Alert Bay Holds Tough in San Francisco Mile
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Photo: Shane Michaeli/Vassar Photography
Alert Bay (right) wins the San Francisco Mile Stakes April 30
Alert Bay shook off pacesetter G. G. Ryder in the stretch and dug in to repel good-closing graded winners Gabriel Charles and Bal a Bali to win the $100,000 San Francisco Mile (gr. IIIT) April 30 at Golden Gate Fields.
Alert Bay hounded G. G. Ryder from second through a half-mile in :48.31 and six furlongs in 1:12.81, drawing even with last year's winner around the turn. The pair entered the stretch as a team before Alert Bay strode past and set off for the finish line.
Gabriel Charles and Bal a Bali closed strongly to threaten in the final sixteenth, but Alert Bay was too powerful and held for a neck victory over Gabriel Charles, snapping a five-race winless streak dating from three successive triumphs that included the City of Hope Mile (gr. IIT) last September at Santa Anita Park.
Bal a Bali, the 9-5 favorite, was a head back in third in the 13-horse field.
"To outrun Gabriel Charles shows how good this horse is," said winning rider Tyler Baze. "Every time I've ridden him, he's given me everything."
Trained by Blaine Wright, Alert Bay covered the distance in 1:36.39 on firm turf, earning a 12th win from 26 career starts for owner Peter Redekop. His record includes three other graded wins, including the 2014 Mathis Brothers Mile (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita.
Alert Bay, a 5-year-old California-bred son of City Zip , paid $9.40, $4.80, and $3.40. Gabriel Charles returned $4.60 and $3, while Bal a Bali paid $2.80 to show.
Bred by Thomas Newton Bell and Ross John McLeod, Alert Bay is out of the Dushyantor mare Hickory.
Completing the order of finish was Kenjisstorm in fourth, followed by G. G. Ryder, Montego Bay, Docs Legacy, Tamarando, Royal F J, Perfectly Majestic, Terrys Tom Cat, P Club, and Unusally Green.