Turkish Tabby, Coachwhip rematched in Golden Poppy

Saturday’s $50,000-added Golden Poppy for fillies and mares at Golden Gate Fields reunites several runners from the April 13 allowance prep.

The second-, third-, and fifth-place finishers of that race are back, along with a pair of last-out winners. The race was run over a yielding turf course and won by Pyscho Sister, who subsequently led early before finishing 10th in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. The prep was run at a mile, while the Golden Poppy is at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Turkish Tabby set the pace in the prep before settling for second in her turf debut. Favored Coachwhip was an even third in the race. Dreamarcher, like Turkish Tabby trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, was fifth, the same place she finished in last year’s Golden Poppy.

Turkish Tabby lost by a nose to Fast and Foxy in the six-furlong Camilla Urso Stakes in March 2017 on the Golden Gate Tapeta before going to the sidelines for nearly 11 months. She’s made three starts since returning, running second in two starts here and finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita at Santa Anita.

Hollendorfer believes she’ll handle what should be a firm course Saturday quite well.

Coachwhip ran second in last December’s Miss America on the turf here. She ran in the Golden Poppy prep off a two-month break.

“I hope she’ll run as well as she did last time,” trainer Jedd Josephson said.

Stakes-placed Bella Luma brings a two-race win streak into the Golden Poppy, and Not Now Carolyn will make her Northern California debut after an optional-claiming win at Santa Anita. Paddy’s Secret won the Sun City Handicap at Turf Paradise earlier this year.

Key Contenders

Turkish Tabby, by Eskendereya

Last 3 Beyers: 84-80-82

◗ Hollendorfer said his goal for her is to win a route stakes.

Coachwhip, by So You Think

Last 3 Beyers: 83-74-84

◗ Both her wins, as well as her second in the Miss America and third in the Golden Poppy prep, came over yielding or good turf.

Dalsaros, by Unbridled’s Song

Last 3 Beyers: 78-78-73

◗ Led to the stretch and finished fifth in an optional claimer April 7 at Santa Anita.

$50,000 pick five guarantee

Golden Gate Fields will guarantee the late pick five pool at $50,000 for the final five Sundays of the meet, beginning this Sunday. The late pick five is a 50-cent minimum bet on the final five races of the card.

“We would like to offer a further incentive for our dedicated horseplayers who watch and wager on Golden Gate,” said David Duggan, Golden Gate general manager.

First post is 12:45 p.m. for Sundays May 13, 20, 27 and June 3, 10.