Anyportinastorm holds all the aces in Oak Tree Sprint

There are six runners in the field for Saturday’s $50,000 Oak Tree Sprint at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, and each has a six-figure bankroll. Three have stakes wins, and a fourth is stakes-placed.

But there’s no doubt who the favorite will be in the six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up. The Blaine Wright-trained Anyportinastorm is a standout. Among his credentials are four stakes victories, and he has hit the board in 9 of 10 stakes starts. He also brings a significant edge in Beyer Speed Figures.

“This is a race we’ve been pointing for,” said Wright, who also is sending out Anneau d’Or in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby.

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Anyportinastorm was the 7-10 favorite and set the pace in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs last August before losing by a head to Law Abidin Citizen in the final strides. He didn’t race for 10 months, returning as the favorite in last month’s five-furlong Albany on the turf at Golden Gate Fields. Anyportinastorm, 6, finished third behind defending stakes winner Mikes Tiznow and Baja Sur.

He ran in the Albany after the Lost In The Fog was canceled when Golden Gate Fields was shut down for two months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Wright says Anyportinastorm is better on the main track than the turf.

“He ran good enough to place [in the Albany], but he’s never run over the top on turf,” Wright said pointing to Anyportinastorm’s 4-0-1-2 record on turf.

Anyportinastorm has hit the board in all 14 main-track starts, including seven wins.

Wright has several reasons to expect a big effort from Anyportinastorm. Usually on or near the pace, Anyportinastorm should get a comfortable trip from the outside post. He had a best-of-57 five-furlong work in 1:00.20 on June 27 at Golden Gate Fields.

“He actually had two workouts, but in the first, there was a loose horse that messed up the work,” Wright said. “He worked, was pulled up, and then worked again.”

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Regular rider Juan Hernandez, Golden Gate’s leading rider, is riding in Southern California, and Kevin Orozco will be aboard Anyportinastorm on Saturday. Orozco knows the horse well, Wright said.

“He worked him at Emerald last summer, even though Juan was coming up to ride him,” Wright said.

Anyportinastorm will get some pace pressure from Touched by Autism, who is making his first start since running second in this race one year ago. Honeymoonz Over, making his stakes debut, also has speed.

Drawing the rail is Bear Chum, whose lack of early speed could hinder him but who won a $40,000 claimer here last Saturday after also breaking from the rail. He has won 5 of 6 starts this year.