Berkeley, Calif. – One would be hard pressed to find a better stretch run than what race watchers witnessed in the seventh race at Golden Gate Fields on Halloween Sunday. The featured seventh race, the $75,000 El Dorado Shooter Stakes for California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and upward, ended in a photo finish between the top two finishers, Top Harbor and In Our A. In the end, Top Harbor got the better of the bob and won the six furlong contest by a narrow nose.
Trained by Tim McCanna and ridden to victory by Frank Alvarado, 5-2 third-choice Top Harbor sat off the pace early before saving ground on the rail throughout the far turn run. Swinging for home, Top Harbor stuck to the rail and came with a ferocious rally inside of In Our A, who had taken the lead from 7-5 post time favorite War Games in midstretch. In the final sixteenth of a mile, In Our A had his head in front for most of the way, but Top Harbor continued to battle, surged in the final strides and got his nose down at the wire just in time.
War Games finished a length and a half behind the top pair and completed the trifecta, followed by R M C Hook’em and Jamming Eddy. Top Harbor ran the six furlongs in a crsip 1:09.46. Top Harbor paid $7.60 to win, $4.00 to place and $2.20 to show. In Our A, off at post time as the 2-1 second choice in the wagering, returned $3.40 to place and $2.20 to show. War Games paid $2.10 to show.
Top Harbor, owned by breeders Gordy Jarnig, Kenny Marshall and Eric Schweiger, increased his career earnings to $187,774 with the El Dorado Shooter stakes victory. His lifetime record reads 4 wins, 3 second and 3 thirds from 11 lifetime starts. Top Harbor, a 3-year-old colt, is by Harbor the Gold and out of 5-time stakes winner and 464k earner Reba Is Tops.
In Our A is no slouch himself. The full brother to multiple stakes winner Bulletproof One has now raced 10 times, with 5 wins and 5 seconds. Ellen Jackson trains the 5-year-old gelding for breeders Kevin and Kimberly Nish of KMN Racing and Victory Rose Thoroughbreds.
El Dorado Shooter Stakes Replay
Live racing resumes at Golden Gate Fields on Friday afternoon, with first post set at 12:08 PM. Fans can watch and wager on 9-races from Golden Gate Fields and the Breeders Cup Friday card from Del Mar throughout the afternoon.
On Saturday, first post* at Golden Gate is scheduled for 11:10 AM. In addition to a Golden Gate Fields live race program, fans will be able to watch and wager on the 12 races from Del Mar on Breeders Cup Saturday. Golden Gate also offers on-track patrons a chance to enjoy the Breeders Cup with our 2021 VIP Turf Club Watch Party. For more info and to purchase tickets for Saturday’s VIP Watch Party, visit Goldengatefields.com.
*subject to change
For info on the Best Breeders’ Cup Seminar click HERE.
Matt Dinnerman/Golden Gate Fields
Photo Top Harbor (Vassar Photography)
