Spring House squeezes through on rail

ALBANY, Calif. - Odds-on Spring House ($3.20) made a quick rail move to gain position and unleashed a strong stretch run to win the $100,000 Grade 3 Golden Gate Fields Turf at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

The 7-year-old gelding, nearing millionaire status after notching his sixth stakes victory, avoided getting boxed in on the final turn of the 1 3/8-mile race. When the field hit the stretch, he easily wore down pacesetting Yacht Spotter, pulling clear to win by 1 1/4 lengths in 2:19.62. Sir Dave rallied to be second by one length over Yacht Spotter.

"Going into the far turn the last time I had nowhere to go except for a small hole on the rail," said jockey Russell Baze, who was able to squeeze past longshot Shem. "I goosed him and he went right in there."

Yacht Spotter, who set the pace in the Grade 2 San Francisco Mile before losing in the final stride, had Baze worried.

"I thought there'd be more pace pressure on Yacht Spotter," Baze said. "I was a little bit concerned turning for home when Yacht Spotter opened up on us, but once I got my horse running I was confident we'd run him down.

"He knows his business. He knows to relax early. [His run] is right there on tap anytime you need it."

Yacht Spotter, whose career record over the Lakeside Turf Course is 5 wins, 3 seconds, and a third in 9 starts, did everything his rider Alex Bisono asked.

"I'm really happy with him," said Bisono. "He did everything perfect. He picked it up on the turn just like he always does. The distance was just a little too far."

Spring House, a 7-year-old Chester House gelding owned by R.D. Hubbard and trained by Julio Canani, earned $60,000 to bring his career earnings to $941,284.