Berkeley Handicap at Golden Gate Fields

Dave Bond, OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap (formerly the Berkeley Stakes) will take place this Monday, May 28th at Golden Gate. Horses four years old and upward will go 1 1/16 miles on Golden Gate's main track with a $100,000 purse on the line.

The Berkeley has drawn a strong field of eight horses to go in race 7 on Golden Gate's Memorial Day card. Post time is 4:15 PM. Let's take a look at the entries and the credentials that brought them to this Grade 3 race.

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2012 Berkeley Handicap Race Favorites

Awesome Gem - is a multiple graded stakes winner that appeared to be peaking with two wins in her last three starts - an Allowance on April 12th and the Grade 3 Longacres Mile Handicap last August to go along with a second in the Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita in October. Although Awesome Gem is coming off an unflattering seventh last time out in the Mervyn Leroy Handicap it is hard to doubt the active leader in thoroughbred earnings.

Hudson Landing - has won three straight races heading into Monday - the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on this track and two straight Allowance Optional Claiming races at Golden Gate. Hudson Landing is absolutely peaking and has to be considered a serious threat to take down this field.

Berkeley Handicap 2012 | Remaining Field Entries

Gallant Son - most recently finished third in the San Francisco Mile on this track in his first start in seven months after a troubling pair of eighth place finishes in stakes races at Del Mar. But he is a multiple graded stakes winner that won the Grade 3 Inglewood Handicap in 2010 and won the Robert K. Kerlan Memorial Handicap as recently as last July.

Positive Response - most recently finished an unflattering fifth in the San Francisco Mile after three straight Allowance starts this year resulted in two second place finishes. Positive Response was the 2010 Gold Rush Stakes winner, the 2011 California Derby winner and the 2011 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes winner and if in good form will certainly challenge.

Berkeley Handicap betting at Golden Gate Fields with OffTrackBetting.com

Bonfire Knight - has raced four times this year and has posted two wins and a third place finish in Allowance Optional Claiming races at Golden Gate and most recently a sixth in the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita on April 22nd.

Anthony's Cross - had a productive start to 2011 with a third in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes and an impressive win at the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes but hasn't been the same since. After nearly a year away, Anthony's Cross has posted a fourth and a seventh in a pair of Allowance races on the road back to serious contention.

Where's the Remote - hasn't raced in graded stakes action since the beginning of 2011 and has five starts this year with a pair of seconds in the last two Allowance starts being his best results.

Michael the Man - has won three straight Claiming races at Golden Gate and will be making a graded stakes debut after 30 career starts.


2012 Berkeley Handicap Entries & Odds

Race 7 on Golden Gate Fields' Monday card with a Post Time of 4:25 PM.

Post Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Awesome Gem A. Gryder C. Dollase
5-2
2 Gallant Son R. Baze F. Lucarelli
4-1
3 Hudson Landing J. Hernandez B. Wright
7-2
4 Positive Response J. Couton W. Morey
5-1
5 Anthony's Cross K. John E. Harty
6-1
6 Bonfire Knight (GB) A. Cedillo S. Miyadi
8-1
7 Where's the Remote A. Gomez E. Moger, Jr.
12-1
8 Michael the Man F. Alvarado F. Lucarelli
15-1