Restrainedvengence battles for All American Stakes win

Holiday stakes at Golden Gate Fields are a good fit for Restrainedvengence.

Last September, Restrainedvengence won the Rolling Green Stakes on turf on Labor Day at Golden Gate. On Monday’s Memorial Day program, Restrainedvengence fought past a stubborn pacesetter in Kiwi’s Dream to win the $100,000 All American Stakes by a head.

Retrainedvengence ($4.60) ran a mile in 1:36.43 under jockey Kent Desormeaux, who had the mount for the first time. Restrainedvengence earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 103.

Desormeaux had Restrainedvengeance in second for the first six furlongs, stalking Kiwi’s Dream through fractions of 23.90 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.94 for a half-mile. Sent off favored, Restrainedvengence held a narrow lead over 3-2 Kiwi’s Dream with a furlong remaining and could not shake clear of his main rival.

“He’s pretty tough,” trainer Val Brinkerhoff said of Restrainedvengence.

“I got a very good ride. He didn’t have to use him. I told him, ‘When you want to go, push the button.’ He got there and it was a good race.”

:: Click to learn about our DRF's Free Past Performance program.

Kiwi’s Dream, who could have been claimed for $40,000 last June or $62,500 in January, is a 5-year-old Australian-bred gelding who had his stakes debut in the All American. Kiwi’s Dream has won 5 of 12 starts.

Kiwi’s Dream, trained by Victor Trujillo, finished three lengths clear of 9-2 Camino Del Paraiso, who was third throughout. Builder finished fourth, followed by Premium Forest, Bold Endeavor, and Engram.

The All American Stakes was the third stakes win in four starts for Restrainvengence, a 5-year-old gelding by Hold Me Back who races for Bob Grayson Jr. and Kelly Brinkerhoff. Restrainedvengence won the Zia Park Championship in New Mexico last November, finished fifth in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Feb. 1 at Santa Anita and rebounded to win the $75,000 Curribot Handicap on March 15 at Sunland Park.

Restrainedvengence has won 7 of 22 starts and earned $469,222. Val Brinkerhoff said Monday that Restrainedvengence will be considered for the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile, a $250,000 race on turf on June 14.