G. G. Ryder Swoops to All American Win
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G. G. Ryderstormed to the lead in the final sixteenth and won the $100,000 All American Stakes (gr. III) from stablemate Outside Nashville May 25 at Golden Gate Fields.
The son of the A.P. Indy stallion Chhaya Dance earned a second straight graded-stakes win in holding off Outside Nashville, who desperately tried to complete a last-to-first rally but settled for second, 1 1/4 lengths back in a one-two finish for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Pepper Crown was third, a half-length behind.
With G. G. Ryder relaxed in fourth, never far back under Ricardo Gonzalez, another stablemate and slight 2-1 favorite Summer Hit cut out most of the running from Eagle Screams, before that rival loomed ominously alongside around the final turn and got his head in front in the stretch.
Eased out for clear running early in the lane, G. G. Ryder showed a sparkling turn of foot when roused past Eagle Scream to get the win at 5-2 odds, his 10th from 19 career starts. Last time out, the 4-year-old colt ran down Summer Hit in the final yards to win the San Francisco Mile Stakes (gr. IIIT), Northern California's top turf event.
G. G. Ryder was time in 1:34.14 on the synthetic Tapeta track. He is six-for-10 on Tapeta and was second to Pepper Crown in the 2014 Berkeley Handicap (gr. III) last November in his only previous stakes try on the surface.
Eagle Screams finished fourth while Summer Hit, who like G. G. Ryder and Outside Nashville, is trained by Hollendorfer, faded to fifth in the eight-horse field. Blues Blaster, Hypnatique and Beast of Bourbon completed the order of finish. Living The Life (IRE) was scratched.
Under equal weight of 122 pounds, G. G. Ryder, whom Hollendorfer owns with George Todaro, paid $7.80, $3.20, $2.80 while Outside Nashville returned $4.20 and $2.40. Pepper Crown delivered $3.20 to show.
Diane Rochelle's Eagle Oak Ranch bred G. G. Ryder in California from the winning Storm Boot mare Stormy Gigi, a half sister to grade II-winning sprinter Force Freeze.