G. G. Ryder Wins S.F. Mile

From Golden Gate Publicity
ALBANY, Calif. (Apr. 25, 2015) — California-bred G. G. Ryder dealt stablemate Summer Hit his third consecutive tough defeat in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile when he won the $100,000 turf stakes by a half-length Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.
     Bred by Eagle Oak Ranch and ridden by Ricardo Gonzalez, G. G. Ryder ran down front-running Summer Hit and jockey Russell Baze in the final yards to give trainer Jerry Hollendorfer the exacta in the top grass race of the spring meeting.
      The SF Mile was contested on rain-dampened course rated “soft” and G. G. Ryder prevailed in 1:37.87.  Summer Hit, who lost the 2013 SF Mile by a neck to Tigah and last year’s running by three-quarters of a length to Pepper Crown, took third by three-quarters of a length over Are You Kidding Me and jockey Brice Blanc.
     Defending champ Pepper Crown finished fourth under apprentice David C. Lopez.
     G. G. Ryder broke from post one and enjoyed a ground-saving trip under Gonzalez, who moved his colt off the rail coming into the stretch and then took dead aim at Summer Hit.
     “He’s a nice horse,” said Gonzalez of G. G. Ryder.  “All you have to do is get him in the right spot and he’ll come through for you.  If a horse gets next to him, he’ll just pin his ears back and fight.”
     Summer Hit, who returned from a nine-month layoff to run second in a six-furlong allowance race on March 29, nearly stole the SF Mile but ended up having to settle for second once again.
     “He was going very comfortable (on the lead),” said Baze.  “When we turned for home and I asked him, he gave me that push and I thought they are never going to catch him.  Then down around the eighth pole it was like, ‘I’m trying boss, I’m trying,’ but there wasn’t much left in the tank.  He ran hard.  It was a lot to ask off one short prep, and on a soft turf course, which is not his best going.”
     G. G. Ryder was the second choice in the wagering and paid $8.20 after collecting his ninth victory in 18 career starts.  Owned in partnership by Hollendorfer and his longtime client, George Todaro, G. G. Ryder earned $60,000, a payday that boosted his earnings to $315,114.
     Edge of Reality, the 5-2 favorite ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, finished sixth in the field of eight after being forced out wide coming into the stretch.
     Golden Gate Fields will present two more $100,000 turf stakes Sunday – the Silky Sullivan (race five on the card) and the Campanile (race seven).  Both races are for 3-year-olds bred in California, with the Campanile being for fillies.

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