Golden Gate: Baze snaps out of slump

Russell Baze, who dominates the jockey standings at Golden Gate as thoroughly as Jerry Hollendorfer does the trainer standings, was 0 for 23 at the Golden Gate met before finally riding his first winner Sunday. He came right back to win the next race.

After two weeks (he missed the first weekend with stakes assignments at Del Mar and Emerald Downs), Baze has two winners from 27 mounts, but he does have 11 seconds and four thirds.

Hollendorfer has three on Friday

Hollendorfer sat at 5,998 wins at the start of the racing week. He had three horses entered at Del Mar Wednesday. Unless he were to win with two of them, he would have a chance to reach 6,000 victories at Golden Gate Fields on Friday.

Hollendorfer has Sky High Hatty as the likely favorite in Friday’s first race, a $50,000 optional claimer on the turf with Russell Baze scheduled to ride. Going for a Spin is Hollendorfer’s second entrant in the race. Later, Tio Vic will run in a $40,000 starter allowance.

◗ Jockey Cristobal Herrera will be sidelined from four to six weeks with a fractured left clavicle. The injury occurred when Winnfireandfaith, a 4-year-old maiden filly, fractured her right front cannon bone while galloping out after a half-mile drill on Sunday and threw Herrera to the track. The filly, trained by Frances Henderson, had to be euthanized.