Six distaffers, four in on the condition, and two in for a tag, were featured at Cal-Expo on Thursday, March 11 where Castle Oaks took advantage of a class drop out of the Open.
Prior to starting from Post 3, trainer Tim Maier knew who the horses were to beat.
"I figured if anyone could beat Giveittoemstaight (driven by Gilbert Herrera), it was my horse or Silver Bloom (Rick Plano),” said Maier.
Leaving just slightly in a race that showed no speed on paper, Maier found himself with no seat to drop in.
"I just kind of floated and decided to go on with it."
Forced to move forward three sixteenths of a mile past the start, Maier and Castle Oaks didn't clear to the front until well past the quarter-mile pole, timed in :28.3.
"I did have to use her, but once I made the top I just basically tried to force Gilbert (Herrera) back to the lead."
Hitting the brakes big time past five sixteenths and thus prompting a pocket pull from Giveittoemstaight, a happy Maier yielded for the for the all important two-hole past the seven sixteenths mile marker into a :58.1 first-half.
"Getting the pocket was good because my mare is no good on the front."
More than content to remain in the garden spot with the field now at three-quarter mile station, timed in 1:26.3, Maier was respectful of his front-end foe.
"I was just trying to stay with Giveittoemstaight."
Drafting in the stretch until popping out with a little more than an eighth of a mile to go, the four-year-old gained quickly.
"She went right by and I had to keep her to her task to stay ahead of Giveittoemstaight."
Wearing down Giveittoemstaight with a sixteenth of a mile to go, Castle Oaks edged forward the rest of the way under some urging to win ($11.40) by one and three quarter lengths. Owned by Denise Maier and Farrell York in partnership with breeder Alan Kirschenbaum, Castle Oaks stopped the timer at 1:54.3, a lifetime best. Giveittoemstaight had to settle for the place honors, and Scooter Babe (Steve Wiseman) finished two lengths farther back, in third.
"It was a win that she needed in that it bravened her up," concluded Maier, who had a training double and a driving triple on the card.
Live racing continues at Cal-Expo on Friday, March 12 and on Saturday, March 13 at 5:55 p.m. (PST).
(Cal-Expo)