Closer Looks for Race 5 at Golden Gate Fields on Thursday, March 9, 2023
A horse-by-horse assessment of the field for Thursday’s fifth race at Golden Gate Fields.
DAZZLE THE COMMAND
Forest Command wins with 10 percent of his first-time starters, matching the national average. Can’t Be Dazzled was a two-time sprint winner at Oaklawn Park and Ellis Park. This is her second foal to race. The first is a maiden after five races. Trainer Brendan Galvin runners tend to need race experience to be at their best.
GALLAND DE BESOS
He has been second in his last two starts, including a nose loss in a race at this level Feb. 19 that places him firmly in the running for a breakthrough win in his fifth appearance. He is likely to be prominent early under jockey Santos Rivera.
IDIOT’S GOLD
After two consecutive losses as the odds-on favorite in races at this level since Dec. 26, this gelding will be fitted with blinkers for the first time. He remains a danger from a tracking position and should have a pace to follow. The question remains whether he can catch Galland de Besos and Kerry Gold.
STANFORD GRAD
This gelding returns after a layoff of more than 13 months. He finished a well-beaten fourth in a maiden race in January 2022 and has had a steady pattern of workouts since the start of the year. Trainer O.J. Jauregui is not known for winning with horses returning from lengthy layoffs, however.
FOYT
Slew’s Tiznow wins with 11 percent of his first-time starters. Babes Bridge It was a five-time winner on turf in the Midwest in the early 2010s. This is a half-brother to the speedy Mikes Tiznow, a two-time stakes winner on turf in sprints at Golden Gate Fields. This gelding does not have particularly fast workouts and may be best watched in his debut.
KERRY GOLD
This gelding returned from a layoff of more than nine months to finish a good third in the same race as Galland de Besos on Feb. 19. This gelding stalked the pace and was closest to the front at this finish. He drew an outside post in this field and figures to be prominent from a stalking position on the backstretch.
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