Full-speed ahead to Longacres Mile for Papa's Golden Boy
According to trainer Vince Gibson, Papa’s Golden Boy came out of his front-running win in the $50,000 Governor’s at Emerald last Sunday in excellent shape and will be pointed to the Grade 3, $100,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 15.
It was Papa’s Golden Boy’s third straight win at the meet, and once again he set quick fractions while dominating his opponents with Julien Couton riding.
“He’s doing great,” Gibson said. “We’ll just try to keep him happy and hopefully slow him down a bit.”
As in the $50,000 Budweiser in his previous start, Papa’s Golden Boy broke from the rail in the 6 1/2-furlong Governor’s. Gibson was hoping the 5-year-old gelding by Harbor the Gold would draw an outside post for the Governor’s.
“If he drew a better post we were going to see if he could sit off Windribbon,” he said. “Once he drew the rail he had to go. He rated nicely the first quarter but he went pretty fast the second split.”
Under no urging from Couton, Papa’s Golden Boy set interior fractions of 22.18 and 43.85 seconds before posting a final time of 1:14.50. The 87 Beyer Speed Figure he received was almost equal to the 88 he was given for his win in the Budweiser.
Last year he set the pace in the Longacres Mile before fading to finish fifth.
“He’s more mature and smarter this year, so hopefully he will be able to harness his speed a little better this time,” said Gibson.
Two go after a hat trick
Buckley Bay figures to be a short price when he tries to complete a hat trick in a $3,500 starter race that carries a $7,500 claiming option in Saturday’s feature. The one-mile race drew six horses and goes as race 5 on the eight-race card, which begins at 6:40 p.m. Pacific.
A Joe Toye-trained son of Harbor the Gold, Buckley Bay is coming off a six-length romp going 6 1/2 furlongs at the same level June 23.
Considering four of Buckley Bay’s 10 wins, all at Emerald, came going a mile or over, he should not have any trouble moving from a sprint to a route. He also figures to get a cozy trip breaking from the inside post with Anthony Cruz retaining the mount.
Mike Man’s Gold, trained by Toye, is also going for the hat trick in the seventh race, a $3,500 starter with a $7,500 claiming option. There are slightly different conditions for the 6 1/2-furlong dash than in race 5.
Mike Man’s Gold is the all-time leader with 25 wins at Emerald and comes into the race off back-to-back victories in $6,250 claiming races with Kevin Radke aboard on May 20 and June 3. The 11-year-old son of Liberty Gold will have to be on his toes breaking from the rail with Radke retaining the mount.
Buckley Bay looks like death and taxes. Mike Man’s Gold has a more difficult task with the Ari Herberston-trained Dreamer’s Reality appearing to be the main threat.