Larry Odbert's $2,000 purchase Freeport Joe has paid dividends. The 4-year-old English Channel gelding stepped up to stakes company for the first time in the $100,900 Berkeley Handicap (G3) Nov. 27 at Golden Gate Fields and came with a late run to upset favored Camino Del Paraiso.
The winner, a California-bred trained by Gloria Haley, now has earnings of $141,056 from a 4-1-4 record in 12 starts, all at Golden Gate.
Freeport Joe was second-to-last early in the field of seven under Assael Espinoza as Sash set fractions of :23.98, :48.53, and 1:12.28 while Camino Del Paraiso stalked in third. The favorite took over in the stretch but could not hold off the late kick of Freeport Joe.
Espinoza tipped his mount to the outside turning for home and the pair got up to win by a length. Freeport Joe completed 1 1/16 miles on the synthetic track in 1:43.70 and paid $22.20.
Camino Del Paraiso stayed on for second by 1 1/2 lengths over Sash, who faded to third.
Bred by Richard Barton Enterprises, Freeport Joe is the first black-type winner out of the Sadler's Wells mare Winds of March, whose latest foal is a yearling Dads Caps filly. He was bought by Odbert out of the Barton Thoroughbreds consignment to the 2018 Northern California August Yearling Sale.
