Force impresses in Rolling Green Stakes win

The rapidly improving Force ($6) won his U.S. stakes debut Sunday, unleashing a strong stretch kick to win the $55,875 Rolling Green Stakes going away on closing day at Golden Gate Fields.

The Irish-bred son of Raven’s Pass was making a quick comeback after scoring an impressive 4 1/2-length allowance victory over Golden Gate’s Lakeside Turf Course on Sept. 2. His winning time that day was 1:43.75. His 3 1/4-length victory over Camino Del Paraiso came in 1:43.64 for the 1 1/16-mile distance on the course.

As expected, Street Lad set the early pace, but the game winner of the Joseph T. Grace Handicap at Santa Rosa in his last start faded badly after Camino Del Paraiso passed him at the top of the stretch and finished last.

Camino Del Paraiso, who had lost the Grace by a nose, ran a strong race Sunday, sitting back early and moving sooner than he did in the Grace. He defeated G. G. Ryder, who ran third, 2 1/4 lengths farther back.

Force, breaking from the rail, stalked early but settled back off the pace down the backstretch under Juan Hernandez. He moved to the 3 path heading into the second turn and swung out wider in the stretch before pulling away easily.

“We had to run him back in two weeks, but we were hoping that would happen,” said winning trainer John Martin, who has had the 4-year-old gelding in his barn since May.

Force won on the Golden Gate main track in his debut for Martin and is now 3 for 3 at the Northern California track.

Martin said Force came out of his last race so well that the quick turnaround, including a five-furlong work on Sept. 12, made him feel that he wouldn’t be asking too much of him.

Force earned $30,400 for owners Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal. He has now earned $97,590, with five wins in 23 starts for his career.