This week at Golden Gate Fields
Schedule: Thursday through Sunday Post time: 1:15 p.m. Thu.-Fri., 12:45 p.m. Sat.Sun.
Feature simulcast races: Breeders’ Cup preps Saturday at Santa Anita and Belmont Park
Update: With trainers largely passing on the six-day San Joaquin County Fair meeting that split Golden Gate Fields’ summer season, 202 horses were entered for 24 races Thursday, Friday and Saturday. … The first three weeks of the season saw Russell Baze win with 14 of 48 mounts despite missing three days competing in a jockey challenge in Japan. Kyle Frey won with 13 of 64 mounts, Juan Hernandez 12 of 60 and Ricardo Gonzalez 10 of 67. … Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer won with just seven of 36 starters during the first three weeks to lead William E. Morey (6-26) and John F. Martin (6-28). … Unbeaten three-time stakes winner Smokey Image worked a half-mile in a best-of-the-day 47.60 seconds Friday, and he was the only one of 27 to break 48 seconds. Resisting the temptation to run Smokey Image in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Oct. 31 at Churchill Downs, trainer Greg James and owner Diane Irvin are pointing him to the $200,000 Golden State Juvenile for Californiabreds Oct. 30 at Del Mar. “Baby steps,” James said. “One big step could ruin him. You know how many horses are ruined by running over their heads? They could be nice horses but just give it up because they’ve been defeated.” Smokey Image hasn’t raced past 6 furlongs, and the Golden State Juvenile is 7 furlongs. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is 11⁄16 miles. Elsewhere, Beholder, who dominated male opponents by 8¼ lengths in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, is the star of the five Grade 1, $300,000 events Saturday at Santa Anita. She’ll be a huge favorite facing fellow fillies and mares in the Zenyatta Stakes as she seeks her 11th win in 12 starts at Santa Anita. Hollendorfer has the favorite in the Chandelier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies with Songbird, who has won her two starts by a combined 11¾ lengths. He also has Point Piper in the Awesome Again Stakes for older horses. … The three Grade 1 races Saturday at Belmont Park are the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Stakes for turf marathoners, the $400,000 Beldame for fillies and mares and the $400,000 Vosburgh for sprinters. … Santa Anita and Belmont Park also have Breeders’ Cup prep races Oct. 3. … Hollendorfer bought eight yearlings for six figures apiece at the Keeneland September sale, topped by a colt by Smart Strike out of Snow Fall that cost $250,000.