Sprint may a lure big field
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Bay Meadows racing secretary Tom Doutrich was pleased when he counted up the nominations for next Saturday's Grade 3 Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Sprint.
While many look forward to seeing locally based star sprinters Tribesman and Vicarino clash, their presence doesn't appear to have scared off the competition. Ten other runners were nominated to the six-furlong sprint.
"This is great," said Doutrich, who will join with assistants Greg Brent and Linda Anderson on Sunday to assign weights. Entries will be drawn Monday.
Those nominated include Jack Hes Tops, Double Action, and Vaderator, all of whom have lost to Vicarino already at the meeting, as well as Sailors Sunset, who was third to Tribesman in the Phoenix Gold Cup. Also in the mix are Bonfante, a stakes winner here, Hewitts, Peace Chant, Plug Me In, Pure American, and Tontine Too.
Tribesman has won five straight races. He won the Phoenix Gold Cup at Turf Paradise Feb. 16 in his last start, and a Golden Gate allowance in January in his only other start this year. Vicarino finished third in that allowance, his 2008 debut. In two starts since that race Vicarino won an optional claimer at Bay Meadows and then set a track record of 55.93 for five furlongs in winning an allowance race.
Highly regarded maiden returns
Tiz Madison, who recorded six-furlong bullets in her last two works, will face four rivals when she makes the second start of her career in a six-furlong maiden race Sunday for 3-year-old fillies.
Tiz Madison went off at 3-1 in her debut, the Juan Gonzalez Memorial at Pleasanton last summer. She sat behind a brisk pace before fading in a race captured by multiple stakes winner Carbella. Tiz Madison came out of the race fine but sustained some minor problems while training for her next start at Del Mar, prompting trainer Jeff Bonde to stop on her.
"The horse is going well," Bonde said. "She's a big, strong filly. She's had a regular work pattern and should be fit. I think she'll be tough."
First-timer Terina, a half-sister to Grade 1-placed Whoopddo, is by Awesome Again, who has a solid record with debut runners. She, too, has a pair of six-furlong works.
Rounding out the field are Cherry Cosmo, second in her comeback here on Feb. 18 after nearly eight months on the sidelines; Alight in Darkness, another nicely bred first-timer; and Chaw Fire.