Saturday (6/9) at Golden Gate Fields

[Pathagan]

Just 6 days of racing left at the long Golden Gate meet. Some hopes on today's 10-race card.

Race 6 (100K Silky Sullivan Stakes): #4 Pepnic (12/1) came back too quick off that solid 4-length maiden score on May 5th. Owner/trainer/breeder Alex Paszkeicz ran him back 7 days later (versus Stoney Fleece and Chips All In here in the 75K Alcatraz Stakes). He expectedly bounced that day, but didn't disgrace himself when 5 lengths behind Stoney Fleece. Big jock switch today (Herrera to Cedillo) and he's worked three times since that last effort. Will need to improve quite a bit to win here, but at his price, I'm taking a shot.

Race 8: #3 Beezaroo (3/1) improved tremendously when switched to the sod by trainer Victor Trujillo (longtime assistant to recently retired trainer Chuck Jenda) when finishing 3rd at 26/1 on May 19th. The Action This Day filly should show further improvement in her 2nd go over the Lakeside Turf Course and hot-riding Alejandro Gomez stays aboard. Two works since the good effort are noted and though she's going to be nowhere near 26/1 today, she looks the part.

Race 9: #4 Moonlite Classic (8/1) is 0-for-10, has been sent off at odds of 14/1, 17.1, 26/1, 48/1 and 53/1 in her last 5 starts - only hitting the board in one of those starts - stops in the stretch in every race......all the cliches in the book. HOWEVER, she does shorten up in distance today to 5 1/2 furlongs, plots as the LONE speed of the race (like she's been in some of her recent efforts) and could get away from this bad lot in the lane for owner/trainer Daniel Franko. She only finished 2 lengths behind the winner (Benecia Sea Breeze) on 5/27 and that was her best career effort to date.

Going into today's action, here are the meet-to-date stats for the spot plays:
Races Played: 88
Races Won: 10
Win %: 11%
ITM %: 42% (88/10-10-17)
Money Bet: $176
Money Won: $150.20
ROI (for every $2 win wager): $1.71


Best of luck to all.

[Pathagan]

One winner, one third and one fourth with the spot plays today. The recap:

Race 6 choice PEPNIC, sent off as the longest price in the field at 25/1, raced last early off fair fractions while wide, advanced up a few spots at the top of the lane and got 3rd money - just 2 1/2 lengths behind winner Summer Hit. Improved effort by the Paszkeicz trainee. Look for him to resurface on the sod at Santa Rosa.

Race 8 pick BEEZAROO, bet down late from 9/2 to 5/2, sat midpack early off moderate splits, came up on the outside for the 2nd turn and roared to the lead in midstretch to win easily at $7.40 under Gomez.

Race 9 pick MOONLITE CLASSIC, off at 6/1, raced to the lead (as expected), but the opening quarter of 22 flat did her in late - as she quit in the stretch to finish 4th. The Pleasanton meet starts up in 10 days and that speed-favoring dirt surface will no doubt aid her if the connections decide to run her there.


With today's action in the books, here's the meet-to-date recap for the spot plays:

Races Played: 91
Races Won: 11
Win %: 12%
ITM %: 43% (91/11-10-18)
Money Bet: $182
Money Won: $157.60
ROI (for every $2 win wager): $1.75