Hudson Landing, who captured the 2012 All American Stakes (gr. III) by a nose over Control Seeker last fall, will try to repeat for trainer Blaine Wright and owner Jared Chappell at Golden Gate Fields on Memorial Day May 27.
Control Seeker will also be back for the $100,000 All American, which attracted a field of eight. The 1 1/16-mile race over the Tapeta main track, which goes as the seventh with a post time of 3:45 p.m. PDT, was moved up on the Golden Gate stakes schedule because it fit better as a Memorial Day feature.
Hudson Landing got up in the final jump to nose out Control Seeker Nov. 23. The 6-year-old Maria's Mon gelding owns four stakes victories and an impressive $487,648 bankroll while a model of consistency with 24 in-the-money finishes from 39 career starts. He will be looking to bounce back from his most recent race, a sixth-place showing in the San Francisco Mile (gr. IIIT) April 27.
California-bred Control Seeker is a multiple stakes winner who has earned $375,188. A 7-year-old Sought After gelding who also has 39 career starts, Control Seeker enters the All American with 10 wins, 10 seconds and two thirds. Like Hudson Landing, he is coming off a disappointing effort in the SF Mile, running seventh. Keith Nations trains Control Seeker for owners Theresa and Edward DeNike.
As well-seasoned as Hudson Landing and Control Seeker are, they have to take a back seat to Tres Borrachos, an 8-year-old Ecton Park gelding who has competed at 12 different racetracks and in seven states. Tres Borrachos, trained by Marty Jones, is to make career start 47 in the All American when breaking from the rail under veteran jockey Joe Steiner.
This would be the 35th stakes start for Tres Borrachos, who owns a pair of grade II stakes victories in the Swaps at Betfair Hollywood Park in 2008 and the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar in 2011.
In his only prior start at Golden Gate, Tres Borrachos finished fourth in the 2008 California Derby. He enters the All American off of two sharp efforts at Santa Anita Park, where he won a one-mile allowance race and most recently finished third in the Santana Mile March 31. Tres Borrachos earned an impressive 100 Beyer figure in both of the races.
Summer Hit, from the powerful Jerry Hollendorfer barn, ran second in the SF Mile, coming up just a neck short of a wire-to-wire victory. Owned in partnership by Hollendorfer and John Carver, Summer Hit has three wins and a second in four tries on Tapeta.
The 4-year-old gelded son of Bertrando completed his preparations for the All American by working a half-mile in :49 2/5 handily May 23 at Golden Gate. Russell Baze has the call.
Multiple stakes winner Positive Response, fourth in last fall's All American for trainer William E. Morey, tuned up for this renewal with a runner-up finish as the favorite behind Control Seeker in a one-mile allowance/optional claiming event on a yielding turf course April 6.
$100,000 All American Stakes (gr. III, Race 7, 3:45 p.m.), 3 & Up, 1 1/16 Miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Trainer
1. Tres Borrachos (KY), J J Steiner, M F Jones
2. Siberian Laughter (CA), J Couton, W Delia
3. Ashtar (CHI), C Santiago Reyes, A M Rodriguez
4. Summer Hit (CA), R A Baze, J Hollendorfer
5. Administer (IL), A Gomez, B D Wright
6. Hudson Landing (KY), J J Hernandez, B D Wright
7. Control Seeker (CA), F Duran, K Nations
8. Positive Response (FL), D Carr, W E Morey
All carry 122 pounds.
Hudson Landing won the 2012 All American Stakes by a nose over Control Seeker.
Vassar Photography