Rinse and Repeat appears to be fastest in Everett Nevin Stakes
A $50,000 purse increase to $100,000 brought a strong list of nominees for the Everett Nevin Stakes, the Sunday feature at the Oak Tree at Pleasanton meet at the Alameda County Fair.
The entries weren’t quite as glittering for the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for 2-year-old California-breds, but the field of eight should provide an interesting betting race, and since none of the horses has raced more than once, there’s no telling what potential stars are in the field.
The glamour name is Rinse and Repeat, who ran third in a fast heat in his Santa Anita debut. He has the Kentucky Derby-winning connections of Reddam Racing, Doug O’Neill, and Mario Gutierrez. Rinse and Repeat broke a bit slowly in his debut and draws the rail here.
Nonetheless, Rinse and Repeat brings the best Beyer Speed Figure into the race and may only need to break a bit better to get to the winner’s circle. While he’s certainly good enough to win, Rinse and Repeat was probably the third-best of the O’Neill nominees behind Green With Eddie and Milton Freewater.
There are four first-out winners and two runners – both from the Jeff Bonde barn – making their debuts here. Ten years ago, Bonde won the Juan Gonzalez Memorial with the first-timer Untouched Talent and came back the next day with another filly, Sharoana, to win the Everett Nevin.
Jet Ski, one of the Bonde first-timers, has three bullet works over the track.
Two of the debut winners exit claiming races.
“He’s a solid horse, but it seemed like the right thing to do,” trainer Ed Moger Jr. said of Tchula Sunset, who scored a three-length win in his debut for a $25,000 tag at Golden Gate Fields.
Everett Nevin, Race 9
KEY CONTENDERS
Rinse and Repeat, by Square Eddie
Beyer: 56
◗ He got off a step slowly but was a solid third in a fast race in his debut. He’s a full brother of two winless siblings, but one of them earned $110,000 and was stakes-placed as a 2-year-old. Barn shows a positive return on investment with second-time maidens and 2-year-olds.
Llobo, by Tribal Rule
Beyer: 53
◗ He showed gameness in his debut as he rallied to end up in a dead heat for the win. All three siblings are winners, and he’s a full brother of Tribal Echo, who was stakes-placed at 2. He should love the additional distance Sunday.
Tchula Sunset, by Sierra Sunset
Beyer: 52
◗ He became his sire’s first 2-year-old debut winner when running for a tag, and he has worked nicely since. Both siblings were also winners at 2. Son of a multiple stakes-winning dam will face more pace pressure here, but don’t hold the fact that he ran for a tag against him.