Passarando goes the distance in Gold Rush Stakes

Longer distances have been a good fit for Passarando this fall.

Passarando won the $176,000 Golden State Juvenile at seven furlongs for statebreds at Santa Anita on Oct. 29, which at the time was the longest race of his career.

After finishing a well-beaten second behind Clovisconnection in the $66,200 Golden Nugget Stakes at six furlongs at Golden Gate Fields on Nov. 12, Passarando started at a mile for the first time in Saturday’s $77,250 Gold Rush Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.

The 2-year-old gelding handled his first start around two turns without difficulty, closing from ninth in a field of 10 to win by 1 1/4 lengths over 65-1 Chase the Chaos, who led in the final furlong.

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Ridden by Catalino Martinez for trainer Steve Specht, Passarando ($8.80) was timed in 1:37.78 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 74.

O B’s (8-1) finished third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths.

Happy Does finished fourth, followed by Clovisconnection, It’s Thievery, Wound Up, Sea Dog, Chuckanut Bay, and Smokin’ Hot.

Clovis Connection, the 9-5 favorite, set an early pace of 23.53 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.43 for a half-mile, leading by as much as 2 1/2 lengths. Clovisconnection led by four lengths with a furlong remaining, but could not sustain the advantage, fading in the final furlong for his first loss in his third start.

Wound Up was the 2-1 second choice on the basis of a ninth-place finish at 123-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on Nov. 4. Wound Up was eighth on the backstretch of the Gold Rush Stakes and was not a factor in the stretch, losing by 13 1/2 lengths.

Passarando, by Tamarando, races for owners and breeders Larry and Marianne Williams. Passarando has won 4 of 7 starts and earned $218,830. He won a maiden special weight race at five furlongs in his second start in late May and won an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs in early September.

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