Mugaritz remains perfect on the year by winning Berkeley Handicap

Getting a confident ride from jockey Ricky Gonzalez and a perfect trip, Mugaritz won the Grade 3, $101,500 Berkeley Handicap at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday to wind up a perfect 2019 campaign.

Gonzalez settled Mugaritz nicely behind pacesetting My Friend Emma and What a View while saving ground all the way in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up. Mugaritz and Gonzalez waited patiently for sprinter My Friend Emma to tire and rushed through an opening in the two path as the field entered the lane, quickly assuming command. Grade 1 winner Ohio rallied outside but was never a threat while finishing second, 3 ½ lengths back.

It was Mugaritz's third straight stakes win, coming on dirt, turf, and Saturday on Tapeta, and fifth victory in five 2019 starts. His winning streak is now at six, having also recorded a win on Dec. 31, 2018.

He covered the 1 1/6 miles in 1:42.40.

Ohio beat Brave Nation by three-quarters of a length for second. Grecian Fire was fourth, losing to Brave Nation by a neck.

“That was an amazing ride, just amazing,” said winning trainer Jonathan Wong. “Everything went just as we had planned.”

“I had a lot of horse and just stayed in a pocket behind the leaders,” said Gonzalez, who has ridden the Dialed In gelding in all three of the horse’s stakes victories.

Gonzalez said he got some advice on riding Mugaritz from one of his previous jockeys, Abel Cedillo.

“He's a little bit aggressive, but Abel told me a lot about him. I know what he wants. When he gets the lead, he won't let anyone go past him, and when you get him to relax, he gives you what you saw today.”

Owned by Alejando Marcardo, Mugaritz lost his first two starts, both in Southern California, before shipping north to join Wong's stable.

He won a $20,000 maiden claimer and then a first-level allowance race with an optional $40,000 claiming tag before running third in the California Derby, fourth in the El Camino Real Derby, and fifth in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park earlier this year. before going to the sidelines for nine months.

Mugaritz went to the sidelines for nine months and he’s been undefeated since coming back. He earned $60,000 for Saturday's victory to lift his lifetime earnings to $227,125 and his 2019 earnings to $158,600.

“Last year when he learned to rate, it really made him better,” said Wong.

“Keep him happy, and he'll run for you. He's really a racehorse. He's won three stakes on three surfaces in the past six weeks. He's really risen above and beyond.”