Lady of Perception could spice up late pick four

Even by his lofty standards, trainer Jonathan Wong had himself a weekend at Golden Gate Fields. Wong, entering this racing week, had 60 winners, 24 more than the second-highest total at the race meet, which began Dec. 26. Wong started nine horses at Golden Gate on Saturday and Sunday, and those runners went 5-3-1.

Wong has entrants on the bookends of the late pick four, races 5 through 8, when racing resumes Thursday at Golden Gate, and while his starter in race 8 is a longshot, Wong’s race 5 runner will be a pick four single on many tickets.

But one horse who could help make this sequence pay is the Sherrie Monroe-trained Lady of Perception, who is scheduled to face seven rivals in race 7, a $50,000 starter allowance for fillies and mares who have raced for a claiming price of $50,000 or less and haven’t won two races. Lady of Perception is 12-1 on the morning line and does figure to be a price ceding experience to everyone in the race and with speed figures a notch or two below the numbers produced by some shorter prices.

There’s reason to hope Lady of Perception can run faster than she has been, beginning with that very lack of experience. She won her career debut for a $25,000 tag and turned in an interesting run last out sprinting at his class level, dropping back between the half-mile and three-furlong pole like she’d make no impression before getting back involved before the quarter pole and winding up third. Her debut, too, was a sprint, and Lady of Perception is by Richard’s Kid, who thrived on synthetic surfaces and over a route of ground. She’ll be forwardly placed Thursday and might enjoy galloping two turns around the Golden Gate Tapeta Footings course.

If not Lady of Perception in race 7, both horses entered by Southern California-based trainer Paddy Gallagher, Shanghaitruffles and Clockstrikestwelve, look competitive.

As for Wong, his entrant in race 5, a $50,000 claiming route, is even-money morning-line favorite Mithqaal, a 7-year-old gelding who has a fifth and a third, even runs both, in a pair of recent starts following a lengthy layoff. Mithqaal has faced stronger competition than this in his last 10 starts and figures to be forwardly placed. The other main considerations are Cimpl Man and More Power to Him.

Wong’s hope for race 8, a one-mile maiden special weight, is second-time starter Big Perm, who quickened to get second sprinting for a $25,000 tag in his career debut. He’s by Noble Mission and out of a Bellamy Road mare, thus bred to route.

The nightcap and cashing leg of the late pick four runs through likely favorite Lookin for Revenge, who was pretty good in both his sprint debut and two-turn second start. The Doug O’Neill-trained shipper Railsplitter also merits consideration.