The 7-year-old stakes veteran McCann's Mojave, an earner of more than $1.2 million, will face seven opponents Saturday at Golden Gate Fields in the $100,000 Berkeley Handicap (gr. III).
McCann's Mojave is an 8-to-5 morning line favorite in the 1 1/16-mile feature.
McCann's Mojave has won 10 of his 26 career starts for owners/breeders Mike Willman and Alix Nikke Hunt. McCann's Mojave scored the biggest victory of his career on Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park in Florida when he posted a 33-to-1 shocker in the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic.
Trained by Steve Specht, McCann's Mojave followed up his Sunshine Millions win with a fourth-place finish in the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) on March 3 and a fifth-place finish in the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) on April 7.
After three starts on the road in three different states, McCann's Mojave gets to get run Saturday at his home track, Golden Gate Fields, where he captured the Union Square Stakes last December.
"It's nice to run out of your own barn and at the track you train at," said Specht, who is going into the Berkeley with great confidence in McCann's Mojave. "I think he's plenty ready. If he runs his race and nothing bad happens to him, I don't see anyone beating my horse."
McCann's Mojave will break from post position five and carry top weight of 123 pounds. He'll have the services of his regular jockey, Frank Alvarado.
Argentine-bred Visa Parade makes his U.S. debut Saturday after winning four of nine starts in his homeland last year. Visa Parade scored two of his wins in Group 1 stakes.
$100,000 Berkeley Stakes (gr. III, Race 8, 4:35 p.m.), 3 & Up, 1 1/16 Miles
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Visa Parade (ARG), 117, Russell A. Baze
2. Desert Boom (CA), 117, David G. Lopez
3. A Gallant Discover (CA), 117, Kerwin John
4. Wanna Runner (ON), 117, Juan Ochoa
5. McCann's Mojave (CA), 123, Frank T. Alvarado
6. Guiding Hand (CA), 119, David Cohen
7. Mambo Train (KY), 117, Roberto M. Gonzalez
8. My Creed (KY), 119, Modesto Linares
McCann's Mojave in his stunning upset at the Sunshine Millions Classic.
