Top Harbor must run down Clovisconnection in Oak Tree Sprint

Top Harbor has been a mainstay in the Northern California sprint division, winning five stakes in the last four years.

The Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton has been pivotal to that success. A winner of 3 of 4 starts at Pleasanton, Top Harbor makes his 2024 debut in Saturday’s $50,000 Oak Tree Sprint at six furlongs, a race he won last year and nearly won in 2021.

To succeed this year, Top Harbor races against a daunting rival in Clovisconnection, a five-time stakes winner who is expected to set the pace.

Top Harbor, trained by Tim McCanna, will be closing. Top Harbor’s layoff since November does not concern McCanna as much as the presence of Clovisconnection, who is trained by Blaine Wright and will be a strong favorite.

“The horse of Blaine’s is really tough,” McCanna said. “We need to sneak up on that guy.”

Top Harbor has been sharp after lengthy rests since his career began with a win in a maiden race at Pleasanton in June 2020. Top Harbor has returned to racing after breaks of two months to nearly a year four times and finished in the first two in his comeback on each occasion.

The Oak Tree Sprint will be Top Harbor’s first start since a third-place finish at 11-10 in the Oakland Stakes at six furlongs last November at Golden Gate Fields.

Top Harbor was turned out after working once in December.

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“I figured it was a good time to give him a break,” McCanna said.

Owned by Gordon Jarnig, Kenny Marshall, and Eric Schweiger, Top Harbor resumed workouts in early April.

“I think he’s ready,” McCanna said. “He likes this track. He’ll give a good account of himself.”

Clovisconnection will be ridden by William Antongeorgi, who has been aboard the colt for three wins in the last year, including a three-length win in an allowance race on May 26 at Golden Gate Fields.

“I’m thinking we’ll be on the pace,” Antongeorgi said. “He ran really well last time. He broke sharp and sat off that horse inside of him and drew away.

“He seems to get over the track really well. I’m looking forward to a good run for him.

“The good thing is he’s versatile. He’s run at Fresno, Santa Anita, Seattle, Santa Rosa, and Golden Gate and pretty much runs on anything.”

The Oak Tree Sprint drew a field of six. Clovisconnection and Top Harbor are the only stakes winners. Doo Wop Don, winner of an allowance race at a mile and 70 yards on June 16 at Pleasanton, will have his stakes debut in his 40th start.

The other entrants are Lmlookinformischief, Sharona’s Wild Boy, and Talbot Bay.

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