Friday, September 19 2008

JOCKEY ALVARADO NOTCHES HIS 2,000TH CAREER VICTORY

ALBANY -- Jockey Frank Alvarado is known as a strong finisher and he displayed that strength while recording his 2,000th career victory Thursday at Golden Gate Fields.

Alvarado scored the milestone win aboard longshot Skimasco, who battled gamely along the rail to win the 5 1/2-furlong fourth race by a nose over Special Therapy. Skimasco responded to strong urging from Alvarado down the stretch to pull out the victory.

Upon returning to the winner's circle, Alvarado was surprised to see Golden Gate Fields personnel holding a sign that read, "Congratulations jockey Frank Alvarado - 2,000 wins."

Thursday, September 18 2008

ANTONGEORGI CELEBRATES OPENING DAY AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS WITH HAT TRICK

ALBANY -- Jockey William Antongeorgi III celebrated opening day of the 2008 Golden Gate Fields fall meeting by riding three winners Wednesday.

Antongeorgi scored his victories for three different trainers, taking the fifth race with the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Warren's Pepe ($7.00), the sixth race with the Lloyd Mason-conditioned Formally Yours ($17.20) and the eighth race with the Greg Gilchrist-trained Snuffy Smith ($6.60).

Hollendorfer and Mason both had training doubles. In addition to winning the fifth race, Hollendorfer took the seventh with Like A Tiger ($5.20). Mason captured the fourth race with Longitude ($3.40) and then completed his double when Formally Yours won the sixth.

Wednesday, September 17 2008

GOLDEN GATE FIELDS OPENS 2008 FALL MEETING WEDNESDAY

Golden Gate Fields opens its 2008 fall meeting Wednesday and track general manager Robert Hartman is optimistic heading into the 67-day season.

"I'm very enthusiastic about the fall meeting," said Hartman. "The barns are full and that should translate to large and competitive fields. The Tapeta racing surface and the turf course are both in great shape, and we've made many new fan-friendly and horse-friendly improvements. The Turf Club has been remodeled, the paddock has been redesigned and a new owner/trainer lounge is being built."

Tuesday, September 16 2008

GOLDEN GATE FIELDS PRIMED FOR A BIG 2008 FALL MEETING

Golden Gate Fields will open its 2008 fall meeting Wednesday and track general manager Robert Hartman is optimistic about the 67-day season.

"I'm very enthusiastic about the fall meeting," said Hartman. "The barns are full and that should translate to large and competitive fields. The Tapeta racing surface and the turf course are both in great shape, and we've made many new fan-friendly and horse-friendly improvements. The Turf Club has been remodeled, the paddock has been redesigned and a new owner/trainer lounge is being built."

There is also a special treat for football fans.

Thursday, August 07 2008

JOCKEYS AYARZA, FIGUEROA AND DURAN RECORD OPENING-DAY DOUBLES AT FAIR

SAN MATEO -- Jockeys Jorge Ayarza, Omar Figueroa and Francisco Duran celebrated opening day of the 2008 San Mateo County Fair meeting by winning two races apiece Wednesday at Bay Meadows.

Ayarza captured the first two races of the season, taking the 870-yard opener with the 6-year-old Quarter Horse Slow Motion ($3.40) and the five-furlong second race with the 3-year-old thoroughbred gelding Solo Tour ($42.60).

Monday, June 23 2008

MOREY WINS TRAINING TITLE AT GGF,ENDS HOLLENDORFER’S REIGN AS KING

Trainer William E. Morey didn't win a race Sunday, but after winning four races Saturday he was able to hang on for the training championship at the 2008 Golden Gate Fields spring meeting and end Jerry Hollendorfer's reign as king at the East Bay racetrack.

Hollendorfer had won 32 consecutive training crowns at Golden Gate Fields, a streak that began in 1986. Morey ended Hollendorfer's amazing run by saddling 25 winners during the 30-day spring meeting.

Hollendorfer, who went 0-for-4 Sunday, won 23 races and finished tied for second in the standings with Steve Miyadi, who won one race on the closing-day card.

Sunday, June 22 2008

MOREY SADDLES FOUR WINNERS TO TAKE LEAD IN TRAINER STANDINGS ON EVE OF CLOSING DAY

ALBANY -- William E. Morey saddled four winners Saturday at Golden Gate Fields to open up a two-victory advantage in the trainer standings over perennial champion Jerry Hollendorfer heading into the final day of the 2008 spring season.

Morey enters the closing-day program of the 30-day meeting with a 25-23 lead over Hollendorfer, who has won 32 straight conditioning crowns at Golden Gate Fields and 37 in a row at Bay Meadows.

Steve Miyadi, who won Saturday's Work The Crowd Stakes with Bellsblade, is third in the standings with 22 victories.

Saturday, June 21 2008

TUTTA BELLA FAVORED IN WORK THE CROWD STAKES

Tutta Bella, a wire-to-wire winner of the Fran's Valentine Stakes at Hollywood Park, has been made a 2-to-1 morning line favorite in Saturday's $75,000 Work The Crowd Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.

The Work The Crowd is for fillies and mares and will be contested at one mile on the Lakeside Turf Course. The Fran's Valentine was run at 1 1/16 miles on the Hollywood Park turf and Tutta Bella held on gamely through the stretch to win by a neck in 1:41.87.

Tutta Bella followed up her victory in the Fran's Valentine with a poor effort in the Redondo Beach Stakes, a one-mile turf race in which she never got near the lead and finished eighth. The loss snapped a three-race winning streak for Tutta Bella.

Friday, June 20 2008

LEADING TRAINERS ALL WIN RACES THURSDAY AT GGF

The four trainers battling for the training championship at the 2008 Golden Gate Fields spring meeting all won races Thursday at the East Bay track.

Jerry Hollendorfer, who is gunning for his 33rd straight conditioning crown at Golden Gate Fields, won the seventh race with Putmeinyourwill ($4.20). Thanks to the victory, his 22nd of the meeting, Hollendorfer was able to maintain sole possession of first place in the trainer standings over Steve Miyadi, who saddled two winners Thursday.

Thursday, June 19 2008

FIGUEROA RIDES BACK-TO-BACK UPSET WINNERS AT GGF

Jockey Omar Figueroa rode back-to-back winners Wednesday at Golden Gate Fields and both horses paid double-digits to win.

Figueroa guided the slow-breaking Ride the Surf to a last-to-first victory in the sixth race, a one-mile race for 3-year-old maidens. Dismissed at 14-to-1 in the wagering, Ride the Surf paid $30.60.

Figueroa came right back to win the seventh race, a one-mile contest for $4,000 claimers, in wire-to-wire fashion with Storm Spotter. The third choice in the wagering at 4-to-1, Storm Spotter paid $10.00.