Sadie Bluegrass has two to catch in Dream of Summer Stakes
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Sadie Bluegrass has won more than she has lost in her 23-race career, a remarkable achievement for any racehorse.
Of her 13 wins, three have been at five furlongs on turf at Golden Gate Fields, including her only career stakes win in the Camilla Urso Stakes in April 2022.
Sadie Bluegrass will have her seventh career start at five furlongs on turf at Golden Gate Fields in Sunday’s $75,000 Dream of Summer Stakes for fillies and mares, the feature race on the closing day of the track’s winter-spring meeting.
The 10-race program includes a mandatory payout in the 20-cent Golden pick six, which covers the fifth through 10th races. The Dream of Summer Stakes is the seventh race.
Sadie Bluegrass, trained by Jonathan Wong, will break from the outside in a field of eight, her first start since she finished last of six in the Daisycutter Handicap at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar last September.
In recent weeks, Sadie Bluegrass has had several fast workouts, including five furlongs in 58.80 last Sunday. Wong does well with runners returning from layoffs, and expressed guarded confidence this week about Sadie Bluegrass’s chances for a second stakes win in the Dream of Summer.
“On paper, it looks like there’s a lot of speed,” Wong wrote in a text on Thursday. “I wish I had a couple more works in her, but she’s training super.”
A potential speed duel between the 3-year-old stakes winner Sassy Nature and the equally quick Chancery Way would help Sadie Bluegrass.
Sassy Nature, trained by Luis Mendez, won the Melody of Colors Stakes at five furlongs on turf from the front at Gulfstream Park on March 26, but was later fifth and eighth in sprint stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs for 3-year-old fillies in Kentucky in April and May, fading in the stretch. A return to a five-furlong race may help Sassy Nature, who drew the rail.
Chancery Way was a game second in the Camilla Urso Stakes on April 29 in her turf debut. She set a quick pace and led by two lengths in the stretch before she was caught in the final strides by Alice Marble, the 6-5 favorite.
“I thought she ran great,” trainer Jamey Thomas said. “We got run down by a better horse. We can’t complain. Alice Marble is a nice filly.”
The presence of Sassy Nature concerns Thomas, who has guided Chancery Way to four wins in seven starts.
“If that horse wasn’t in the race, I’d feel double tough,” he said. “Sadie has been off for a while and I’m hoping she needs a race, but Jonathan Wong does a good job.”
Chancery Way starts from post 6 in the Dream of Summer.
The Golden pick six began the racing week on Friday with a carryover of $35,904. If there were no single winning tickets on Friday or Saturday, the pool of new money on Sunday may exceed $300,000, track officials said.
Several races will require numerous selections, or a brave handicapping angle, to provide sufficient coverage.
Champagne Pegasus, Chicago Soldier, Hickory Wind, and Rackataptap are among the contenders in the fifth race, a $12,500 claimer at a mile on turf.
The sixth race, a maiden race for 2-year-olds at five furlongs, is not much easier. Coral Cat and Halo Rando have finished second and third, while the first-time starter Tiger in My Tank has worked well for his debut.
After the Dream of Summer, Bob’s Blue Moon and Town Performer will dominate the betting in a six-furlong maiden race for 3-year-olds.
The last two races have fields of 9 and 8.
Cases can be made for One Fast Bro, Anitanewmercedes, and Auspicious Style in the ninth race, a competitive allowance race at a mile on turf.
The 10th race, a $25,000 claimer for maiden fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs, is not much easier. The speedy Dawn At Last starts from the inside, and must hold off Mojave Princess and Grazed n’ Confused.
After Sunday’s program, the Northern California racing circuit moves to the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, which begins a four-week season on June 16.
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