Golden Gate Fields - 11/18

GOLDEN

GATE NOTEBOOK

NOVEMBER 18

by Gary Granade

Golden Gate Fields opened its 2004-2005 meeting Wednesday with

a victory for the First Wives Club.

A LIL' ALIMONY (Mr. Procrastinator), a two-year-old filly

owned by five divorced women that race their horses under the

ownership name of First Wives Club, scored a wire-to-wire win in

the first race of the 59-day season.

A Lil' Alimony made her career debut in the five-furlong dash

for maiden fillies and she won the race by two lengths. The even-money

favorite, A Lil' Alimony was timed in :57.99 on a muddy racetrack

and paid $4.20.

Trained by Greg Gilchrist and ridden by Macario Rodriguez, the

filly earned $9,075 for her owners. However, the ladies were not

in attendance. The divorcees, perhaps spending some of their

alimony, are currently enjoying a vacation in Cancun.

New racing secretary Sean Greely received a rude introduction

to racing reality in Northern California for his opening-day card

on Wednesday.

Plans to open the meeting with a stakes race had to be altered

when weather conditions and the uncertainty of the availability

of the Lakeside Turf Course caused the Star Ball H. not to fill,

forcing the race to be postponed.

Under Northern California's new race schedule, geared in part

to spread wet-weather dates between Golden Gate Fields and Bay

Meadows, Golden Gate's usual 100+ day meet was cut to 58 days and

will run through January 30. Golden Gate Fields will run its next

meet from May 11-June 19.

The Star Ball was run on Sunday over a yielding turf course

and was taken by FRISCO BELLE (El Prado [Ire]) from the Gilchrist

barn.

Sent off as the next to longest shot in the race, Frisco Belle

had good position behind the leaders early. She split rivals in

the lane and went on to score by three-quarters of a length and

returned $22.60.

The place went to Stormica (Storm Cat) in a three-horse photo

with Shezsospiritual (Fly Till Dawn) and Shalini (Urgent Request).

Stormica, sent off as the 3-1 second choice, suffered a tough

trip and was probably best.

The main track, which wasn't fast all week, played relatively

fair, favoring inside speed on Wednesday and Thursday. There was

only one race run over the turf course.

Francisco Duran is the leading rider with eight wins after the

first week, with David Lopez in second with six. Roberto Gonzalez

and Russell Baze are tied for third with five apiece. Baze, the

Hall of Famer and NoCal Kingpin, only began riding on Saturday

due to his recent suspension.

Gilchrist could not be hotter, having won with all four

starters to top the trainer's race. Greg James, Ed Moger and Bill

Morey each have three wins. Perennial leader Jerry Hollendorfer

is off to a slow start with only two wins from his first 19

starters.

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (11/10)

1ST - DIVINE MARK (Benchmark) chased all the way but could not

catch the odds-on winner. It was a promising debut for a barn

that never wins with first timers. She should be ready to score next out.

Thursday (11/11)

1ST - FINAL FINALE (Smokester) came up huge in his first start

off the Moger claim, having been haltered from a low percentage

barn. Should be well placed next out.

Friday (11/12)

2ND - FLYING ALIBI (Flying Continental) failed to fire in her

first start for a low percentage barn and did not appear to care

for the muddy track. Claimed by Hollendorfer and should bounce

back.

Saturday (11/13)

2ND - BOSSA RIO (Red Ransom) closed strongly in his debut,

earning a big Late Pace figure, and only missed by a nose to the

3-5 favorite. He finished 13 lengths clear of the field and is

sitting on a win for Art Sherman.

6TH - RAGINGBLUEWATER (Thorn Dance) showed in his previous

start that he wanted no part of a wet track, but was bet down to

even money anyway. He predictably did not handle the mud this

time either. Look for him on a fast track.

Sunday (11/14)

1ST - GOLD LODE (Muqtarib) was hammered down to 6-5 for her

debut off a blazing work tab but floundered in the mud. Give her

another try on a fast track.

9TH - ICICLE RIDGE (Devil On Ice) didn't beat much in her

debut, but did it with style and recorded a time that was several

ticks faster than par at every call. Hard to hold vs. two

lifetime conditioned claimers.