Balnikhov Faces Full Field in San Fran Mile Repeat Bid

It will be a bittersweet day at Golden Gate Fields April 27 as the $175,000 San Francisco Mile Stakes (G3T) is slated to be the last stakes race ever held at the track that opened in 1941. Golden Gate is scheduled to close once the spring meet ends June 9.

However, it will likely be a race not worth missing as a full and competitive field of 12, with one also eligible, will compete over one mile on the turf.

Several invaders from Southern California hope to claim the prize, including Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, and Old Bones Racing Stable's Balnikhov  for trainer Phil D'Amato.

The 5-year-old Adaay  gelding is the defending winner and has competed against the best turf runners in California while participating in 12 consecutive graded stakes. However, he is winless since his nose victory in this spot last year.

Video: San Francisco Mile S. (G3T)

Unraced for nearly three months since a fifth-place finish in the Feb. 3 Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park, connections will hope a return to Golden Gate will get the gelding back on track.

Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor's Astronomer  makes his first start since a fifth in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar Nov. 25. After a neck defeat in the Sept. 30 City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita, trainer Simon Callaghan took a shot in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) Nov. 4. Astronomer prompted the pace and faded to 12th, but was only beaten 5 3/4 lengths.

Evin Roman, who was the leading jockey of Golden Gate's final meet up until moving his tack to Turfway Park at the end of January, will return to Golden Gate to ride Astronomer.

Local Connections Hoping to Keep the Trophy Home

Edward and Theresa DeNike's Il Bellator  will add blinkers as he returns from a nearly six-month layoff. The 5-year-old Shackleford  gelding has hit the board in both starts over the Golden Gate turf course, including a third in this race last year.

Ron Charles and Samuel Gordon's Lammas  has been in solid form so far in his 7-year-old season. In his last four races, all over Golden Gate's all-weather surface, the son of Heeraat  has won three times including each of his last two.

William and Judy Hedrick's Clovisconnection  finished 2023 in strong fashion, winning two stakes at Emerald Downs and a pair of stakes on the California Authority of Racing Fairs circuit. The 4-year-old Vronsky  gelding traveled to Santa Anita for his 2024 debut March 24, his first start since October,  for the Sensational Star Stakes where he finished third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths.

The San Francisco Mile Stakes is race 7 with post time at 5:45 p.m. PT.