Wong’s first-time turfers intriguing

When Golden Gate was forced to temporarily close in March, grass racing had yet to begin in the Bay Area. So not only is the return to racing there on Thursday welcome in general, trainers who have been awaiting turf racing have extra reason to be excited.

On Friday, the meet’s runaway leading trainer, Jonathan Wong, sends out four runners in three races on the 10-race card, three of whom have terrific grass pedigrees, two of whom are trying grass for the first time, making them intriguing gambles.

In race 8, a starter allowance for older horses going 1 1/16 miles on turf, Wong has Electoral, who finally sets foot on turf after two starts on dirt and 10 on synthetic. Electoral has been a consistent checkearner at this level for his past six starts, but often settles for minor awards at low odds, a trend that is not appealing.

However, there is reason to believe he can step forward Friday, as he’s a half-brother to a pair of four-time grass winners, Proud O’Paddy and stakes winner Empressof the Nile. In addition, this will be just his second start since being gelded.

“He’s one we’ve always wanted to run on grass. Just needed the opportunity,” Wong said Wednesday morning via telephone from his barn at Golden Gate. “I was going to run him down south before we knew we were going to run up here, so now I can run him out of his own stall.”

To prevail, Electoral will have to defeat Imperator and

Boyson, who finished second and third, respectively, in a March 13 mile race on the main track in which Electoral was fourth. Nolongerahobby, second in both his grass races at this level last year, gets back on his favorite surface after being freshened since January. Like Electoral, he has made a habit of settling for minor awards, with eight second-place finishers in 18 starts.

In race 3, the day’s only other turf race, a mile maiden race for fillies, Wong has a two-pronged attack with Moon Over Mag Bay, who is moving to grass for the first time, and Don’t Unzip Me, who disappointed in her two prior turf races, both sprints. Both are owned by Tom and Debi Stull’s Tommy Town Thoroughbreds.

Moon Over Mag Bay is the first foal out of Believe in Charlie,

an Indian Charlie mare who was a three-time turf winner – including one stakes – all in sprints. Moon Over Mag Bay has raced just three times. Her last race, her only two-turn race, was her best yet. She finished third, three lengths behind stablemate Don’t Unzip Me.

“We’ve wanted to run her on the grass. Her mare was a stakes winner on grass. I’m just afraid she might need easier,” Wong said.

Don’t Unzip Me has tried turf twice previously, but both races were at Santa Anita, where Wong thinks the water might have been too deep. Don’t Unzip Me’s dam, Unzip Me, was a freakishly talented turf sprinter, with multiple stakes wins during a career that saw her win 11 times in 19 grass races.