Lombo may show the way in Alcatraz

Five of the six runners in Sunday’s $75,000 Alcatraz on the turf at Golden Gate Fields hope to make family history.

Only one runner, stakes-winning Respect the Hustle, has ever won on turf. Not only are the other five winless on turf, but their siblings are also winless on grass.

Two runners are making their turf debuts, and three are running on grass for the second time. Respect the Hustle has run only twice on grass, breaking his turf maiden at Del Mar before finishing in midpack in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf.

The short field and lack of a turf standout prompted trainer Michael Pender to make a last-minute decision to enter Lombo on Thursday. He told the Golden Gate racing office he had been considering a sprint for his Grade 3 winner, but also wanted to see how he’d run on turf.

Lombo did little in his career debut in a five-furlong turf race, but he went wire to wire in winning the Grade 3 Robert Lewis and set the pace in the Grade 2 San Felipe and again in the Grade 3 Pay Day Mile at Churchill Downs on Derby Day.

Golden Gate’s Lakeside Turf Course is kind to speed, and Lombo should make an easy lead.

If entering the Alcatraz was a last-minute decision by Pender, Bill McLean has long had the Alcatraz penciled onto Respect the Hustle’s schedule.

“He’s had a good race, and he came back good,” said McLean, who sprinted Respect the Hustle against older in his 3-year-old debut after nearly five months off.

Though he beat only one rival, he earned a solid Beyer of 71 and got a lot out of the race.

“We tried to point to this race, and so far things are going well,” McLean said.

Alcatraz Stakes (7th race)

Key Contenders

Respect the Hustle, by Colonel John
Last 3 Beyers: 71-63-70

◗ Lone member of field with turf win.

◗ Met older and ran okay despite not threatening in comeback.

◗ Decent works since comeback.

Lombo, by Graydar
Last 3 Beyers: 75-67-86

◗ Speedster running on course that plays well to speed.

◗ Graded stakes winner getting easiest shot in a while.

◗ Grade 1-winning sire not known for turf runners, with only one win from 44 starters.

Unpossible, by Comic Strip
Last 3 Beyers: 73-66-70

◗ On uptick with stakes runner-up effort on turf in last.

◗ Full brother of multiple stakes winner, but no siblings have won on turf.

◗ Stalker can handle distance.