El Dorado Shooter wins Oakland Handicap

ALBANY, Calif. - El Dorado Shooter ($18.80) snapped a six-race losing streak with a powerful performance to win the six-furlong $72,200 Oakland Handicap by a length over favored Halo Cat at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

El Dorado Shooter was a head behind Gibson County through the opening quarter and put his head in front after the opening half. He opened a three-length advantage into the lane and held off Halo Cat in 1:08.26, the fastest clocking of the current meeting at the distance. Late-closing Profound Secret was third, one-half length behind Halo Cat.

El Dorado Shooter had won three straight and set the Golden Gate Fields track record for six-furlong when he was scratched from the Oakland Handicap when it was held April 21, 2001, at Bay Meadows because of an illness. He had not won since while fighting a variety of maladies.

He had a pair of second earlier this fall at Bay Meadows but was a dull sixth in the Cal Cup on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

"He was soaking wet coming out of the receiving barn down there," breeder-trainer Cliff Delima said. "He got a 105-degree fever after that. He had five days off and snapped right out of it, but he did miss a work.

"He's all right now."

El Dorado Shooter, owned by Delima's wife Barbara, who was celebrating her birthday Saturday, earned $43,850 to lift his career earnings to $317,790 with nine victories in 18 starts.