Golden Gate Fields: Positive Response shifts focus to All American Stakes

The best-laid plans ... well, you know the rest.

Last week, trainer Billy Morey was hoping that a one-mile allowance race on turf would fill because it would be a perfect prep for Positive Response for the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on turf April 26.

When the race didn’t fill, Morey went to Plan B, a six-furlong allowance race on the main track last Sunday. Winning wasn’t the most important thing about the race, which was good because Positive Response finished fifth, 9 1/2 lengths behind Valiant Flame, who won in 1:09.70.

Positive Response earned only a 58 Beyer Speed Figure, and Morey said after the race, “He’s doubtful for the San Francisco Mile.”

“I don’t think he got enough out of the race to run a mile against the likes of Summer Hit and whoever is coming up from down south,” Morey said.

Morey will now point Positive Response to the Grade 3 All American on Memorial Day.

“It was a bit frustrating that the mile race didn’t go, but we did get a race for him,” Morey said. “It was faster than he would have worked, even if he lost by about 10, because he went 11 and change.”

Although the 6-year-old gelding didn’t get enough out of the race to run in the San Francisco Mile, the important news was that Positive Response seemed fine back at the barn Sunday, Morey said.