Golden Gate: Washington-based trainer makes brief return to Northern California

Larry Ross, perhaps best remembered here for the lightning-fast graded stakes-winning sprinter Ema Bovary, is back in Northern California for the first time since 2005.

Now based in Washington, Ross will send out two runners Friday, Flair for Gold in a $20,000 maiden claimer and Come Away Home in a $40,000 starter allowance.

“They don’t start Emerald Downs until April so I thought I’d come back here and get a race into them before going home,” Ross said.

Ross used to be a regular here. Since Ross last stabled at Golden Gate, the track has switched from dirt to a Tapeta surface.

“I always loved this racetrack,” Ross said. “I’ve never trained on a synthetic surface before. I’ve asked questions here and there and watched a lot. My horses seem to like it, and it doesn’t throw any clogs like on dirt tracks.”

Although he has won 962 races and his horses have earned more than $14 million, Ross has started only six horses this year, with a third-place finish his best showing. Last year, Ross won 31 races from 158 starters for earnings of $264,539.