The first stakes of the 2022 Alameda County Fair horse racing meet stakes place Saturrday as the running of She’s A Tiger takes place in Pleasanton.
The race is named for She’s A Tiger, the 2013 Eclipse award winner for Champion 2-year-old filly. She made her debut start at the Alameda County Fair meet for trainer and Pleasanton native Jeff Bonde, rolling to a 9-length win. She ended her 2-year-old season by officially running second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
She’s A Tiger crossed the line first but was disqualified after a controversial decision.
Saturday, the race is the seventh on the Pleasanton card and set for a 4:45 p.m. post.
There are 10 fillies and mares set to go to post in the 1-1/16 mile test.
Traditionally, the Pleasanton track shows a speed bias, especially when the weather gets over 90 degrees, which is exactly where the forecast is for the day.
There is no shortage of speed in this race as 7-of-the-10 runners have shown a fondness for getting on the lead, leaving a huge chance to set up for a closer.
Assignation (Steve Sherman trainer, William Antongeorgi III jockey, 8/1) appears to be the most likely to gain advantage from a fast pace.
The horse has closed well in all but one of her five starts this year, with one win and three seconds to show for the effort. Antongeorgi is a skilled and seasoned rider, one that can negotiate his horse from the back on a move forward to the front. The horse also had a solid work over the track on June 19. Drawing the rail is of no concern as he can look to move outside easily and pick his preferred lane.
Northwest Factor (Manny Badilla, Pedro Terrero, 7/2) is one I guess we can include as a closer, based on her last start. Realistically this is a speed horse, but a speed horse that does not need the lead. Starting from the No. 10 post, she won’t need to go by everyone before the first turn, but rather can use tactical speed to get in good, then tuck inside behind the early leaders. If she does that successfully, look out.
Now to the speed.
Buyback (Blaine Wright, Assael Espinoza, 3/1) is your morning line favorite and with her past form on dirt – second best in the field – is a good choice in the morning. Four starts this year have resulted in a win and three second-place finishes. In the money 4-of-6 on the dirt and is coming off a second by a nose in the Golden Poppy at Golden Gate Fields. Doesn’t need to be the leader early but does enjoy being right there. Could have first run of the stalkers.
Day Plan (Jonathan Wong, Evin Roman, 9/2) has been all about being on the front end in her seven-race career. There’s been two starts this year, one first and one second. She kicked clear in the last start, the win, and has added a bullet work since to show the speed is there. Concern would be that she’s had one two turn race, and although it was a Grade III race at Del Mar, it still wasn’t pretty. Does have a win over the track here going wire to wire last year, but it came at 5.5 furlongs. This will be the longest race of her career.
Anthonys Cleopatra (Tim McCanna, Frank Alvarado, 5/1) is the lightest raced runner in the field with only four starts. But the speed is very real and has come at the distance as well. Four starts have resulted in three wins and a second. Scary in that her last start – the California Oaks at GGF – she had a poor start but kicked it into gear and ended up over three lengths in front for the win. Only concern is no starts on the dirt but if she takes to the surface everyone could be running for second.
Tam’s Little Angel (Steve Specht, Catalino Martinez, 8/1) is one of the more aggressive riders when it comes to a speed horse and this horse can get out and go. Hit the board all five starts this year with a pair of wins sandwiching a third in the Campanile at GGF. In that race, she can from back to pick up the show spot. Past form says she may not be in the lead off the bat, but she will be close for sure.
La Vikina (Isidro Tamayo, Francisco Monroy, 12/1) has parlayed her speed into a 15-for-17 career in the money record.
In her first start of the year in May following a five-month break, the horse was just off the pace in the early going before making a winning run in the lane. She has run once in Pleasanton, chasing the winner around the track for a second place finish. She also has a big work over the Pleasanton track on June 18. Coming off a streak of four straight turf starts.
Misty Cat, Reiwa, and La Reine’s Legacy are the other three horse in the race are of no interest to me in this spot.
So, who wins and how does the race shake out?
I really like what I have seen from Anthonys Cleopatra. What appeared to be a straight speed horse through the first three starts showed she didn’t need to be in the last start, in a route race, she was patient, came back and brought in the win. Been on a brief break, a time from where the barn hits at 29 percent. Two recent bullet works says all is ready to roll.
I like the closing ability of the rail horse Assignation. I fully expect the horse to tuck back into the field out of the break and then use the middle part of the race to get stretch run. Should come flying but won’t have the speed to catch my top choice.
How Day Plan runs the race could be crucial to the outcome. If he goes out fast and pushes say La Vikina it will ensure the pace someone like Assignation needs to make a run at in the lane. Anthonys Cleopatra is going want an honest pace as well.