Golden Gate: Camilla Urso coming up with short field

Eighteen fillies and mares were nominated to Saturday’s $50,000 Camilla Urso at six furlongs, but early in the week only three runners were considered definite, with a fourth on the fence.

The Camilla Urso was added to the Golden Gate Fields stakes schedule this year to provide a sprint for fillies and mares.

Racing secretary David Jerkens said that Distinctive Yolie, English Royal, and Personal Sunset, who finished necks apart in a Feb. 10 prep, are considered definite for the Camilla Urso. I’m Tops, who would be making her first start since last March, could join them.

I’m Tops was bred and owned by Billie Klokstad and Helen Sherry, but they sold the filly to Kim Kuhlmann, best known as the breeder of $5 million earner Lava Man, when trainer Bud Klokstad died less than a week after her final start last year.

John Anderson trains the 4-year-old He’s Tops filly, who had three straight wins last winter, topped by an optional-claiming victory here, before losing a March 22 allowance race by a nose. Anderson said he nominated I’m Tops because she was training so well and he wanted to keep her options open. But he also noted the race could be “very tough” and said he wasn’t sure whether he would run her.

Distinctive Yolie, making her second start off a claim and first start in 3 1/2 months, won the Feb. 10 optional-claiming prep in wire-to-wire style at 17-1. She won by a neck over 7-5 favorite English Royal, who ran second the whole way. Personal Sunset was another neck back in third.

Trainer Steve Sherman nominated Justalittleloopyto the Camilla Urso, but said she wouldn’t run.

Jockey suspensions

Juan Hernandez, who has been hot since his return to Golden Gate Fields last month after a stint in Southern California, began a five-day suspension Sunday. His suspension was for failing to ride out his mount Trucial State, who finished fourth in the third race Feb. 23.

Hernandez scored a riding triple Friday, including guiding the previously 0-for-26 South Forty to a maiden win. He ranks seventh in the Golden Gate jockey standings with 17 victories from 77 mounts.

Kyle Frey, fourth in the standings with 25 wins, begins a 10-day suspension Thursday for failing to keep a straight course aboard Fearless Cat in the second race Feb. 24. Fearless Cat finished second after drifiting out, but was not disqualified.

Frey, the 2011 Eclipse Award winner as apprentice jockey, missed the final two weeks of the fall meet with suspensions and was handed a seven-day suspension for a Jan. 26 ride aboard Egyptian Femme.

Females in spotlight

Golden Gate’s two best races last week were allowance races won by the 5-year-old mare Lady Aspen and 3-year-old filly My Lil Shamrock.

Lady Aspen scored her third win in four starts last Thursday, rallying to defeat even-money favorite Luscious Lonna by a half-length going 1 1/16 miles.

My Lil Shamrock scored a 4 1/2-length front-running win over 7-5 favorite Macha on Saturday.

◗ Saturday’s Camilla Urso may not be the best race of the week at Golden Gate Fields. A six-furlong allowance race is in the condition book for Sunday. If the race goes, it could attract San Francisco Mile candidates Hudson Landing and Control Seeker as well as Control Seeker’s stakes-winning stablemate Bailouttheminister.

◗ The Pleasanton simulcast facility will host its monthly seminar Saturday. Host Dennis Miller and guest Don August will look at the Golden Gate card as well as two Kentucky Derby preps, Santa Anita’s San Felipe and the Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs.