Stalking tactics could favor Top Harbor in Oak Tree Sprint
?q=100)
Top Harbor is a length away from an unbeaten record in Northern California this year, which is why the 5-year-old horse will be favored to win Saturday’s $75,000 Oak Tree Sprint at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton.
After finishing second by three-quarters of a length in the El Dorado Shooter Stakes at Golden Gate Fields in February, Top Harbor won consecutive starts in an allowance race and the Lost in the Fog Stakes in April. The winning streak ended with a fast-closing second by a neck in the Albany Stakes at five furlongs on turf on June 11.
“He’s a gamer everywhere you go,” trainer Tim McCanna said.
The Oak Tree Sprint at six furlongs will be Top Harbor’s first start at Pleasanton since a second in the 2021 Oak Tree Sprint.
In Saturday’s race, Top Harbor drew the rail in a field of eight and will have a familiar target in Evenerevenworse, a former $4,000 claimer who set a scorching pace in the Albany and held on in a desperate finish.
Evenerevenworse, who drew the outside post, will be tested in the Oak Tree Sprint. He must set a slower pace than in recent starts to have any chance to last six furlongs.
Other notable runners in the field include Cool Mountain Lad, who won the 2022 Oak Tree Sprint as well as an optional claimer for sprinters on June 9 at Golden Gate Fields; the multiple stakes winner Psycho Dar; Larry’s Legend, who was second behind Top Harbor in the Lost in the Fog Stakes in April; and Unraptured, who is trained by McCanna.
Unraptured led throughout a $40,000 claimer at six furlongs on June 16 at Pleasanton.
“He’ll be tough,” McCanna said. “He’s a very honest horse. I’ve got a good 1-2 punch.”
Psycho Dar, an 8-year-old gelding, is winless in four starts this year after a 2022 season in which he won 4 of 9 starts, including the Harris Farms Stakes for sprinters at Fresno last October. He tends to run near the front, but is not as quick as Evenerevenworse.
Top Harbor will be ridden by Frank Alvarado for owners Gordon Jarnig, Kenny Marshall, and Eric Schweiger. They bred Top Harbor who has won 7 of 17 starts and earned $340,114.
Top Harbor races as a stalker, which will force Alvarado to devise a clean trip from off the pace.
“We wouldn’t be there ideally,” McCanna said of the draw. “Alvarado is a veteran. Hopefully, he can get out of there.”
In the Lost in the Fog Stakes, Top Harbor started from post 2 in a field of seven and closed from sixth with a wide rally to lead in the stretch, pulling away by 2 1/2 lengths.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.