Just Google Me brimming with confidence for Golden State Juvenile Fillies
DEL MAR, Calif. – Like big fields? This is a good week for that, from Kentucky to California. Fourteen California-breds entered the $200,000 Golden State Juvenile Fillies on Thursday at Del Mar, opening day of the five-week Bing Crosby fall meet.
While the race is high in quantity, quality centers on four – the stakes winners Just Google Me, Patriotic Diamond, and Obey; and Pacific Heat, a debut winner by more than 13 lengths.
The seven-furlong Golden State Juvenile Fillies includes the consistent Dragon Flower and the front-runners Sambamzajammin and Run for Retts. Meanwhile, the smug Just Google Me acts like she is the bomb.
“She thinks she’s queen of the barn right now,” trainer Scott Rollins said. “There are horses that get good and know they are good. She’s a different horse since that race.”
Just Google Me romped by 9 1/2 lengths in a $100,000 stakes at Los Alamitos on Sept. 19. Afterward, slow works got fast.
“For her, five-eighths was 1:02, 1:03. That’s what she does,” Rollins said. “Now, five-eighths is 1:00, 1:01; six furlongs is 1:12 and 2 [fifths]. That’s at San Luis Rey, which is probably the deepest track [in California].”
Just Google Me won twice on the fast Los Alamitos surface and placed twice at Del Mar.
Surface speed is why trainer Peter Eurton moved Pacific Heat to Santa Anita after her romping Sept. 25 debut at Los Alamitos.
“Santa Anita has a deeper track,” Eurton said. “We’ll find out if she likes a deeper track as much as a tighter track. She’s trained really well [at Santa Anita].”
Santa Anita and Del Mar are slower than Los Alamitos. Eurton hopes Pacific Heat reproduces her smashing Los Alamitos debut. “It was way beyond our expectations. I didn’t expect her to show that kind of speed,” he said.
Pacific Heat surrenders experience and her rider. Rafael Bejarano had his choice between the maiden winner and stakes winner Patriotic Diamond, and he chose the latter. Joe Talamo will ride Pacific Heat.
Obey was favored Aug. 28 when fifth behind Patriotic Diamond and Just Google Me in the Generous Portion Stakes. Obey, the winner of the CTBA Stakes, had an excuse.
“It was over at the break,” trainer Sam Scolamieri said. “She fell coming out of the gate. Her legs weren’t planted the right way, she fell, went down to her knees, and used her head to pick herself up.”
Obey recovered, but the damage was done. She finished fifth.
Scolamieri said Obey has trained well since. “She’s good. Can she go seven furlongs? That’s the question.”
KEY CONTENDERS
Patriotic Diamond (Beyers: 69-63)
◗ The runner-up in her debut, Patriotic Diamond won the Generous Portion second out for trainer Patrick Biancone.
Just Google Me (Last 3 Beyers: 66-66-62)
◗ Seven furlongs seems ideal for this closer, the only entrant who has won beyond six furlongs. Her stakes win was at 6 1/2 furlongs.
◗ Edwin Maldonado retains the mount.
◗ Just Google Me faces a possibly challenging profile. On the new Del Mar track this summer, 14 of 16 races at seven furlongs were won from within 1 1/2 lengths of the lead after the first quarter-mile.
Pacific Heat (Beyer: 78)
◗ Sired by Unusual Heat, Pacific Heat is a half-sister to stakes winner Long Hot Summer.
Obey (Last 3 Beyers: 32-79-61)
◗ Obey will be among the early leaders, possibly an advantage if the track plays similarly to the summer. Obey is scheduled to break from post 4, which was 5 for 16 during the summer at seven furlongs. Tiago Pereira is her rider.