Lady's Golden Guy has recency edge in Barker Stakes
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Lady’s Golden Guy showed there was no rust on him when posting an impressive win in his 8-year-old debut at Finger Lakes. The veteran steps back up in class Monday in the $50,000 George W. Barker Stakes for New York-bred sprinters, the Memorial Day feature and first stakes of the season at Finger Lakes.
Lady’s Golden Guy, owned and trained by Debra Breed, is a mainstay at the Farmington, N.Y., track, as he has made all but one of his 45 career starts there. He owns 13 wins and has been on the board in another 19 races. That includes victories in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the Leon Reed Memorial at Finger Lakes.
Lady’s Golden Guy rolled to a front-running, six-length allowance win May 6 to open his season, with two members of this field, Rhymes Like Dimes and Tacony Road, second and third, respectively. Lady’s Golden Guy earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 77, his top number since 2023, and is drawn on the rail in the field of six as he looks to continue his renaissance.
The only other entrant in the Barker to match that last-out figure is Royal Suspect, but Lady’s Golden Guy has a recency edge. Royal Suspect, who finished third in the Genesee Valley Breeders’ Stakes at Finger Lakes last October, posted a 77 when winning a November allowance in his most recent start.
He set the pace along the rail while pressed throughout and held on stubbornly by a head. The 8-year-old gelding has the potential to keep Lady’s Golden Guy company on the front end and could hold the upper hand pressing on the outside.
Looms Boldly has stakes wins at Finger Lakes – the 2023 Ontario County Stakes – as well as Saratoga and Aqueduct. He comes back to statebred company after finishing 10th in a January allowance at Oaklawn Park.
◗ Monday’s card kicks off a three-day race week at Finger Lakes, which last week canceled one day, running only Monday and Wednesday due to a shortage in the horse population.
In a release, Finger Lakes cited the impacts of a long winter and wet spring, leaving local trainers behind the eight ball in getting their horses ready for the season. As horses become fit, the track hopes for more entries. Finger Lakes has 25 races carded for this week, with an average field size 7.4 entries.
◗ Bill Downes has temporarily taken over announcing duties at Finger Lakes from Anthony Stabile.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to continue my announcing duties at Finger Lakes for a bit due to some health concerns regarding the travel involved with the position,” Stabile posted on social media.
Downes called his first card on May 19 and confirmed that the position is not permanent.
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