San Joaquin Fair

BAR JF HOT TICKET CRUSHES TRACK RECORD – 06-20-10

Any thoughts that Bar JF Hot Ticket ($3.40) may have lost a step as a 7-year-old were put to rest when she overpowered the competition in Sunday's mule allowance race at the San Joaquin County Fair, setting a new track record of 19.97 for 350 yards on closing day of the 2010 season.  Ridden by Anthony Ayala, she won by a comfortable length over younger sister Bar JF Red Ticket.  Genie Jones won the photo for show over Jet Fuel.

Owned by Dave Wood and trained by Ray Thomas, Bar JF Hot Ticket won for the 35th time in her 43rd start.  The previous track record of 20.22 seconds was held by Sarah Nelson, who set the mark in 2005.

The Sweepida, run as a claiming race this year, was taken by Sacred Mountain, the even-money favorite.  The 6-year-old son of Bertrando, trained by William E. Morey, defeated Defensive Move and Albacore Bob, covering six furlongs in 1:04.03.  Frank Alvarado won his second race of the day for owners Aldrich, Morey, Newman and Newman.

In the Stockton Arabian Sprint, 9-year-old Eagle One ($9.20) made a successful return to the races, scoring in his 2010 debut over Qjuick Sand PW by three lengths under Modesto Linares.  Co-owned by Roger Lang and trainer Walter Frazier, Eagle One won for the 14th time in his 71st career start.  He was last seen finishing second in the K Cuch Jedah at the Big Fresno Fair in October 2009.

The fair circuit moves to Pleasanton for the Alameda County Fair, which opens on Wednesday, June 23.

FIFIES FANTASY WINS PINK RIBBON ALLOWANCE – 06-19-10

Fifie's Fantasy stalked the pace, then kicked into high gear in the final furlong to prevail in Saturday's featured Pink Ribbon allowance at the San Joaquin County Fair.  Pacesetter Izzy Rules held second, while Softly Singing, the odds-on favorite, could do no better than third in the four-horse field.  The running time for six furlongs was a crisp 1:10.67.

Izzy Rules went straight to the front and battled with Softly Singing through an opening quarter of 22.03 with Fifies Fantasy, wide throughout, sitting just off the dueling leaders in third.  At the top of the stretch, jockey Frank Alvarado went to work and Fifies Fantasy responded, grinding out a win by 3/4 of a length.

Owned by Budget Stable and trained by Janet Armstrong, Fifies Fantasy has now won three of four starts.  The 3-year-old daugther of Johannesburg came into the race off an impressvie score over $40,000 claimers at Hollywood Park, when she broke very slowly yet was somehow able to get up to score.  Alvarado rode two winners on the afternoon, scoring aboard High Intellect in the sixth race.

The Pink Ribbon race was created to raise awareness for breast cancer research. Each jockey wore a pink cap and all of the horses raced with pink saddle towels.  Many members of the fair staff wore pink shirts in honor of Pink Ribbon Day. 

In the Stockton Derby for Quarter Horses, In the Faith made his debut a winning one, easily outfinishing stablemate Platinum Time.  Both are trained by Miguel Gonzalez.  Gregorio Arriaga was aboard the gelded son of Walk Thru Fire.

The 2010 San Joaquin County Fair concludes tomorrow.  First post is at 12:45 p.m.

OWNER STAYS HOT AS COUNTY KILDARE WINS AGAIN – 06-18-10

County Kildare stepped up in class again and won for the third time in her last six starts, blazing away from her rivals in Friday's featured seventh race at the San Joaquin County Fair.

Ridden by Frank Alvarado, the 4-year-old filly broke alertly and held off favored Bombing Two by a length in the five furlong contest.  Owned by Allen Aldrich, she won for the sixth time in 16 career starts.  County Kildare is trained by William E. Morey, whose assistant, Jim Haverty, saddled her. 

County Kildare's win marked the sixth straight victory for owner Aldrich, who either owns or is partners on Anzisong (back-to-back winner at Golden Gate), Sacred Mountain (who runs here Sunday), and Super Harmony, who will be looking for consecutive wins in tonight's fourth race at Hollywood Park.  County Kildare won her last start against $6,250 claimers on the turf at Golden Gate.

"That was impressive," said Aldrich.  "I like the way she dug in today."

Jockey Chad Schvaneveldt and trainer Clifford DeLima teamed up for two wins on the afternoon, as New Gun In Town won the fifth race and Red Coats R Comin won the eighth.  Both are owned by Barbara DeLima.

Racing resumes on Saturday.  First post is at 12:45 p.m

RED WHITE AND BREW OVERCOMES POOR START TO SCORE – 06-17-10

Stats don't lie.  Trainer Dean Pederson is so strong with new arrivals in his barn, they can even overcome adversity to score.  In Thursday's featured sixth race, Red White and Brew, a filly who loves to show early speed, broke last, severely compromising her chances.  Jockey Chad Schvaneveldt didn't panic, and the 4-year-old filly did the rest for him.  Red White and Brew stalked the dueling leaders, then pounced at the top of the stretch to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

"She threw her head up in the air just as the gate opened," said Schvaneveldt.  "It's a good thing I was on the best filly.  I was loaded the entire way."

Red White and Brew hadn't started since finishing last of 10 on January 2 at Santa Anita.  Transferred to Pederson, who clicks at a rate of nearly 40 percent with runners making their first start under his care, the daughter of Milwaukee Brew padded his stats.

Mary Strong rallied for second, while Royally Large, who battled with Hyper Lass for the early lead, finished third.  The running time for 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:04.13.

Earlier on the card, A Sargent General made short work of his Arabian rivals in the first race under James Wooten, Jr.  Owned by Warren Shelley and trained by Helen Shelley, A Sargent General had been competing against much tougher rivals in Texas.  In the mule race, Jackson's Dream outfinished the highly regarded Cali McGee II.  Jackson's Dream, sent off at 5-1, made amends for defeats as the favorite in four of her last 10 starts. She also pulled off an upset in her last start at the San Joaquin County Fair in 2008.  She is trained by Ramon Pulido and owned by Dorothy Osborn.

Wooten scored a riding double on the afternoon when Soupy rallied to win the seventh.  There is a pick six carryover into Friday's program of $4,823.  First post is at 12:45 p.m.

UPSETS GALORE ON OPENING DAY – 06-16-10

A parade of double-digit winners came through on opening day of the San Joaquin County Fair as the 5-day meet opened in Stockton.  The lone favorite to win was Morton Owen ($4.20) in the final race of the 8-race card.

In the day's featured 7th race, Roaring Times rallied from last to first to score a nice win by 2 1/4 lengths under Frank Alvarado, who swept the late double.  Co-owned by Chaiken Family Trust and trainer Chuck Jenda, the 4-year-old completed 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.57.

The rough day for favorites began in the meet's first race, as Bar JF Whatmule took several minutes to load, then turned in a lackluster effort, finishing third as the 7/5 favorite.  In the second race, even-money favorite She's a Sweetie encountered a rough trip and finished fourth.  Acquire the Fire (even-money) was unable to catch Wild Wes in the third race, while Our Stardust (even money) couldn't hold a four length lead, tiring to finish third in the fourth.  Odds-on favorite San Miguel King was outfinished by Flashy Helmsman in the fifth, and Trip to the Ranch could do no better than fourth in the sixth. After breaking on top and leading to the quarter pole, Tactful (even-money) faded in the seventh race to finish last of four. 

A 7-race card is on tap for Thursday.  With Hollywood Park canceling their program, Stockton will be the only California thoroughbred signal available to bettors.  First post is at 12:45 p.m.