Emerald Downs sprinter Taif scores at Golden Gate Fields | Horse Racing

One of the sharpest sprinters last season at Emerald Downs continued his winning ways in California as Taif scored a 1 ½-length victory over Court Mischief in a $32,492 allowance race at Golden Gate Fields on Dec. 2.

December 6, 2010 6:56 pm
Taif wins at Golden Gate Fields Dec. 2.
Taif wins at Golden Gate Fields Dec. 2.

One of the sharpest sprinters last season at Emerald Downs continued his winning ways in California as Taif scored a 1 ½-length victory over Court Mischief in a $32,492 allowance race at Golden Gate Fields on Dec. 2. Owned by Sue and Tim Spooner, Taif ran six furlongs in 1:09.84 on the synthetic Tapeta surface while equaling his career best with an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. Dan Markle has trained Taif since the gelding arrived from Keeneland last spring.

A 4-year-old Florida-bred by Concorde’s Tune, Taif has a 4-3-2 record in 11 starts with earnings of $74,411. His races at Emerald included a ¾-length victory over Bogachiel in a $20,000 allowance/optional claiming sprint on the Longacres Mile undercard, and a third to eventual Mile runner-up Jersey Town at 6 ½ furlongs July 25.

The Spooners of Olympia tied for fourth with 12 wins in 2010 at Emerald Downs and rank third all-time with 130 wins.

ODDS & ENDS

  • Apprentice Kyle Frey, who exercised horses throughout the 2010 Emerald Downs meeting, notched the first victory of his riding career Sunday, Dec. 5 at Golden Gate Fields. The 18-year-old grandson of two-time Longacres leading rider Paul Frey collected the milestone on Terina ($29.40) in the seventh for trainer Robert Lucas.
  • 2010 Belle Roberts winner Mizzen You ($12.60) scored a 2 ¼ length victory in a $16,000 claimer on the turf at Golden Gate Fields on Wednesday, Dec. 1. Francisco Duran was up for trainer Frank Lucarelli and owner Howard Hammer, who claimed the 4-year-old Washington-bred for $15,000 in August.
  • A race later Hallelujah Trail, runner-up in two stakes last spring at Emerald Downs, notched a one-length victory in a $32,000 allowance/optional claiming race at six furlongs on the synthetic Tapeta surface. Blaine Wright trains Hallelujah Trail for John and Janene Maryanski, who acquired the 4-year-old Gilded Times filly last spring in a private sale .
  • Wright and the Maryanskis will be back in action Friday, Dec. 10 as their Gadget Queen faces Point of Reference, Christmas Ship and others in a $38,000 allowance race in the first race at Golden Gate. The 6-year-old mare has won two straight this fall—one on turf, one on Tapeta—and has cracked the list of top 100 Washington-bred earners with $294,710.
  • Tim McCanna continues red-hot at Golden Gate and has moved up to sixth place with an 8-for-32 mark. Washington-bred Heavenly Queen provided the latest McCanna victory for owner-breeder Garry Hook in a $20,000 maiden claimer for 3-year-olds.
  • Speaking of hot, Mike Chambers is 19-for-29 (65.5 percent) at Turf Paradise while Jerry Hollendorfer is keeping pace at Portland Meadows with a 30-for-49 mark (61.2 percent). Tom Roberts is running the Hollendorfer string at Portland.
  • Pretty Katherine ($4) came off the bench for a six-length romp in the $15,000 City of Roses Handicap for fillies & mares. It was her first start since finishing fifth to Clair Annette in the Aug. 1 Boeing Handicap.
  • Washington Bridge, owned by Mark Dedomenico of Redmond, notched a 1 ¾-length victory vs. older horses in the $150,000 Bayakoa Handicap (GII) Sunday, Dec. 5 at Hollywood Park…2008 WTBA Sales graduate Smiling Tiger is being pointed to the $250,000 Malibu Stakes (GI) on opening day at Santa Anita, Sunday, Dec. 26. The 3-year-old Hold That Tiger colt finished third in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Sprint last month.
  • Jockeys with local ties riding at Turf Paradise include Vicky Baze, Wilson Dieguez, J.C. Estrada, Kate Fales (Repp) and Cassie Papineau.
  • Golden Gate and Hollywood Park have cancelled the final two Wednesdays of their fall meet, Dec. 8 and 15.