Gulfstream Worth a Look

With the Santa Anita feature race a nine-furlong allowance race for California bred fillies and mares who are a combined 17 for 131, the main event at Gulfstream Park is far more interesting.

Besides being the next-to-last race in a pick six which features the usual Friday bonus of a $25,000 guaranteed pool, the $100,000 Shirley Jones Handicap is a Grade III contest that attracted some quality sprinters at Gulfstream.

Between them, the seven fillies and mares who were entered in the Jones have won 47 of 123 races and earned $2,594,579.

Raging Fever, the likely favorite, will be trying for her second stakes win of the meet for trainer Mark Hennig and owner-breeder Edward Evans, who won the La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita last weekend with 6-1 shot Summer Colony.

A 4-year-old daughter of Storm Cat, Raging Fever won the First Lady Handicap, also a Grade III, on Jan. 18, winning by two lengths. She will be looking for her eighth victory in 11 career starts this afternoon.

Cat Cay, who has won seven of 20 and was second in the First Lady, is back for more this afternoon and she will be helped by the extra furlong of today’s race. She has won two of five at the distance for owner Ogden Phipps and trainer Shug McGaughey. The field is completed by Irish Fantasy, Tugger, Celtic Melody, Vague Memory and Superduper Miss.

Race of the day: The fifth brings together 11 veteran sprinters running for a $50,000 tag. Contenders include A Touch Of Grey, the lukewarm 7-2 favorite, Rapidough, Misanello and Waki American.

Who’s hot: John Longden. Responsible for arguably the most memorable moment in Santa Anita history, the former jockey turned 95 on Thursday. In what was his final mount, Longden , then 59, won the 1966 San Juan Capistrano for a second consecutive year with George Royal. Longden and George Royal prevailed by the slimmest of noses over Plaque.

Who’s not: The field in today’s third race at Golden Gate Fields. The seven fillies and mares are a combined 0 for 60.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using A Touch Of Grey, Waki American and Rapidough in the fifth, Del Chiaro, Without Bounds and Crane in the sixth, singling Broke The Slump in the seventh and Go Girl Go, Beautiful Sunshine and Qui’s Rush In in the eighth.

Winners: Previous Day/Meet Total: 4/109. Money: Previous Day/Meet Total: $30.80/$676.20. Total money bet: $628.