Whisper Not will have company out front in San Francisco Mile

Golden Gate Fields may shine again this weekend with the return of the California Gold Rush – eight stakes including a Saturday six-pack that features the speed-heavy Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on turf.

The outstanding 12-race card commands attention, which was the objective two years ago when Golden Gate built a spring weekend around its signature race. After a Gold Rush pause last year due to the pandemic, racing secretary Patrick Mackey looks forward to recreating momentum.

“Gold Rush weekend was put together [in 2019] to find a day to put Golden Gate on the map, to give us a day – a week before the Derby – when there’s not a lot going on around the country,” Mackey said. “It’s a day that [attracts] Southern California horsemen.”

It also is a day that appeals to bettors. Golden Gate handled more than $14 million over the two-day Gold Rush in 2019, and there is plenty to choose from this year. The San Francisco Mile, race 9, is one of six stakes on races 7-12. As usual, Northern California’s biggest race drew plenty of Southern California firepower. And a ton of speed.

Five of the eight entrants ship from Santa Anita, including speedball 3-1 program favorite Whisper Not, front-runner Brown Storm, 10-year-old Ohio, and late-runners Border Town and Restrainedvengence. The locals are Grade 1-winning mare Keeper Ofthe Stars, and additional front-runners in Kiwi’s Dream and Diamond Blitz.

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The undercard includes the $100,000 California Derby, race 8 on the main track, led by Southern California shipper Parnelli. The $75,000 Golden Poppy, race 7 for turf fillies and mares, attracted Southern California shippers Colonial Creed and Guitty. Race 10 is the $75,000 California Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on the main track.

Race 11 is the $75,000 Camilla Urso, a filly-mare turf sprint. The $75,000 Lost in the Fog, race 12 at six furlongs on the main track, includes multiple stakes winners Baja Sur and Anyportinastorm. Average field size for the Saturday stakes is nearly 9.0 per race.

A pair of $75,000 stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds at a mile on turf will be run Sunday – the Silky Sullivan and Campanile for fillies.

Golden Gate’s long-term goal is for the San Francisco Mile to resume West Coast prominence.

“We decided to boost the purse a couple years ago,” Mackey said, referring to the two-fold increase to $200,000 in 2018. The purse has been $250,000 since 2019.

Mackey hopes to “try to get it upgraded to a Grade 2, and long term get it to a Grade 1.” That might be a tough sell to the graded stakes committee, but there is no waiting around for the 2021 San Francisco Mile, which could unfold at a blazing pace.

Whisper Not blazed to a front-running allowance win last out at Santa Anita, running a mile on turf in 1:33.32. His time was more than one second faster than Hit the Road’s 1:34.48 two races later in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile.

Richard Baltas trains Whisper Not, an import from England who finished in the money in his first three U.S. starts without a win. Last out, jockey Flavien Prat simply let him rip.

“It was the jockey’s decision,” Baltas said regarding strategy. Prat “said he tried him reel him in, but he wanted to take hold of the bit. So, he let him.”

The result was a dazzling show of speed. Whisper Not opened up by 10 lengths in 45.30 seconds and never looked back. He won by a diminishing 1 1/4 lengths. Baltas expects similar tactics Saturday.

“I wish I could slow him down, but he’s got a mind of his own,” Baltas said. “He’s just hard to ride.”

Geovanni Franco will be on Whisper Not for the first time in a race; he has worked the colt in the morning. Whisper Not’s challenge is to carry his speed over a Golden Gate turf course less speed-friendly than Santa Anita’s.

Border Town is listed 7-2, having improved since he was gelded last summer. Richard Mandella trains Border Town, recent runner-up in a fast allowance won by North County Guy, the likely favorite in the Crystal Water on Saturday at Santa Anita, race 1.

“He’s very good right now,” Mandella said regarding Border Town, adding that the lively pace scenario should flatter his closing style. Evin Roman, second-leading rider at Golden Gate, will ride Border Town for the first time.

Southern California-based trainer Michael McCarthy starts two – Brown Storm with Golden Gate leading rider Kyle Frey and Ohio with Rickey Gonzalez. Brown Storm adds fuel to the pace, while versatile Grade 1 winner Ohio is still getting it done. He won a $75,000 stakes race last out at Turf Paradise.

Restrainedvengence has won eight races and $642,182; Keeper Ofthe Stars won the Grade 1 Gamely last spring at Santa Anita; Kiwi’s Dream finished second in the San Francisco Mile last year; Diamond Blitz is an overmatched claiming horse listed at 30-1.