Steve Andersen's Golden Gate Fields analysis for Thursday, March 9, 2023
A glance at Thursday’s eight-race program at Golden Gate Fields, which has been moved forward a day because of a forecast of significant rain in Northern California on Friday. First post time is 12:45 p.m. Pacific.
FIRST RACE
1-HEAD START, 2-JAYCEE, 3-TIZ A TIGER
HEAD START will race for his lowest claiming level in his Golden Gate Fields debut in this conditional $5,000 claimer. A winner of 2 of 9 starts, Head Start won a $16,000 claimer for nonwinners of two at Santa Anita in January and was sixth of nine in a $20,000 claimer for nonwinners of three there Feb. 20. Head Start has won twice by disputing the pace. JAYCEE, a sick scratch Feb. 12, starts from the outside post in this field of six. He has been claimed in each of his last three races and returns to trainer Jonathan Wong’s stable after finishing fifth in a single start for trainer Sam Calvario. Jaycee is quick enough to lead. TIZ A TIGER will need to show improvement to end a two-race losing streak, but will be helped if a quick pace develops. Tiz a Tiger was a game second to Austrian Navy on Feb. 4. Austrian Navy returned to win Sunday.
SECOND RACE
1-ZABAVA, 2-HARBOR ABBEY, 3-SHERILINDA
ZABAVA has been second or third behind Trojan Clubhouse in two optional claimer/starter-allowance races this year and does not face that red-hot rival in this slightly easier class. Zabava, who is most effective from off the pace, is winless in 14 starts since June 2021 at Santa Anita, but her two recent races at Golden Gate Fields have been the best in that span. HARBOR ABBEY tends to run closer to the front and can easily end a three-race losing streak in this one-mile race. She may even set the pace, depending on where Secret Square is positioned early. Harbor Abbey was a good second to Stateforest in her last start Feb. 12. Stateforest won again Feb. 25. SHERILINDA has a rapid turnaround after winning a conditional $6,250 claimer at a mile last Friday, the day she was claimed by Isidro Tamayo. Sherilinda is another runner who will not be far from the leaders.
THIRD RACE
1-POLACCO, 2-BROOKYS TAPIT, 3-HEAT N REHEAT
POLACCO has not raced since he won a conditional $5,000 claimer on Jan. 22 from the front, the day he was claimed by current trainer Jonathan Wong. Polacco was a vet scratch on Feb. 19 because of illness and has since had two workouts. Polacco has won three of his last five starts and has set the pace in each of those victories. He figures to have early control of this race. BROOKYS TAPIT closed from fourth in a field of seven with a wide rally to win a conditional $5,000 claimer on Feb. 12 and figures to be a threat to Polacco in the final furlong. Brookys Tapit won twice from the front earlier in his career and showed a new style in his recent win. HEAT N REHEAT is winless in seven starts since a starter allowance at a mile on Jan. 1, 2022. This is his fourth race following a layoff of more than eight months and the lowest claiming level of his career. He will be helped if the pace is swift.
FOURTH RACE
1-SHANGHAI MIST, 2-APPLAUD THE BENCH, 3-LIGHT UP
SHANGHAI MIST is a nose away from having won two of her last three starts this year. The 5-year-old mare won a conditional $5,000 claimer on Jan. 7, finished second by a nose on Jan. 21, and was beaten a half-length after a remarkable rally in the final furlong Feb. 17. The latter race was all the more impressive considering Shanghai Mist chased a slow pace. This race should have a faster pace thanks to APPLAUD THE BENCH and Dress Rehearsal. Applaud the Bench, who was scratched on Sunday in favor of this race, drew the inside post and figures to be prominent early in an attempt to end a two-race losing streak. William Antongeorgi takes the mount from apprentice Adrian Escobedo. LIGHT UP beat Shanghai Mist on Feb. 12 for her second win in her last three starts. Light Up should be well-placed to finish in the top three, and possibly win.
FIFTH RACE
1-KERRY GOLD, 2-IDIOT’S GOLD, 3-GALLAND DE BESOS
The top three selections have race experience and are capable of wins. KERRY GOLD returned from a nine-month layoff to finish a game third in a race at this level Feb. 19. He tracked the pace and was closest to the front at the wire. In this field, Kerry Gold should be in pursuit of Galland de Besos. IDIOT’S GOLD has tested the patience of bettors this winter, finishing second and fourth as the odds-on favorite in maiden races. He figures to be a factor from off the pace and can record a breakthrough win in his sixth start. Idiot’s Gold will be fitted with blinkers for the first time. GALLAND DE BESOS may set the pace, a style that led to a nose loss in a game performance Feb. 19 in his fourth start. Interestingly, jockey William Antongeorgi rides Kerry Gold, leaving Galland de Besos to Santos Rivera for the first time.
SIXTH RACE
1-DIZZY DAMURA, 2-TWO TWELVE, 3-PETE’S INFERNO
DIZZY DAMURA was a game second by a nose in a $4,000 claimer for nonwinners of two at six furlongs on Feb. 17 in her first start against winners and returns in the same sort of race at a slightly shorter distance of 5 1/2 furlongs. She figures to be a factor from the off the pace and will have runners to follow. TWO TWELVE is a maiden after five starts and faces winners for the first time. She is quick enough to lead, but has yet to hold on throughout, finishing second and third in her last two starts in maiden claimers. This is her debut for trainer Jack Steiner who does well with recent claims. Top rider Assael Espinoza keeps the mount. PETE’S INFERNO needed 15 races to beat maidens in an $8,000 claimer on Dec. 26 and has finished third and fifth in her last two starts. She should have been closer when fifth behind Dizzy Dazmura on Feb. 17 after a slow start and traffic in the stretch. Pete’s Inferno was only beaten a nose and neck for third that day.
SEVENTH RACE
1-ON RAGLAN ROAD, 2-ECOLOGIST, 3-POUR ON THE COLE
ON RAGLAN ROAD showed remarkable improvement from his first start of the year in January to finish a game second by a nose in a race at this conditional $4,000 claiming level Feb. 17. Those are On Raglan Road’s only two starts since an eight-month layoff. A four-time winner, On Raglan Road has the outside post in this field of seven. If he breaks well, he figures to be near the front early. ECOLOGIST will start for the first time for trainer Sam Calvario, who claimed the 6-year-old for $4,000 on Feb. 17. Ecologist was well-beaten by Exclusive Speaker and On Raglan Road in that race after a wide trip. Calvario has had a fine start to the current meeting, winning with 23 percent of his starters, and with five of his last 10 runners since Feb. 19. POUR ON THE COLE takes a slight drop in class, having finished a well-beaten fourth in a conditional $6,250 claimer on Feb. 19. He won at this level in November from a tracking position.
EIGHTH RACE
1-MISS IVES, 2-PACIFIC ZIP, 3-SURFLINE
MISS IVES has finished third and second in her last two starts in $25,000 claimers for maidens since late January when she returned from a layoff of more than 10 months. On Feb. 18, Miss Ives closed from sixth in a field of seven to lead in the stretch, finishing second by a half-length to the Santa Anita shipper Olivia’s Choice. Miss Ives should be able to handle this class hike. PACIFIC ZIP drew the outside post in this field of nine, which should aid her stalking style. Pacific Zip was second by three lengths in a race at this level Feb. 5, her first start in more than eight months. She should be near the front in a race without a clear front-runner. SURFLINE has not raced since May when she was a well-beaten fifth of nine in a maiden race on turf at Golden Gate Fields. Based at Santa Anita with trainer Neil Drysdale, Surfline has worked well on the infield training track there in recent weeks for her return to racing and first start on the synthetic track since she finished second by a length in a maiden race last April. Drysdale’s stable is capable of winning with runners returning from lengthy layoffs.
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