McCanna has two getting back on turf
?q=100)
There is a simple reason Rager has not raced on turf at Golden Gate Fields this year in advance of Saturday’s $50,000 Albany Stakes at five furlongs on grass.
“He hasn’t had the opportunity,” trainer Tim McCanna said.
Rager has won his last two starts in allowance-optional claimng company on the synthetic main track. He was eligible to be claimed for $62,500 in both races. In the Albany, Rager will race on grass for the first time since August 2021 against eight rivals.
The Albany Stakes is part of the final weekend of the Golden Gate Fields winter-spring meeting that ends on Sunday. The Alameda County Fair at Pleasanton begins on June 16.
McCanna has a powerful duo in the Albany Stakes, including Top Harbor, a convincing winner of the Lost in the Fog Stakes at six furlongs on the synthetic track on April 29.
“They’re both real honest horses,” McCanna said.
Top Harbor has not raced on turf since a fifth-place finish in an allowance race at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar in September 2021. A 5-year-old horse, Top Harbor has won three of his last four starts, including the Oakland Stakes at six furlongs on the synthetic main track last November.
Finding races for Top Harbor is not easy.
“He doesn’t have any conditions,” McCanna said. “I’m not going to run him for a tag.”
Since the Lost in the Fog Stakes, Top Harbor has worked twice. He zoomed through five furlongs in 59.40 seconds last Saturday.
Top Harbor, a winner of 7 of 16 starts, has been first or second in his last eight starts and is an easy horse to train, McCanna said.
“He’s a stallion and you’d never know it,” McCanna said.
Rager, the mount of leading rider Assael Espinoza, and Top Harbor, who will be ridden by Frank Alvarado, are closers who should have a pace to follow from runners such as Evenerevenworse and Honeymoonz Over.
Other notable runners in the field are Larry’s Legend and Psycho Dar.
Larry’s Legend, winless in seven starts on turf, was second in the Lost in the Fog Stakes and third behind Rager in an allowance race on May 19. He is likely to race from a stalking position.
Psycho Dar was third in the 2022 Albany Stakes and won the Harris Farms Stakes at six furlongs on dirt at the Big Fresno Fair last October, beating second-place Top Harbor by three lengths.
An 8-year-old, Psycho Dar has won 4 of 24 career starts on turf. He was second in a $40,000 claimer at six furlongs on the synthetic track on April 23 in his last start, closing from third to miss by a half-length.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.