Tackers Girl unlikely to be alone on lead

ALBANY, Calif. - A pair of recent graduates meeting winners for the first time provide a handicapping puzzle in Golden Gate Fields's co-features on the holiday Monday card.

Tackers Girl, never worse than second in three starts here, steps up to the $40,000 starter allowance level in a six-furlong race for fillies and mares. A 5-year-old mare, Tackers Girl was a three-length wire-to-wire winner in a $16,000 maiden claimer in her last start.

She may find winners tougher here after getting away with slow fractions of 23.11 and 46.62 seconds in the maiden affair.

Single Charm, second in four straight starts, Old Court's Cat, and Graceful Stepper all figure to be faster early than Tackers Girl.

Single Charm has stalked nicely in her past two starts at this level. She finished evenly in both races but finished ahead of Graceful Stepper in both starts. She could get the lead here if she wants.

Old Court's Cat drops back into a sprint here after finishing second to an unbeaten runner in her last start. She stalked decent fractions and finished well, and she could provide a tough challenge for Single Charm in the lane.

Golden Starlight, a $145,000 yearling purchase, meets five rivals at 1 1/8 miles in the day's co-feature. A 4-year-old gelding, he graduated for a $32,000 claiming price in his fourth start, winning a tough stretch battle by a nose. It was his first start against claimers.

All the runners in the race are making their first start at the distance, and Golden Starlight's breeding seems to indicate the longer the race the better for him.

There is decent speed, and his off-the-pace style seems well suited in this spot. Mine the Gold, who battled on the lead before fading late on the turf against similar, will again face the challenge of Summer Sport early.

Another Gear, second ahead of Mine the Gold and Summer Sport last time, has the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure and finished well to lose a photo after being second in $12,500 company in his previous start.

Maddy Sprint attracts 10

Ten California-breds were nominated for next Saturday's $100,000 Ken Maddy Sprint at six furlongs.

Green Team, never worse than second in six starts since being claimed for $32,000 last July at Vallejo, is the likely favorite after winning the Cal Cup Sprint Handicap and running second in both the On Trust Handicap and Sunshine Millions Sprint in his past three starts.

His work will be cut out for him, though, with El Dorado Shooter gearing up for yet another comeback. The 7-year-old El Dorado Shooter has been off eight months but has a strong series of drills for his comeback, including a bullet 1:10.60 six-furlong work last Friday.