Munnings Sister takes California Wine Stakes at Pleasanton Fair!!

Alameda County Fair Horse Racing

Saturday Stakes results/Sunday stakes preview

By Dennis Miller

Long-time Pleasanton trainer Jeff Bonde was a guest Saturday morning at the Daily Handicapping seminar and when asked about Saturday’s stakes race – the $50,000 California Wine Stakes – Bonde, who did not have a horse running didn’t hesitate.

“I really like Munnings Sister,” said Bonde.

Wise Man. Munnings Sister broke like a demon, then went wire-to-wire to roll home with the win for the inaugural win in the stakes.

Tim McCanna is the trainer of Munnings Sister and pointed out Bonde had talked with him earlier in the day.

“I saw Jeff earlier (Saturday) and he told me had talked about the horse at the seminar and that I better not let him down and make him look bad in his hometown,” said McCanna with a laugh.

Francisco Duran was the jockey on Munnings Sister and both jockey and trainer were worried about Southern California shipper and favorite River Kiss. A speed horse breaking from the rail deserves to be a focal point.

“We were a little worried, but the boss told me to go,” said Duran. “She just really likes this track.”

The race played out differently than expected when River Kiss broke slowly.

“As soon as I got out in front, I let her cross over and that was it,” said Duran.

It was indeed as Munnings Sister never gave up the lead, cruising home for the over 4-length win. Distinctive Yolie was second and River Kiss recovered to get up and finish third.

The win was the second in three starts for Munnings Sister this year. The horse broke its maiden here last year, but after a third in a stakes at Santa Rosa in August, the horse went to the shelf until April.

The comeback start was a win in an optional claimer at Golden Gate Fields, but the next start in a $50,000 optional claimer in mid-May resulted in a third-place finish.

“We always had this race in mind, but didn’t want her sitting in the barn too long,” said McCanna. “We wanted to keep her fit for this race.”

What is next for the horse?

“Well, she’s pretty much a sprinter,” said McCanna. “We’ll take a look at see what’s best for her.”

Sand De Wind takes Arabian Stakes

The Grade III Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Arabian Cup brought all the pageantry to the Fair on Saturday with the $20,000 six furlong race for Arabian horses.

Sand De Wind, owned and trained by Helen Shelley, and ridden by Barrington Harvey, charged down the stretch to take the race. Qjuick Sand PW – another Shelley entry – was second and the favored Golly Bret was third.

Livermore Valley Wine Stakes Sunday

Longview Drive, a 3-year-old with Kentucky Derby aspirations earlier this year out of the Jerry Hollendorfer barn, heads the field of five horses in the Livermore Valley Wine Stakes Sunday in 6 furlong race, the 9^th on the card.

Longview Drive has four starts this year, including the Grade I Santa Anita Derby where he finished 9^th behind winner and eventual Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner I’ll Have Another.

Russell Baze, who had the mount at the Santa Anita Derby and for the following third-place effort in the $75,000 Alcatraz at Golden Gate Fields, has the call again on Sunday.

Marshal Marini makes his first start of the year in the race, coming off a 2011 campaign where the Clifford Delima trained horse hit the board in all six of his starts. The horse did run second last year to Longview Drive in the Charlie Palmer Futurity in Fresno last October.