Restrainedvengence hits the road again for All American Stakes

The well-traveled Restrainedvengence has won three stakes over the last 8 1/2 months, one at Golden Gate Fields, one at Zia Park, and one at Sunland Park.

For Monday’s Memorial Day program at Golden Gate Fields, Restrainedvengence has been shipped from trainer Val Brinkerhoff’s base at Santa Anita for the $100,000 All American Stakes at a mile on the synthetic main track.

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Brinkerhoff considered starting Restrainedvengence in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on Monday at Santa Anita, but has opted for the All American, which will be the 5-year-old gelding’s first start on a synthetic track.

“I think he’ll run good on that,” Brinkerhoff said Friday. “He struggles on this main track at Santa Anita, the deepness of it.”

Restrainedvengence has run well on a variety of surfaces in the last year. He was a troubled third by a neck on dirt in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs last August, won the Rolling Green Handicap on turf at Golden Gate Fields last September, and was second by a head at 43-1 in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on turf last October at Santa Anita.

More recently, Restrainedvengence won the Zia Park Championship at 1 1/8 miles on dirt 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 at 1 1/16 miles on dirt March 15 at Sunland Park in New Mexico. He has not raced since then.

“When he came out of the Curribot, he had an abscess in a foot,” Brinkerhoff said. “We missed a little time.”

Monday, Restrainedvengence will be ridden for the first time by Kent Desormeaux, who has been based at Golden Gate Fields in recent months. Desormeaux is likely to have Restrainedvengence in a stalking position.

“He’s pretty much push-button,” Brinkerhoff said.

Bold Endeavor, second in an optional claimer at Santa Anita in February, was supplemented for $1,000 to the All American when entries were taken Friday. Trainer George Papaprodromou considers Bold Endeavor to be a threat from the front.

The gelding Camino Del Paraiso has a similar style as Restrainedvengence. A 7-year-old, Camino Del Paraiso has finished second or third in nine stakes in his 35-race career.

Earlier this year, Camino Del Paraiso was second in two Grade 3 turf races at Santa Anita – the Thunder Road Stakes at a mile in February and the San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on March 21.

Trainer O.J. Jauregui said he opted for the All American over Saturday’s Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes on turf at Santa Anita for Camino Del Paraiso.

“It’s easier here, and he’s at home,” Jauregui said. “He’s been ready to run.

“I think at Golden Gate, he’s better on synthetic than on turf. To me, that’s a plus.

“Going a mile, if it’s going a little fast, I’m hoping I can lay two or three lengths behind. My biggest concern is he doesn’t get too rank. Being an older horse, I think he’s going to be okay.”