MATT DINERMAN S SELECTIONS Saturday, December 8, 2018: Day 31 of the 32-Day Fall Meet ***SPECIAL EARLY FIRST POST TIME: 11:45 AM*** ***Golden Gate Fields track announcer Matt Dinerman provides handicapping analysis every day. To listen to Matt s analysis, please tune in to the Golden Gate Fields simulcast feed. Analysis for each race will take place right after the post parade. Pick 4, Pick 5 and Pick 6 tickets will be presented while the horses are circling in the paddock before the first leg of each ticket. *** ***HANDICAPPING AS IF THE RACES WILL BE TAKEN OFF TURF*** Race 1: #4 Love Solution, #5 Secret Wind, #6 Orca Race 2: #8 Eddie and the King, #5 Unusually Big, #4 Pepper Magic Race 3: #6 Zoning, #8 Sweet Congrats, #3 Just Kathy Race 4: #6 Burnthewhiteflag, #5 Lil Awecim, #8 Nevada Wild Cat Race 5: #6 Rose Princess, #5 Brahms Command, #3 Silk Ransom Race 6: #3 Cylinders, #9 Night of Idiots, #1 Golly G By Jiminee Race 7: #4 Birdie Gold, #9 Mybluebell, #8 Shehastheritestuff Race 8: #7 Lacey s Rainbow, #3 Happy Issue, #6 Toomuchisnotenough Race 9: #4 Pyscho Sister, #8 Bella Luma, #5 Fizzy Friday Race 10: #3 Isa Firecracker, #2 Spring Heat, #7 Helen s Tiger Race 11: #1 Sophia Del Sol, #6 Wish You Were Mine, #4 Our Slick Chick Race 12 #9 May Song, #10 Plum Wild, #5 Majestic Bella 50-Cent Early Pick 5 ($24) 20-Cent Pick 6 ($64.80) R1: 4,5 R7: 1,3,4,7,8,9 R2: 4,5,8 R8: 3,6,7 R3: 6,8 R9: 4 R4: 5,6 R10: 2,3 R5: 5,6 R11: 1,4,6 R12: 5,9,10 50-Cent Late Pick 4 ($36) R9: 3,4,5,8 R10: 2,3,7 R11: 1,6 R12: 5,9,10 SCROLL FOR FULL CARD ANALYSIS!!
FULL CARD ANALYSIS: By Matt Dinerman irace 1 (Maiden claimer): #4 LOVE SOLUTION gets the nod in the opener. This filly comes off a solid second place finish at this condition, finishing ¾ of a length behind COASTAL STARLITE, who came back to run third in a starter allowance last week. #5 SECRET WIND makes her third lifetime start after a poor finish against Cal-bred maiden special weight company. That day, she was vying for the lead in upper stretch when a rival came in on her. She had to steady to avoid clipping heels, dropped back sharply and lost all chance at that point. She wouldn t have hit the board regardless but it s a noteworthy issue she encountered, nonetheless, and this class drop should help her. #6 ORCA ships in from Southern California after failing to make an impression in either of her races against tougher company. She can improve now that she ll be facing an easier field here in Northern California. Race 2 (Claimer): #8 EDDIE AND THE KING fits in this spot. The son of Square Eddie was last seen at this condition contending for the win before bumping a number of times with the eventual winner. The contact might have cost him the win (but there was no DQ as the stewards ruled the contact was mutual). He ll be tough with his best race. #6 REVERCHON is a mare facing boys. She drops in class after a poor effort sprinting 6 days ago. Her two and three back races, both in the money finishes against tougher, were going a route of ground, which is the game she plays here. A repeat of those two aforementioned efforts makes her a legit player. #5 UNUSUALLY BIG only finished a length and three quarters behind our top pick after breaking poorly that day. He could be right there with the top pick if he gets out of the gates better today. Race 3 (Maiden Claimer): #6 ZONING was an average-looking third last time out against maiden special weight competition and drops in class. This easier group should be to her liking. #8 SWEET CONGRATS cuts back a furlong and a half after a poor effort on the dirt at Del Mar. Her best races have come on grass; usually turf form transfers nicely to the synthetics. Her speed figures indicate she can be competitive against this group, too. #5 LIP SYNC had to steady multiple times in a traffic filled trip on November 29. That last run came against maiden 8k claimers; she wheels back quickly and faces tougher here, but a clean trip might be all she needs to make some noise at a price. Race 4 (Claimer): #6 BURNTHEWHITEFLAG gets back to routing after a fivelength loss against 12.5k sprinting claimers last month. He is in for the 4k claiming tag here, so he faces a lot easier this time, and keep in mind his only two route tries resulted in decent efforts against high level maiden claiming company earlier in the year. My play at a price (8-1 on the morning line.) #5 LIL AWECIM is another one dropping from the 12.5k claiming condition to this 4k level. The Tim McCanna trainee has never faced a field this easy before; that should only be to his benefit. #8 NEVADA WILD CAT had to make a wide rally in his first start against winners last month and made up good ground late. It was a credible effort in a race in which he dealt with a less than ideal trip. Exotics player, at the very least.
Race 5 (Allowance): #6 ROSE PRINCESS broke her maiden easily last time out, which was her second career route race. Princess stalked the pace in her maiden triumph and we expect her to do the same in this event, which has a decent amount of speed signed on. #5 BRAHMS COMMAND ran second in her only career route try, the Pike Place Dancer Stakes. In that stake, she got aggressive early and dragged her rider to the front. They were able to get a clear lead that day and it only helped her cause. That said, with a few stretch out sprinters entered in this spot, at least one of them is guaranteed to keep this gal company up front, which could compromise her chances. Nonetheless, she s the one to beat. #3 SILK RANSOM is a half sibling to Grade I winner JOKING that routes for the first time in this spot. Her sire was a Grade 2 winning router and her dam won a pair of routes; pedigree says she could enjoy the added distance. Race 6 (Claimer): #3 CYLINDERS showed a new dimension and sat well off the pace last time out before producing a nice rally down the lane, winding up third in the end. There s not as much speed signed on here and this gal likes to be fairly close to the front; good chance she runs another big one here. #9 NIGHT OF IDIOTS is a steadily improving filly that comes off a decent starter allowance victory last month. Another one that has speed in a race that lacks a ton of pace for a sprint, expect her to get a good trip drawn outside. #1 GOLLY G BY JIMINEE nosed out our top pick for second in an October 28 race at this level. She s run twice since then, both races resulting in fourth place finishes against allowance company. She s back in for a claiming tag here, but she ll have to deal with an undesirable post position and keep in mind her trainer is just 1 for 30 (3%) this meet. Race 7 (First Division: Miss America Stakes) #2 SWEET CHARITY makes her second start off an eight and a half month vacation for Southern California conditioner John Sadler. In her first start off the break, she ran a gallant third in the Grade 3 Kathryn Crosby at Del Mar. There s reason to believe she ll be even more fit with a race under her belt in the current form cycle. #7 LYNNE S LEGACY was reclaimed by trainer Doug O Neill after he lost this gal via claim two races back. The re-claim is a positive sign; maybe Doug thinks he can do some more good work with this mare? #9 MYBLUEBELL will be happy that this event is moved off the turf; she has run great in all four career synthetic races and comes into this having just won an allowance race over the GGF Tapeta in October. A bullet six-furlong drill on November 25 may be a signal that she s ready to run another good one. Race 8 (Claimer): #9 PATTIN FOR A DANCE is my play of the day (8-1 on the morning line). She sports an eye-popping 9 for 14 record over this Golden Gate Tapeta and drops in class after a pair of hard-trying, fourth place finishes against allowance company. She lost to #10 Lady Chrome two starts ago, yes, but that race came on turf and Pattin for a Dance is a lot more effective on Tapeta. We think she can run a winning race against this group while on her favorite surface. #3 HAPPY ISSUE is another one that appears to enjoy the Tapeta; 6 of her 7 lifetime wins have come over this GGF main track. First off the claim for Steve Sherman, this filly most recently scored a game win on November 10 and sports a bullet work prepping for
today s appearance. #7 LACEY S RAINBOW cuts back from a route to a sprint and should be very fit for this run. Her last try sprinting came at Del Mar in July, when she finished third behind HELEN S TIGER, who is a main contender in the Bear Fan Stakes later on in the card. Race 9 (Second Division: Miss America Stakes) #4 PYSCHO SISTER is the lone speed; most of the fillies and mares in this field are midpack and closer types. There s a strong chance Sister steals this race on the front end. #8 BELLA LUMA only lost by a length and a half to graded stakes winners EDITORE and FLAMBOYANT in the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap last time out and would be a major player if she can run back to that performance. The fact that this race is moved off the turf only helps this gal considering the aforementioned run over this track resulted in a career high speed figure. Look for her to be stalking the pace; she s got a little more tactical speed than other competitors. #5 FIZZY FRIDAY is 2 for 2 over synthetic surfaces and merits respect for that reason alone. Sharp Southern California trainer Phil D Amato assigns veteran jockey Aaron Gryder to ride. Race 10 (Bear Fan Stakes): #3 ISA FIRECRACKER is 4 for 5 on the Golden Gate Tapeta and has tactical speed to where she can lay off our second choice, #2 SPRING HEAT, and get a great, stalking trip. This ultra talented filly has been working quickly in preparation for this race and should be ready to rumble. #2 SPRING HEAT will attempt to go gate-to-wire. The Cliff DeLima trainee is the speed of the speed and strolls into this stake fresh off a sharp victory on November 4. #7 HELEN S TIGER has run solid races against open-allowance company down south and should be taken seriously in this Cal-bred restricted stake for Team O Neill. Race 11 (Starter Allowance): #1 SOPHIA DEL SOL makes her second start off an 11 month layoff for trainer Steve Sherman, who wins at 22% with runners making their second start off a break. In her first race off the hiatus, this miss ran fourth, sprinting at this condition. She gets to routing now; her only career route try resulted in a 5 length maiden win. This capper feels she has wanted to route all along and that her last race was simply a tune up for this. #4 OUR SLICK CHICK is one of two runners competing for Jerry Hollendorfer. She comes off a four and a half length win against 12.5k claiming company and is protected in this starter allowance spot. #6 WISH YOU WERE MINE is the other Hollendorfer entrant, having just run third at this level behind next out winner IT S ALEXUS. Race 12 (Maiden Special Weight): #9 MAY SONG makes her second lifetime start for a trainer that typically doesn t have his horses fully cranked in their career debuts. In her first career race two and a half weeks ago, this filly showed speed and dueled before tiring late and finishing fourth. She had reportedly been working well heading into her first career race and, visually, looked like a filly who might have needed the run. Taking a shot with this second time starter in the nightcap. #10 PLUM WILD makes her third start in the form cycle after two in the money finishes to kick off her career. It s just a matter of time before she gets her picture taken. #5
MAJESTIC BELLA cuts back in distance after a third place finish going long on the turf. She ll be really fit and possesses appeal for that reason alone. GOOD LUCK! J