A Friday Evening Nightcap

The G3 All American Stakes, a 1 1/8 mile affair on dirt at Golden Gate, drew just six entrants. BOLD CHIEFTAIN won his last start, a 50k minor stakes, after finishing 2nd in four straight races, including the G3 Berkley here at this track. Russell Baze gets the call and he's been hot, winning 11 races in the last week. Despite the 2-1 ML favoritism, BOLD CHIEFTAIN faces a couple of horses who have finished ahead of him here. UH OH BANGO edged in front by a head in the Berkley race back in May, but finished 2nd to the ML favorite last out. OUR NAUTIQUE has beaten BOLD CHIEFTAIN three times, this year, most recently in an allowance race here in September. These three are joined by DUNMORE EAST (winner of two straight, an allowance race and optional claimer), longshot HIGHWAY BANDIT (fourth behind three others here last out), and SKIPSHOT (winner of the G2 Swaps in 2010 but hasn't won since).

BOLD CHIEFTAIN might actually be closer to the front here than he is used to and may not be able to hold off some of the runners who do their best running late. I expect DUNMORE EAST and OUR NAUTIQUE to pass this one late. Depending on the pace scenario, HIGHWAY BANDIT may get a run, too, and is eligible to improve 2nd off layoff. We'll play this one on top of DUNMORE EAST, BOLD CHIEFTAIN, and OUR NAUTIQUE in a small $5 exacta wheel.

Finally, in the G1 Matriarch Stakes for fillies and mare 3yo and up contested at one mile on the turf at Hollywood Park, we get a field of nine females, many of which have had success in graded stakes in the past. UNBRIDLED HUMOR won a G3 race at Belmont two back and ships to California for trainer Graham Motion. SUMMER SOIREE won the G1 Del Mar Oaks in August before going to Keeneland and finishing 5th in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. She's never gone the distance, mostly running longer, and shortening up should not be an issue. QUIET OASIS missed by a nose in a G3 race at Santa Anita two back and is making her 2nd start off the layoff. MADERA CASTANA was last of eight in the G1 Gamely in May and is a longshot here. GYPSY'S WARNING won this race last year, but has been largely disappointing in 2011. ALL STAR HEART has two straight wins under her belt, including the G2 Las Palmas at Santa Anita three weeks ago. She's also won five of her last six. STAR BILLING was 2nd in the G1 Del Mar Oaks before finishing a well beaten 6th in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in her last start. NEVER RETREAT has won two straight and ships in from Keeneland after winning the G1 Fast Lady there. UP IN TIME won a G3 race in his last start, the first since mid-August for the Simon Callaghan-trained runner.

In another race which promises to have some degree of early speed, I expect SUMMER SOIREE to be out front and wire this field. I'll back that opinion up with one exacta play: $10 SUMMER SOIREE over NEVER RETREAT, STAR BILLING, and QUIET OASIS. That's a $30 investment giving me a total of $146 on today's five races. We'll be back later today or tomorrow with a recap and a look at Saturday's heavy slate of racing.