Beware of newcomers on turf

ALBANY, Calif. - New faces spice Friday's third race at Golden Gate Fields, a 4 1/2-furlong turf race for fillies and mares with a $32,000 claiming tag.

Chapilkim, Complete Approval, and Our Mango met in a five-furlong turf sprint at Bay Meadows Oct. 29.

What makes Friday's race a little different is the presence of Ippodamia, Mariquita's Secret, and Funny Bone.

Ippodamia makes her turf debut. She beat Exclusive Molly, who is also in this field, in a $32,000 claiming race Sept. 1. That was her first start for trainer Dan Markle, who claimed her for $20,000.

After her Sept. 1 win, Ippodamia set the early pace and finished second in the

1 1/16-mile Belle Roberts at Emerald Downs and then was last behind Pheiffer and Lacie Girl in the six-furlong C.H. Russell Handicap at Bay Meadows. That was probably too tough a spot, and to make it worse she bobbled at the break from the rail. She has speed and could be sitting just off Chapilkim early.

Mariquita's Secret ships in from Maryland. She has four turf victories, including one in her lone start at this distance. She, too, has shown speed but may not be as quick as the probable pacesetters here.

Funny Bone returns to northern California after two races down south. She won sprinting at Fairplex and has two turf wins, but she has done her best here as a front-running router.

Chapilkim seems the one to catch. She won wire-to-wire in a $12,500 five-furlong turf sprint at Bay Meadows. She ran in $32,000 company in her last start and held the lead on a contested pace before losing by a neck to Chosen Honor with Complete Approval third.

Complete Approval won her lone start over Golden Gate's turf and has three wins and a second in five tries at the distance.

o Very Vegas, who won a sprint and came back to win the one-mile Bay Meadows Lassie 16 days later, will pass Saturday's $60,000-added Piedmont Stakes. "It's a little quick back, and we'd run her back quick the other day," trainer Terry Knight said.

o A memorial service will be held 1:30 p.m. Friday at Chapel of the Chimes in Hayward for longtime northern California farrier Bob DePonte, 84, who died of a stroke Nov. 11.