2016 San Francisco Mile Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, California will be the scene of the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on Saturday, April 30. Horses three years old and upward will take to Golden Gate's turf track and race one mile searching for the winner's share of the $100,000 purse.

A loaded and full field of 14 will give it a go in the San Francisco Mile - race 8 on Golden Gate's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:45 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all 14 combatants for this Grade 3 stakes.

2016 San Francisco Mile Race Preview at Golden Gate Fields

Bal a Bali 2-1 - Brazilian Triple Crown winning 2014 Brazilian Horse of the Year Richard Mandella trainee has an impressive 13 wins, a second and three third place finishes in 19 career starts. He won his last eight races at home (6 group stakes) before debuting in North America with a nice win in the Grade 3 American Stakes at Santa Anita in May. He went on to a pair of disappointing fifth place finishes - the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita in June and the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile in August. He has been better in four starts since - an OK third last time out in the Grade 3 Frank E Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita followed another third in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes January 2, a respectable second in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar November 27 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that same track October 30. Bal a Bali has been competitive virtually every time out but chases his first graded stakes win since May. He departs from gate 12 with Flavien Prat in the irons of the morning line favorite.

Gabriel Charles 3-1 - won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Preview Stakes in 2013 and has just seven starts since - placing in all. He has two wins over that span - last time out by 3 ¾ lengths in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes way back on July 18 and 2013 Grade 2 Del Mar Derby. He also posted four seconds and a third behind Bal a Bali in the Grade 3 American Stakes at Santa Anita May 9. He has just 11 career starts with four wins, four seconds and a third place finish and has hit the board in his last eight starts overall - those results being spread out over 40 months however. Gabriel Charles has been competitive when healthy and will have Mike Smith in the reins of the morning line second choice from post 13 his first race in eight months.

Bet Golden Gate Fields Horse Racing with OffTrackBetting.com

Alert Bay 6-1 - won four straight turf races in 2014/2015 including the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby and BC Premier's Handicap at Hastings, the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile at Santa Anita and California Cup in January, 2014. He also won the Grade 2 City of Hope Miles at Santa Anita in September, 2015. He has been OK lately - a second in an Allowance here April 9 followed a fifth in the minor Sensational Star Stakes in February, a second in the minor California Cup Turf Classic in January and a pair of off-the-board finishes in graded stakes action to end 2015. Alert Bay has shown form in the past but will be out to snap a five race losing streak from post 11 Saturday as the morning line third choice. Tyler Baze will be in the saddle.

G. G. Ryder 8-1 - defending champion in this race went on to win the Grade 3 All American Stakes in the race right after. He has been OK since. Last time out was an ugly twelfth in the minor California Cup Turf Classic however which followed a third in the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap November 29, a second in an Allowance November 6 and a win in the minor Bull Dog Handicap at Fresno in October. G.G. Ryder now has 11 wins, five second and two third place finishes in 26 career starts and hopes to find his terrific form from last year. He looks for the repeat from post 7 with Ricardo Gonzalez guiding him.

Home Run Kitten 10-1 - 2014 Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes winner, David Hofmans pupil has four wins, two seconds and five third place finishes in 17 career starts. He finished third in three straight graded stakes races at this time last year but has failed to hit the board in three races since. Last time out was a seventh in the minor Joe Hernandez Stakes January 28 after a ninth in the minor Clocker's Corner Stakes January 24 and an eighth in the Grade 3 American Stakes last May - all results at Santa Anita. Home Run Kitten looks for his second graded stakes score and his first win overall in 19 months from gate 2. Kyle Frey rides.

Montego Bay 12-1 - Neil Drysdale trained gelding makes his graded stakes debut Friday having posted four wins and two runner-up finishes in 13 career starts. He has placed in four of his last five starts ahead of this weekend however - a Claiming score last time out at Santa Anita April 3 followed a second in a similar race February 2, a fourth in the minor Joseph T. Grace Handicap at Santa Rosa in August and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar in July. Montego Bay steps up in decent form and will have Drayden Van Dyke aboard from post 5.

Docs Legacy 15-1 - Irish bred Manuel Badilla trained gelding has 41 career starts with 11 wins, eight seconds and seven third place finishes. He makes his North American stakes debut Friday having won six of his last nine starts with a second and a third place finish over that span. He enters on a two race win streak on this track - both Allowance races with the last coming over Alert Bay April 9. He looks ready for his step up in competition and enters in career-best form. Catalino Martinez will be in the irons Saturday hoping to keep the roll going from gate 4 at 15-1 odds.

Perfectly Majestic 15-1 - has placed in 12 of 13 career starts for trainer Robert Hess - two wins, three seconds and seven third place finishes. He enters on the heels of three straight third place finishes - an Allowance Optional Claiming March 20, another Allowance Optional Claiming February 20 and the minor Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile January 16. Before that was a good second in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile at Santa Anita in December. Perfectly Majestic looks for his first stakes win Friday and his first win overall since August (seven races) from gate 6. Abel Cedillo has been scheduled to ride.

Tamarando 20-1 - Jeff Bonde trainee 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 six starts overall - that coming last time out with a third in an Allowance on this track April 8. Before that was an eighth in the minor California Cup Turf Classic in January, a fourth in the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap on this track in November, a fifth in an Allowance November 6, a seventh in the minor Harris Farms Stakes October 11, a ninth in the 2015 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 the rail with Juan Hernandez aboard.

Kenjisstorm 20-1 - has three wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 18 career starts. He hasn't been great lately - a seventh last time out in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes April 10 followed a fifth in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile in March. Before that was an Allowance Optional Claiming score February 6, a second in a similar race January 18, an ugly ninth in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes January 2 and a Starter Allowance score November 20. He has looked good against lesser competition but has struggled in his career in graded stakes company. He hopes to change all of that from post 3 with Giuseppe Ercegovic in the irons.

Terrys Tom Cat 20-1 - has 28 career starts for trainer Tim McCanna with three wins, six seconds and five third place finishes. He makes his graded stakes debut after failing to place in three of his last four starts. He enters off consecutive fourths - a Claiming at Santa Anita April 3 and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar in August. Before that was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar in July and a fifth in a Claiming in June. Terrys Tom Cat hasn't been great but hopes to make a statement with Julien Couton guiding him from gate 10.

P Club 30-1 - has 12 career starts for trainer Ryan Kenney with two wins, two seconds and a third place finish. He makes his graded stakes debut Friday having placed in three of his last four starts. Last time out was an Allowance score here March 26 after a sixth in a similar race on this track March 6, a maiden score here February 15 and a second in a MSW also on this track in January. P Club takes a huge step up in competition Friday but looks to be in career best form. Cristobal Herrera has the mount from gate 8.

Royal F J 30-1 - has an astounding 82 career starts with just seven wins, 17 seconds and 14 third place finishes. His best career result was a third in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in 2014 - he has concentrated on mostly Allowance company since. He finished third in a pair of Claiming races in March but has failed to place in his last two starts overall. Last time out was an eighth in an Allowance Optional Claiming April 22 after a seventh in a similar race April 14 - both at Los Alamitos. Royal F J looks as though he will be in over his head from post 9 with Kyla Stra in the saddle.

Unusually Green 30-1 - makes his graded stakes debut Friday for trainer Steven Specht after 23 career starts produced three wins, seven seconds and a third place finish. He has placed in just one of his last four starts - a fourth in an Allowance April 9 on this track followed an Allowance score here March 16, a ninth in the California Cup Turf Classic in January and an eighth in an Allowance Optional Claiming in December. Usually Green arrives in less-than-spectacular form and will depart from the outside post 14 with Frank Alvarado in the irons.

---

2016 San Francisco Mile Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Golden Gate Fields's Saturday card with a Post Time of 8:45 PM.