SONOMA COUNTY FAIR RACING
When: Thursday-Sunday and Aug. 8-11 Where: Santa Rosa Post time: 1:15 p.m., except 2:15 p.m. Fridays
Thoroughbred stakes: $50,000-added Luther Burbank Handicap, Saturday; $50,000-added Robert Dupret Derby, Aug. 10
Update: With the only turf course on the fair circuit, nine races will be run on it Thursday through Saturday, including the Luther Burbank Handicap. The 11⁄16-mile race for fillies and mares drew a field of nine including Wicked Old Fashioned, who has won four straight races and eight of her past nine. The Luther Burbank Handicap will be the stakes debut for Wicked Old Fashioned, who was claimed for $14,000 by trainer Victor Trujillo on May 26, 2018. Also running is Ziarah, who finished second behind Keeper Ofthe Stars’ course-record victory June 9 at Golden Gate Fields. … Nominations close Saturday for the Robert Dupret Derby — a 11⁄16-mile grass race for 3-year-olds — and the $8,000 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association Handicap. … The Joseph T. Grace Handicap was dropped from the Sonoma County Fair stakes schedule, but it will be run at Golden Gate Fields on Nov. 2. … Jamey Thomas won his first training title with seven winners from 15 starters at the State Fair. Isidro Tamayo (617) finished second. … Frank Alvarado led State Fair jockeys with 10 winners from 34 mounts, followed by Francisco Monroy (9-33).
Elsewhere: Vasilika, who has won 12 of 14 starts with $1,209,528 in earnings since trainer and coowner Jerry Hollendorfer claimed her for $40,000 on Feb. 11, 2018, will be favored in the Grade 2, $200,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap on Saturday at Del Mar. Seven of Vasilika’s wins have come in graded stakes, including two Grade 1s. … McKinzie has shipped from Del Mar and is the 7-5 morning-line favorite for the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga. The field of eight also includes Suburban Stakes winner Preservationist, Gold Cup winner Vino Rosso and two-time Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow. … Two romping debut winners at the Alameda County Fair run in stakes for 2-year-olds this week at Del Mar: Darn-quick for trainer Allen Rogers in Friday’s $100,000 Graduation and Shanghai Keely for Ari Herbertson in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Sorrento.