Wheeling back in just seven days off a fourth-place finish in the Lure Stakes at Santa Anita, Southern California invader War At Sea picked up his second lifetime stakes victory in Saturday's $100,000 Grade 3 Golden Gate Handicap at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, Calif.
After a clean break from all the runners in the contest, 9-1 chance Silent Poet was keen on setting the pace. Jockey Evin Roman was able to slow the pace down, and Silent Poet carved out moderate fractions of :24.29, :49.48, and 1:13.61.
Turning into the stretch, Silent Poet opened up the lead to a length or so and kicked on. War At Sea, who had been placed in midfield by jockey Frank Alvarado while always traveling within a couple lengths of the lead, searched for racing room in a stacked-up group turning for home, tipped outside in upper stretch, rallied strongly down the middle part of the track in the final furlong and wore down Silent Poet in the shadow of the wire. War At Sea completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.48 and hit the wire just a head in front of the runner-up. Silent Poet held second, with Tripoli third and Lammas fourth. The latter pair was co-favored at 5-2. Il Bellator was next, followed by I'mgonnabesomebody and Supermazel.
Sent off at odds of 6-1, War at Sea paid $15.80 to win. Silent Poet paid $10.40 to place and $6.60 to show while third place finisher Tripoli returned $3.20 to show. Tripoli and fourth place finisher Lammas went off co-favored at 5-2.
A 4-year-old colt trained by Ron Ellis, War At Sea was purchased for $525,000 at the OBS 2-year-olds in training sale of 2021 by owner Doubledown Stables Inc. The son of War Front was bred in Kentucky by Lewis Thoroughbred Breeding and has won four of 14 lifetime starts. Picking up $60,000 for the Golden Gate Handicap victory, War At Sea improved his career earnings to $278,472.
Live racing resumes at Golden Gate on Sunday afternoon. First post in a 9-race card is 12:45 p.m. PT.
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