The Lieutenant invades for All American

Monday’s Memorial Day feature, the Grade 3, $100,000 All American, has a familiar look for a Golden Gate Fields stakes. There is a lot of local talent signed up for the one-mile race, but the one to beat looks to be a Southern California invader – The Lieutenant.

The 5-year-old Street Sense horse trained by Michael McCarthy has hit the board in his past two starts – the Santana Mile and the Grade 2 Californian – losing both times to Dr. Dorr, who is undefeated in 2018. The Lieutenant has been running better and looks to be in good shape, with two solid works since his last race, but he’ll be running on a synthetic surface for the first time.

Lining up for the locals are interesting runners such as Castle, who will be making his stakes debut; Many Roses, the third-place finisher in the past two editions of the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile; and My Friend Emma, a stakes-winning sprinter who defeated the speedy Many Roses with a front-running effort in his first start at a mile.

Trainer Andy Mathis nominated Castle to the San Francisco Mile but passed and then sent him out to win a one-mile allowance on turf for his second straight win at the distance.

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“He’s getting better and better with every race,” Mathis said. “This race is on the main track. We don’t have to ship, and it’s a mile, which he likes. We’re being realistic about moving from a first-level allowance to a Grade 3, but we expect him to compete.”

Trainer Ellen Jackson, who wishes the race was on turf, said Many Roses has done “everything right” coming into the race despite the recent loss to My Friend Emma.

“We were second and I thought in perfect position,” Jackson said. “I didn’t think that horse would keep going.”

Jesus Ramos, one of My Friend Emma’s owners, wasn’t surprised.

“Every time he ran short, I wanted to try him long,” he said. “Let’s see what happens.”

Key Contenders

The Lieutenant, by Street Sense
Last 3 Beyers: 96-93-88

◗ Couldn’t be running or working any better right now.

◗ Still looking for his first stakes victory.

◗ Making his debut on a synthetic surface.

Castle, by Slew’s Tiznow
Last 3 Beyers: 85-84-83

◗ Lightly raced but sharp and improving.

◗ Will be tested for class in stakes debut.

Many Roses, by Many Rivers
Last 3 Beyers: 88-96-83

◗ Multiple graded stakes placings, but they’ve come on turf.

◗ Didn’t challenge speedster last time but may change strategy.

◗ Has worked well and should be a factor.