Brad Free: Amazen Grazen ticks all boxes at a price in Campanile

It’s comeback weekend at Golden Gate Fields, where the two-day, eight-stakes Gold Rush program resumed after a one-year hiatus and concludes Sunday with a pair of $75,000 turf routes for California-bred 3-year-olds – the Campanile for fillies and the Silky Sullivan.

Big fields entered the Campanile and Silky Sullivan, nine and 12, respectively, compared to six in the $100,000 Singletary Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita.

Campanile, GG race 9

Favorites are reliable in the Campanile: Five of the last eight winners paid $4.40 or less. The common denominator is seven of the eight had run well recently around two turns.

That is a problem this year. Program favorite Squared Shady has made nine starts, all sprints. The only entrants with route form are slow – 60 Beyer Speed Figure runner-up Street Dancing, 55 Beyer runner-up Silk Road Sally, and 54 Beyer winner Tura Lura.

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Squared Shady is undervalued at 2-1 trying to route in her 10th start. Her recent sprints in Southern California are sharp, trainer Jeff Bonde won the 2017 Campanile with stretch-out Miss Sunset, and Squared Shady has route potential in her pedigree.

But seven of the nine entrants are stretching out. Tough to envision an easy lead for Squared Shady or any other.

Amazen Grazen also has not run long, but she is bred for it – sired by Grazen, produced by a route-winning Silver Hawk mare. Sire statistics and broodmare race-produce records are accessible in Daily Racing Form Formulator past performances.

Annie Graham, the filly Amazen Grazen beat in a maiden sprint last out, returned to win and entered the Campanile. But the gamble is Amazen Grazen. Her win was validated, her pedigree endorses two turns, her off-the-pace sprint style suggests she can rally at a mile, and she is listed at a generous 5-1.

Silky Sullivan, GG race 11

Two-turn form is less crucial in the Silky Sullivan. Three of the last eight winners were first-time route. But all were more seasoned than second-start maiden winner I’ll Stand Taller, 7-2 second choice and the high-figure entrant.

On pedigree, a mile might be a reach. According to Formulator, Square Eddie progeny won 12 percent of turf routes. That’s about average, but Square Eddies do better in turf sprints, 16 percent.

I’ll Stand Taller’s dam was a sprinter, and just one of her seven foals won a route. I’ll Stand Taller is fast, with a field-high 76 Beyer winning a maiden dirt sprint. But like Squared Shady in the Campanile, I’ll Stand Taller faces new challenges at relatively low odds.

None Above the Law, 3-1 favorite, is proven at two turns. The stakes-placed gelding has run well against better. He has won routing and should handle grass based on sire stats in Formulator.

Big Talker ships from Santa Anita with improving form, Positivity has run fast, and I’ll Stand Taller is the fastest. But the horse to beat is the favorite, None Above the Law.

Singletary Stakes, SA race 9

Petruchio is the reluctant pick, based on decent turf form last year and class drop this year. His April 5 work with older graded winner Tizamagician (viewed on XBTV), and two subsequent drills, suggest Petruchio is ready for his first in two months.

Man Friday ran well defeating maidens; Sword Zorro made the DRF “Horses to Watch” list after his better-than-looked U.S. debut. Gator Shining stretches out in good form. In a competitive race, Petruchio is the tepid choice.

Red-board review

Everyone knew odds-on Brickyard Ride would be underlaid in the Grade 3 Kona Gold Stakes last Sunday at Santa Anita, hence “you can’t bet on him and you can’t bet against him.”

It turns out, you could bet against him. The recipient of heavy action was the comebacker Cezanne, hammered to 1.90-1. While sacrificial stablemate Ax Man kept Brickyard Ride busy, Cezanne lagged, cut the corner, and romped by nearly 10 lengths.

One wonders if Cezanne will reproduce the performance without benefit of a rabbit. But any horse that smokes 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.71, and earns a 106 Beyer, is a serious horse. Cezanne might belong in the Grade 1 Met Mile.

Tizamagician surprised in the Grade 3 Tokyo City on Sunday at Santa Anita. Not that he won, but that he was bet down to 3-5. In hindsight, it was naïve to envision higher. Tizamagician, the only dropper, won by nine.

The final selection was Cali Bay, second betting choice in a maiden turf sprint Sunday at Santa Anita. He broke slowly, finished evenly and goes on the DRF “Horses to Watch” list. Cali Bay will be tough next out at a longer trip.