Locals have hands full in San Francisco Mile

If Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 San Francisco Mile follows recent form, a runner stabled at Golden Gate Fields will be greeted in the winner’s circle. Seven of the past nine winners have been locally based, including two trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, who will send out two runners Saturday in the field of 10 for the one-mile turf race.

But the local contingent has a tall order in the San Francisco Mile, with Grade 1 winner Bowies Hero and two-time Grade 2 winner River Boyne coming up from Santa Anita.

The San Francisco Mile, for 3-year-olds and up going a mile on turf, is one of six stakes on the Saturday card, which also includes the California Derby, California Oaks, Golden Poppy, Lost in the Fog, and Camilla Urso.

Bowies Hero, trained by Phil D’Amato, won the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in March 2018 and the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile there in December 2017. He has not raced since last summer’s Del Mar meet, where he ran fourth, beaten a length, in the Grade 2 Eddie Read and 11th in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile.

River Boyne, who won the 2018 Mathis Brothers Mile, has a recency edge on Bowies Hero. He has raced twice this year, finishing fourth at Santa Anita in both the Grade 3 Thunder Road and Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile.

Hollendorfer won the San Francisco Mile with Our Nautique in 2011 and G. G. Ryder in 2015. This year he sends out Grecian Fire and Choo Choo, both of whom are coming off a victory.

Grecian Fire, seventh in last year’s San Francisco Mile, came off a four-month break and won a third-level allowance sprint on the main track here March 22.

“We thought he deserved a chance,” Hollendorfer said.

The 4-year-old Choo Choo won a one-mile optional claimer on the main track here March 30. Last year, Choo Choo Won the California Derby on the Tapeta here and finished second in the Let It Ride on the turf at Del Mar in November.

Many Roses tries again after having set the pace and run third in the past two San Francisco Miles. Many Roses has not raced since last June and hasn’t won since January 2017, but trainer Ellen Jackson likes what she’s seen from him in the morning.

“He’s training better than ever,” Jackson said.

Mithqaal has two wins and a second here in his last three starts. He has a 2-1-2 record in five starts on the Golden Gate turf course.

Trainer Dermot Weld has sent Wentwood here from Ireland. Wentwood has made one start this year, winning 1 1/4-mile handicap at Cork by a nose about three weeks ago. Wentwood’s two victories both came over good ground.