Three on a roll, only one can win

ALBANY, Calif. - Three runners will be seeking hat tricks in Friday's Golden Gate Fields feature, a $62,500 optional claimer for 3-year-olds at six furlongs.

Sacred Senor, Mr. Fondue, and Makalapua each have two straight victories.

Sacred Senor has won two straight since finishing fifth in his career debut. He'll be making his first start since Nov. 18, when he rallied four wide on the turn to win a $40,000 starter allowance race. Sacred Senor has the best last-race Beyer in a sprint where no one shows much early speed.

He's had four works since Dec. 1 for trainer Art Sherman, who started the week with 1,498 victories.

Mr. Fondue won $25,000 claimers in his last two starts. Mr. Fondue also will be saddled by Sherman, who claimed him from Doug O'Neill in the first of the horse's two victories. Mr. Fondue has won 4 of 9 career starts.

Makalapua was a maiden when he beat a $32,000 starter allowance field at Bay Meadows on Oct. 31. He came right back to win a $40,000 starter allowance at Golden Gate Fields on Dec. 10.

He has had three works, including a bullet half-mile drill, since his last start. He is trained by Doug Utley.

Competition in the race goes deeper than those three. Greatdayinthelake lost to Indian Weaver in his debut at Solano and then, coming off a six-week freshener, defeated Makalapua.

Indian Weaver won the Northwest Stallion Stakes at Emerald Downs on Aug. 7 for his lone victory. He's had three bullet works for trainer Ed Moger Jr. since returning from nearly three months on the sidelines.

Two put in late works

Aisle Light, who won her two starts at the meet impressively, worked just before noon over a muddy track Wednesday. She was clocked in 1:00 for five furlongs by Bay Meadows clocker Art Lobato.

Trained by Jim Hilling, Aisle Light won a maiden race off an 11-month layoff by seven lengths and an allowance race by 3 1/4 lengths. She was third to multiple stakes winner Marwood in her debut.

Multiple stakes winner Pheiffer worked five furlongs over a sloppy track before the first race Sunday. Trainer Donna Elordi said her mare went in 1:02, but no clockers timed the work.