Thursday, October 30 2008

LUCARELLI, BISONO TEAM UP FOR PAIR OF VICTORIES AT GGF

ALBANY -- Trainer Frank Lucarelli and jockey Alex Bisono teamed up to win a pair of races at Golden Gate Fields Wednesday.

Lucarelli and Bisono scored an easy victory in the second race with Yacht Spotter, who led from start to finish and crossed the wire six lengths clear of runner-up Squallcreek. Yacht Spotter paid $4.60.

The Lucarelli-Bisono combo clicked again in the fourth race with Stanford Dolly, who rallied from just off the pace to score a two-length victory over Galinda. Stanford Dolly returned $9.80.

Monday, October 27 2008

VICTORINA TOPS UNSPOKEN WORD IN MARINA STAKES AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS

ALBANY -- Victorina outran pacesetter Unspoken Word down the stretch to win the $65,900 Marina Stakes by three-quarters of a length Sunday at Golden Gate Fields.

Ridden by William Antongeorgi III and trained by Greg Gilchrist, Victorina stopped the timer in 1:37.32 while improving to 1-for-2 in one-mile races. Overall, Victorina has 12 victories in 22 career starts.

Friday, October 24 2008

BAY AREA’S INDYANNE SCRATCHED FROM BREEDERS’ CUP FILLY AND MARE SPRINT

The Bay Area's Indyanne, listed at 12-to-1 on the morning line for Friday's $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita, was scratched from the race Thursday morning by trainer Greg Gilchrist.

"She has a slight temperature and a cough and she left a little feed (in her tub)," said Gilchrist via phone from Santa Anita. "It's nothing major and will probably go away quickly, but you can't go into a race of this magnitude not being 100 percent."

Thursday, October 23 2008

EARLY GATE OPENINGS AT GGF FOR BREEDERS’ CUP SIMULCAST

ALBANY -- Golden Gate Fields has scheduled early gates openings for Friday and Saturday, days in which the track will supplement its live program with the simulcast of the Breeders' Cup races from Santa Anita.

Grandstand, Club House and Top of the Stretch gates will open at 9 a.m. Friday. The Turf Club will open at 10 a.m. and post time for the first race from Santa Anita is 11:05 a.m. The first Breeders' Cup race, the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint, will be run at 12:35 p.m. First post at Golden Gate Fields is 11:55 a.m.

Monday, October 20 2008

BREEDERS’ CUP BOUND DELIGHTFUL KISS HAS SOLID WORKOUT AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS

ALBANY -- The powerful gray gelding Delightful Kiss tuned up for his start in the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon by working six furlongs in 1:12 flat Sunday morning at Golden Gate Fields.

Delightful Kiss, who captured the Grade 3 All American Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Sept. 27, is among the 14 horses pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Marathon.

Post positions for the Marathon, which will be run Saturday at Santa Anita, will be drawn Tuesday.

Friday, October 17 2008

THREE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HORSES PRE-ENTERED IN BREEDERS’ CUP RACES

Three Northern California horses are among the record 180 runners pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, which will be held Oct. 24-25 at Santa Anita.

Indyanne and Hystericalady will compete on Friday, Oct. 24, when five Breeders' Cup events restricted to fillies and mares are contested. Indyanne, trained by Greg Gilchrist, is entered in the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint. Hystericalady, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, is entered in the $2 million Ladies Classic.

Bold Chieftain will run on Saturday, Oct. 25, when nine open (either sex is eligible to run) Breeders' Cup races will be held. Bold Chieftain, trained by William J. Morey, Jr., is entered in the $2 million Mile.

Thursday, October 16 2008

VETERAN GONZALEZ RIDES THREE WINNERS AT GGF

ALBANY -- Veteran jockey Roberto Gonzalez, age 54, showed the youngsters how it's done Wednesday at Golden Gate Fields when he rode three winners.

Gonzalez scored his first two wins in back-to-back races, taking the fourth race with Dance to My Lou ($10.00) and the fifth with Just a Twitt ($13.20). After sitting out the sixth race, Gonzalez won the featured seventh race with A Cat Named Snipe ($4.60).

Tuesday, October 14 2008

LENZINI SENDS OUT ANOTHER LONGSHOT WINNER AT GGF

ALBANY -- Trainer Michael Lenzini continues to test the fuses in the tote board at Golden Gate Fields.

Lenzini has sent out seven winners during the past seven racing programs at Golden Gate Fields and five of those victors went off at high odds, including Bank the Cash, who paid $68.00 to win after capturing Monday's fifth race at 33-to-1.

Lenzini began his parade of long-shot winners on Oct. 3 when he won back to back races with Mean Joleene, who paid $96.60, and Way Speed, who returned $17.20. Both horses were the longest shots in their respective fields.

Monday, October 13 2008

COLUMBUS DAY CARD AT GGF FEATURES PICK SIX CARRYOVER

ALBANY -- Golden Gate Fields will present a special Columbus Day racing program Monday and the eight-race card features a Pick Six carryover of $12,850.

First post is 12:45 p.m. and the Pick Six, a $2 wager that challenges bettors to select the winners of six consecutive races, will be held on races three through eight. Post time for the third race is 1:49 p.m.

The best handicappers could do in Sunday's Pick Six was select four winners and those fans that went 4-for-6 received a consolation payoff of $1,328.