Berkeley Handicap 2015 at Golden Gate Fields

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap will be contested this Sunday, November 29 at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, California. A purse of $100,000 will be on the line for horses three years old and upward willing to go 1 1/16 miles on Golden Gate's All Weather Track.

Nine older horses will give it a go in the Berkeley Handicap - race 6 on Golden Gate's Sunday schedule. Post time is 3:15 PM. Let's take a look into the past performances of all nine combatants for this Grade 3 stakes.

2015 Berkeley Handicap Race Favorites

Big Cazanova 9-5 - Argentinean bred Peter Miller trained Ringling raced against the best at home and fared well placing in numerous Group 1,2 and 3 races. He has been up and down since arriving in North America however. He posted three wins, a second and two third place finishes in his first six starts here - no stakes but failed to place in his next two - both graded stakes races. He went on to win the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes November 29, 2014 - his only stakes win state-side. He's been knocking on the door lately however - a second last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming October 30 followed a second in the Grade 2 City of Hope Stakes September 27. Those results followed five straight off-the-board finishes - all graded stakes. Big Cazanova has been a tad difficult to figure out and will be hoping for his first win in a year. Russell Baze has the mount on the highweight and morning line favorite from gate 2.

G.G. Ryder 3-1 - Jerry Hollendorfer trained colt finished second in this race in 2014 and looked great after that. He posted two nice graded stakes wins on this track in the Spring - the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile in April and the Grade 3 All American Stakes in May. He has placed in three straight races ahead of this weekend - a second in an Allowance here November 6, a win in the minor Bull Dog Stakes at Fresno October 18 and a second in the minor Rolling Green Stakes on this track in September. G.G. Ryder has shown up big on this track and hopes to do so again Sunday from gate 6. Ricardo Gonzalez rides the second betting choice from gate 6.

Berkeley Handicap 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Silentio 9-2 - won the 2012 Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes and the 2013 Grade 2 Citation Handicap and did have a third in the 2013 Breeders' Cup Mile. He hasn't been impressive of late - a sixth last time out in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile September 27 followed a ninth in the Grade 1 Frank E Kilroe Mile and a fourteenth in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Silentio hasn't been in top form but tries to turn things around from the outside post 9 with Alex Solis in the irons.

Poshsky 6-1 - Peter Miller trained gelding enters off an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar November 6 but didn't look great before that. He had a fifth in the Grade 2 City of Hope Stakes at Santa Anita September 27, a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming in August, a third in the minor California Dreamin' Stakes in July, a ninth in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita and a sixth in the minor Tiznow Stakes in May. Poshsky has just five wins, three seconds and a third place finish in 21 career starts and looks for a first stakes win from post 7 with William Atongeorgi in the saddle.

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Outside Nashville 10-1 - Jerry Hollendorfer trained gelding failed to place in his first five graded stakes tries but was second in the Grade 3 All American Stakes here in May. He has been OK since - a fourth in an Allowance November 6, a second in the minor Bull Dog Stakes October 18, a third in the minor Rolling Green Stakes September 7 and a nice win in the minor Joseph T. Grace Handicap at Santa Rosa in August. Outside Nashville has been in every race the last year and could be in the mix Sunday. Juan Hernandez rides from gate 4.

Ankeny Hill 12-1 - Stakes winning Mark Glatt trainee has just five wins, three seconds and three third place finishes in 24 career starts. He has placed in just one of his last five starts ahead of this weekend - that being a second last time out in the minor Oakland Stakes here November 14. Before that were three straight fourth place finishes - an Allowance Optional Claiming October 18, the minor Pirate's Bounty Stakes September 7 and the Green Flash Handicap August 19 to go along with a fifth in the Grade 2 Kona Gold Stakes in April. Ankeny Hill looks for his first graded score but enters in less-than-spectacular form. Julien Couton gets the call from the rail.

Majestic City 12-1 - Richard Baltas trained multiple Graded Stakes Winner won the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap in May after failing to place in three previous stakes starts. He is mired in another slump right now - last time out was a ninth in the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes October 3 after an eighth in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile and consecutive sevenths - the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap in July and the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in June. Majestic City hasn't been all that impressive but leaves from gate 8 with Ignacio Puglisi in the irons.

Pepper Crown 15-1 - defending champion in this race placed in four straight races after that including an Allowance score on this track in April. He went on to a fourth in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile and a third in the Grade 3 All American Stakes here in May. He failed to place in three graded stakes starts after that but was most recently third in an Allowance on this track November 6. Pepper Crown has 28 career starts with nine wins, five seconds and six third place finishes and looks for the repeat in so-so form. Irving Orozco gets the call from post 3.

Tamarando 20-1 - Jeff Bonde trained colt won the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby here in February, 2014 but has been up and down since. He has placed in just one of his last seven starts overall including a fifth last time out in an Allowance November 6, a seventh in the minor Harris Farms Stakes October 11, a ninth in the minor California Cup Turf Classic in January and a sixth in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes in December, 2014. Tamarando has been disappointing lately and looks to snap a slump from post 5 with Kyle Frey guiding the longest shot in the field.

2015 Berkeley Handicap Entries & Odds

Race 6 on Golden Gate Fields's Sunday card with a Post Time of 6:15 PM.