From Golden Gate Publicity
ALBANY, Calif. (Sept. 7, 2015) — Multiple graded winner Alert Bay overtook pacesetter G. G. Ryder in mid-stretch and drew off to win Monday’s $63,605 Rolling Green Stakes at Golden Gate.
A Grade 2 winner on the turf, Alert Bay went off as the 7-5 favorite in the field of six and shadowed fellow California-bred second choice G. G. Ryder through fractions of 24.03 and 48.67 seconds in the 1 1/16-mile turf race. Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze prompted Alert Bay inside the quarter pole, and his mount drew off to defeat G. G. Ryder, who finished 1 ¼ lengths clear of third-place finisher Outside Nashville.
Alert Bay, a 4-year-old gelded son of City Zip, completed the distance in 1:42.23 and returned $4.80 for a $2 bet.
“There was never a doubt; this horse was running really well beneath me the whole way,” said Baze. “It was just a question of waiting until the proper moment to ask him to run. A very nice colt. Very nice turn of foot when you ask him.”
The Rolling Green was the seventh stakes win for Alert Bay, who won the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile on the turf at Santa Anita last December. He also is a two-time graded stakes winner on the dirt, having won the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby and Grade 3 Premier Handicap last fall at Hastings Park. In his most recent start, he was third, beaten 1 ½ lengths, in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile on Aug. 16 at Emerald Downs.
“The Longacres Mile was our goal, and he ran great but he was beaten by a helluva horse up there (Stryker Phd),” said winning trainer Blaine Wright. “So far this year hasn’t gone like we wanted, but he ran fantastic today, so maybe we can get another streak going.”
Alert Bay is 9-4-2 in 18 starts and has earned $834,495, including $39,300 for his Rolling Green win.
Wright, who trains Alert Bay for Peter Redekop, said Alert Bay likely will make his next start in the California Flag Stakes for California-breds going down the hill at Santa Anita on Oct. 12.
The Rolling Green was only the second loss in six starts on the Golden Gate turf for G. G. Ryder, who won the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile here in April. Both G. G. Ryder and Outside Nashville hail from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who clinched the Del Mar training title earlier in the day.
“The plan was to let Eagle Screams go, but I found myself on the lead,” said Ricardo Gonzalez, rider aboard G. G. Ryder. “I let my horse relax and I had Alert Bay outside of me, stalking me. At the top of the stretch I thought I was going to open up, but the other horse is really nice and just kicked on.”
Eagle Screams finished fourth and was followed home by Pepper Crown and Solomon Bay.