Nevada Worrier digs in

Nevada Worrier ($12.80) gave jockey Agapito Delgadillo a few worries down the stretch but dug in gamely to edge away from Devils Afleet to win the $61,900 Golden Bear Stakes at Golden Gate Fields by a neck.

Nevada Worrier sat behind Devils Afleet and Summer Haze early, moved four wide on the turn, and put his head in front in the lane.

Devils Fleet was a bit rank early. He broke a step slowly but rushed up to take the lead. Although headed in the lane in the six-furlong race for 3-year-olds, he refused to wilt until the final strides.

Favored Summer Haze was third, 3 1/4 lengths farther back.

Nevada Worrier ran six furlongs in 1:09.98.

"I thought I'd win easier because when I asked my horse, he moved like he was going to run off and win by 10," Delgadillo said. "The last sixteenth, I was a little worried because the other horse was trying to come back. Thankfully, my horse dug in tough."

Jockey Kyle Kaenel said Devils Afleet finished well despite being rank early, noting, "The winner ran a big race because my horse was still running at the end."

Trainer Jerry Wallace said he was looking a slightly easier spot by sending Nevada Worrier north, even though he was 0 for 3 in Northern California.

"This was a little easier than what he ran against [in Southern California]," Wallace said. "He runs the same race every time and, if you can keep him out of trouble, he has a good turn of foot."

Owned and bred by Joseph Duffel, Nevada Worrier captured the Cavonnier Stakes at Santa Anita last year. The California-bred son of Lord Carson earned $39,500 to lift his career earnings to $176,043 with his third victory in 14 starts.