Zee Topper sitting on good trip

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Zee Topper, who has run fourth and second since returning from a nearly seven-week layoff, will try to return to her winning ways in Friday's Alameda County Fair feature, a $20,000 claimer at one mile and 70 yards.

Zee Topper had a three-race win streak while moving up the claiming ladder from $8,000 to Friday's $20,000 level before getting her brief break. She has two works since her runner-up effort on May 24 at Golden Gate Fields.

She has five rivals, four of whom have been running primarily on the turf, and the fifth, Annie Oakleaf, who has made her last two starts on Hollywood Park's Cushion Track.

Zee Topper, a 7-year-old mare, has been a late bloomer for trainer Art Sherman. She won three times last year and has three wins this year. She has seven victories. She draws the rail here and figures to get a good stalking trip under Juan Ochoa.

Without a great deal of speed signed up for the race, Annie Oakleaf appears the likely candidate to set the pace, as she did on April 27 at Hollywood Park.

Heavenly Plan brings a two-race win streak into the race, but both of those victories came on the turf. Prior to the wins, she had four straight runner-up finishes, each also on the turf.

Weekend stakes

Six 2-year-old fillies will run in Saturday's $45,000-added Juan Gonzalez Memorial at five furlongs.

Alonewiththestorm, Carbella, Livia La Vida Loca, Sassy Blend, Tiz Madison and Two Thirds Victory will go in the race, named for the jockey who suffered fatal injuries in a spill here in 1976.

Sassy Blend and Alonewiththestorm are the lone members of the field with stakes experience, having run sixth and seventh in the Cinderella at Hollywood Park on May 27.

Trainer Jeff Bonde, who won the race with Untouched Talent in her debut last year, will send out Tiz Madison, who also is making her debut.

Sunday's $50,000-added Everett Nevin Alameda County Futurity drew 11 nominees. Bonde said that he would enter Run Brother Ron and Deputy Bertrando in that five-furlong race for 2-year-olds.

* First post for both Saturdays this meet has been changed from 12:35 p.m. to 12:15 p.m. to align better with Hollywood Park, which has a noon first post each day.

* Former Golden Gate Fields track record-holder for six furlongs Smoke Till Dawn ran second in a $3,200 claiming race on opening day here Wednesday in his first start since March 3, 2005. He finished second to Gone Cattin and went to trainer Billy Morey in a two-way shake with John Martin. Both have trained Smoke Till Dawn before.