By SFGate.com
PLEASANTON, Calif. (July 1, 2017) — One of the byproducts of winning the first race of the year for 2-year-olds at Golden Gate Fields is that there are no other opportunities until the $65,600 Juan Gonzalez Memorial Stakes at the Alameda County Fair.
Thus, California-bred Song From Above had nine weeks between her 1-length debut win against male opponents April 29 and her 3-length triumph over fellow fillies Saturday.
“That’s all right,” trainer Steve Specht said. “It gave her plenty of time to get over that race, and I was able to get plenty of workouts into her.”
Two of the workouts were at 6 furlongs — a 16th of a mile longer than the 5½-furlong Juan Gonzalez Memorial — so Specht and jockey Frank Alvarado knew she was plenty fit.
Song From Above is by Lucky Pulpit, out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Ermine’s Song and was bred by owners Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams. She is 2-for-2 with earnings of $61,980. Song From Above ran the 5 ½ furlongs in 1:05.24 and won by three lengths.
Five of Song From Above’s opponents hadn’t raced, and none of the other three had finished better than third.
Still, at 2-1, Song From Above wasn’t favored — that role went to 17-10 Vinaka, who was making her debut for hometown trainer Jeff Bonde after a series of fast workouts at Santa Anita.
Perhaps the bettors noticed that none of Song From Above’s five opponents from her debut had finished better than fifth in ensuing starts. But Song From Above proved she’s a talented filly Saturday with a nice inside move past the leaders to take command in early stretch.
“She’s pretty cool, she’s pretty professional,” Specht said.
Now she only has to wait six weeks until her next start in the Wine Country Debutante on Aug. 13 at the Sonoma County Fair.