Ecrivain points to San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields

Ecrivain, a French group stakes winner who was third in his American debut last month, is scheduled to start in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields on April 30.

Trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday that he plans to start Ecrivain in the $250,000 San Francisco Mile on turf instead of Subconscious, who was third by a neck in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita on March 5.

Subconscious will be pointed to the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf on May 30.

“I’ll train him up to the Shoemaker,” Mandella said. “I think it will do him some good. He’s kind of a light horse.”

Ecrivain, a 5-year-old who has won 4 of 17 starts, was third by 1 1/2 lengths as the 11-10 favorite in an allowance race at a mile on March 25. In France last year, Ecrivain won the Group 3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil at about a mile at Chantilly in June and was sixth in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois at a mile at Deauville in August.

The $400,000 Shoemaker Mile is expected to include Smooth Like Strait and Count Again, who were third and sixth in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland last Friday. Smooth Like Strait won the 2021 Shoemaker Mile and was second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar in November.

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