This week at Golden Gate Fields
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday
Post time: 12:45 p.m.
Feature simulcast race: Grade 1, $400,000 Beholder Mile on Saturday at Santa Anita
Update: The Thursday program that was added recently — there is no racing at Santa Anita that day — will be an all-turf affair. Five of the seven grass races are 11⁄16 miles in distance, with the fifth event 13⁄8 miles and the sixth 5 furlongs. In order for the inner rail to be adjusted, there will be 1 hour and eight minutes between the fourth and fifth races. In the fifth, only My Discretion and Gurnick have raced as far as 11⁄8 miles; the other four entrants haven’t gone past 11⁄16 miles. … Lavadia, Getting Sideways and Shylock Eddie — the 2-3-6 finishers from the April 29 Campanile Stakes for California-breds — face open competition in Friday’s seventh race. The 1-mile grass race for 3-year-old fillies also drew Tinabud, who has finished second in five straight races beginning with the Feb. 10 California Oaks. … Sir Vronski, whose 19 victories are the most of any local horse, runs in Saturday’s third race. The 6-furlong, $32,000 claiming event also drew Karma King, who has won four straight races while rising from the $8,000 level. … Nominations close Thursday for the $50,000-added Albany Stakes — a 5-furlong grass race June 9. … Closing day of the winter-spring season is June 10.
Elsewhere: Unique Bella’s poor start relegated her to a secondplace finish as the 1-5 favorite in the Apple Blossom Handicap on April 13 at Oaklawn Park. She’ll be a heavy favorite again to rebound in the Beholder Mile. Unique Bella’s most recent two workouts were slower than normal: 52.20 seconds for 4 furlongs and 1:14.00 for 6 furlongs. She typically breaks 47 seconds and 1:12. “We know she can go fast,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “We found out how to keep her from going too fast.” Unique Bella has seven wins and two seconds in 10 starts and has earned $852,400. Among her opponents in the Beholder Mile are fellow Grade 1 winners Paradise Woods and Vale Dori.