A 4-year-old thoroughbred that died Friday at the Alameda County Fairgrounds was the state s 31st racehorse fatality of the season. Rio King represented the first fatality of year reported at racetrack in Pleasanton.
Irish-bred Balnikhov rebounded with aplomb from an unplaced finish in his previous start when digging deep Saturday to prevail in a close finish in the $250,000 San Francisco Mile (G3), the signature race at Golden Gate Fields' Winter/Spring Meet.