William R. Boswell’s GREG’S GOLD (Lake George) provided trainer David Hofmans with
his first victory at this season’s Del Mar meet and gave both Hofmans and jockey
David Flores their first stakes win of the meet when the four-year-old gray
captured the $300,000
Bing Crosby H. (G1) on Sunday. Sent off as the 8-1 sixth
choice behind multiple Grade
1 winner Pico Central (Brz) (Spend a Buck), Greg’s
Gold returned $19, $8.20 and $6 for his efforts while keying the $44.70 exacta ($1).
The winning gelding was content to stalk the pace under Flores
as Areyoutalkintome (Smokester) set a fast early pace, going a quarter in :21
2/5. That one was soon overtaken on the backstretch on his outside by the highly
touted Battle Won (Honour and Glory), who
completed a half in :43 3/5. The new leader split foes on the turn and battled just off the
rail entering the stretch to pass the next checkpoint in :55 3/5. However, the
five-year-old dark bay was not able to hold his lead as Greg’s Gold gained the
advantage past midstretch and inched clear under urging from Flores to complete six
furlongs in 1:08 over a track labeled fast.
“I believed that if we got the trip, we’d be right there,” Hofmans said. “I
told David (Flores) I was glad he got through on the rail, and he told me it
didn’t make any difference; he would have gone around. He had that much horse.”
Battle Won gave back $5.60 and $4.40 at 4-1 for coming in 1 1/4-lengths back
in second while Taste of
Paradise (Conquistador Cielo) hit the wire another two lengths back to take the
bronze spot and pay $9.80 at 18-1, ending the $854.20 trifecta ($1). Pt’s
Grey Eagle (Pleasant Tap) finished just off the board to complete the $4,932.30 superfecta ($1)
(3-4-9-1). Top Commander (Kingmambo), Areyoutalkintome, Stormin’
Lyon (Storm Boot) and Storm Wolf (Stormin Fever) followed. The 5-2
favorite, Pico Central, who was making his first start since a fourth-place
finish in the March 26 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1), faded badly and ran last.
“He had his head up and never put it down,” said Mike Smith, who piloted Pico
Central. “I hope it was a case of him needing a race. I don’t know what
else to say.”
Greg’s Gold was bred by his owner in California and is out of the Fit to
Fight mare Lake Windermere. He counts himself as a full brother to an unnamed
yearling filly and a half-brother to a 2005 colt by Rhythm. This was his first
stakes victory, but he also owns a third in the Tiznow S. from earlier this
year. Greg’s Gold more than doubled his earnings to $350,928 to go along with a
13-4-6-1 career mark.