Catalina Cruiser © Del Mar Thoroughbred Club

DAY 18

15 NOMS FOR TVG PACIFIC CLASSIC; FINAL WORKS BEGIN

Fourteen older males and champion 4-year-old filly Unique Bella have been nominated for the 28^th running of the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic on Saturday, August 18, as the deadline passed at midnight Thursday.

The connections for all 15, six of which have been cross-entered in other stakes races next weekend, have until Tuesday to decide regarding the 1 ¼-mile signature event of the summer meeting. The field will be finalized at a post position draw party starting at 3:30 that afternoon at the Brigantine restaurant overlooking the track.

In alphabetical order, with owners and trainers in parentheses, the nominees are: Accelerate (Hronis Racing/John Sadler), Ann Arbor Eddie (Reddam Racing/Doug O’Neill), Beach View (Levy Racing/Leonard Powell), Catalina Cruiser (Hronis Racing/John Sadler), Dr. Dorr (Natalie J. Baffert/Bob Baffert), El Huerfano (Barber or Wachtel Stable/Peter Miller), Full of Luck (CTR Stables, West Point Thoroughbreds or Todaro, et al/Jerry Hollendorfer), Mubtaahij (Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum/Bob Baffert), Multiplier (Wachtel Stable, Barber or Kerr/Peter Miller), Pavel (Reddam Racing/Doug O’Neill), Prime Attraction (DP Racing/James Cassidy), Roman Rosso (Zaur Bifov/Bob Baffert), The Lieutenant (Mr. & Mrs. W.K. Warren, Jr.,/Michael McCarthy) Two Thirty Five (Slam Dunk Racing, Mansor, Nielsen et al/Richard Baltas) and Unique Bella (Don Alberto Stable/Jerry Hollendorfer).

With the race just eight days away, several nominees put in their final major works Friday morning.

Track clockers had San Diego Handicap winner Catalina Cruiser covering five furlongs in one minute flat under Juan Leyva, assistant trainer to Sadler, with splits of :24 and :36.60 for the first three-eighths.

“I watched from the front side (grandstand) and I had him going out (six furlongs) in 1:13 and seven-eighths in 1:26,” Sadler said. “Juan said he felt super.

“The Classic isn’t the plan for him, but he’s there if for any reason we need him. A pretty good back-up.”

Accelerate, the Santa Anita Handicap and Gold Cup at Santa Anita winner who is Sadler’s primary Classic hope, will have his final work Sunday morning.

O’Neill-trained Pavel, winner of the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs in June, went six furlongs in 1:13.80 with regular rider Mario Gutierrez aboard.

“He broke behind a workmate, gradually picked him up and galloped out with good energy,” O’Neill said. “He cooled out well and acts ready for a week from tomorrow.”

O’Neill’s other Classic nominee, Ann Arbor Eddie – also nominated to the Del Mar Handicap on Pacific Classic Day and the Del Mar Mile on Sunday, August 19 – went five furlongs in 1:02.0.

Baffert’s somewhat surprising nominee Roman Rosso – a recently imported Group I winner in South America – was timed in 1:26.00 for seven furlongs under Flavien Prat.

“Went nice,” said Baffert, who texted that the 4-year-old Argentine-bred could go in the Classic or the Harry F. Brubaker on August 22.

DESORMEAUX HOPES SYNTHESIS CAN GET IN THE BEST PAL PHOTO

Trainer Keith Desormeaux is well aware of what his two-year-old colt Synthesis, winless in three career starts, is up against in Saturday’s Grade II $200,000 Best Pal Stakes.

“Is he the favorite?” Desormeaux asked with a grin Friday morning.

No, that would be Instagrand, a $1.2 million purchase at the Fasig-Tipton sale in March who debuted with a 10-length victory at Los Alamitos on June 29. Synthesis, who went for $16,000 at the Keeneland sale last September, is the only maiden in the field of five for the six-furlong stepping stone to the Del Mar Futurity and is 15-1 on the morning line.

“I love to outrun those million-dollar horses with a $16,000 purchase,” Desormeaux said. “Sixteen thousand, baby.”

Synthesis, a Kentucky-bred son of First Samurai owned by Big Chief Racing and partners, finished third in his first two starts, in May and June at Santa Anita, and was fourth throughout in a five-furlong maiden race on the fourth day of the meeting here.

“I wouldn’t be in a race of this stature if I hadn’t seen some positive signs,” Desormeaux said. “But I’ve got to be honest, one of the reasons we’re in there is because of the short field (five entered).

“He’s training well, and he’s really bred for more distance. His races at five-eighths, he’s really had to tax himself to keep up, and I know the six furlongs is going to be better for him. He really needs a mile, but six furlongs is going to help.

“It’s a great race to continue his education.”

The field from the rail: Instagrand (Drayden Van Dyke, 1-2), Owning (Mario Gutierrez, 5-2), Synthesis (Kent Desormeaux, 15-1), Mason Dixon (Flavien Prat, 5-1), Sparky Ville (Gary Stevens, 10-1).

ANONYMITY EDGES SKYE DIAMONDS AS RANCHO BERNARDO FAVORITE

Richard Mandella-trained Anonymity was made the 8-5 favorite and defending race champion Skye Diamonds the 9-5 second choice on oddsmaker Russ Hudak’s morning line for Sunday’s Grade III $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap.

Anonymity, a 4-year-old daughter of Tapit, was a racing debut winner here on August 11 of last year and prevailed by 8 ¼ lengths in an allowance event July 29 to reassert her affinity for Del Mar. A winner of three of four career starts with earnings of $122,200, Anonymity retains the services of meet-leading rider Flavien Prat.

Prat opted for Anonymity over Rancho Bernardo third choice Moonshine Memories (3-1) after being aboard for her last six starts, among them wins in the 2017 Del Mar Debutante and an allowance here on July 19. Mike Smith has the call on Moonshine Memories.

The field from the rail: Turkish Tabby (Mario Gutierrez, 15-1), Yuvetsi (Tyler Baze, 6-1), Anonymity (Flavien Prat, 8-5), Skye Diamonds (Tiago Pereira, 9-5), Deer Valley (Drayden Van Dyke, 12-1) and Moonshine Memories (Mike Smith, 3-1).

JOCKEY NEWS; MIKE SMITH TURNS 53; PRAT RETAINS MEET LEADERSHIP

On the occasion of his turning 52 a year ago, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith was asked to calculate his age on the “You’re as young as you feel” scale and responded “35.”

Today, one year later, he was asked the same question. “Thirty-four,” Smith responded with a laugh, “I refuse to go down without a fight.”

A year ago Smith had no riding commitments. He’ll be available for serenading when he rides Princess Roi (8-1) for trainer Richard Baltas in the featured seventh race, the $150,000 Solana Beach Handicap.

“My fiancé is coming into town and we’ll celebrate a little tonight,” Smith said. “Tomorrow I’ve got some family and friends arriving and we’ll probably do some more.”

Flavien Prat, who turned 26 last Saturday, went 0-for-4 on Thursday, but retained a three-win lead over Drayden Van Dyke, who had the day off. Prat has 18 wins through the first 17 days of the meeting.

Tyler Baze (13) and apprentice Assael Espinoza (12) each notched one win Thursday, a day when the eight races went to eight different riders, to remain in third and fourth place, respectively. 

CLOSERS – Santa Anita publicist Mike Willman informs that John Gholston, a stable hand for trainer Roger Clapp for many years and later for Noble Threewitt and Richard Mandella, died Sunday in Arcadia at the age of 84. Gholston was a constant companion for Crystal Water, the star Clapp trained for Mrs. Connie Ring. Crystal Water won the 1976 San Felipe at Santa Anita and Hollywood Derby at Hollywood Park and the following year strung together victories in the Santa Anita Handicap, Californian and Hollywood Gold Cup … In the ‘We hate to admit it, but we erred department: Mike Smith will be at Saratoga on Pacific Classic Day to ride Midnight Bisou in the Alabama Stakes for 3-year-olds, not Abel Tasman, who is 4. And, due to an error in the official program, we had Rob Henie as Frank Scatoni’s guest on the Sunday handicapping seminar. John Doyle, Optixeq Founder, will be the guest on Sunday, Henie does the honors a week later … Selected works from 144 officially timed Friday: Ann Arbor Eddie (5f, 1:02.40), Catalina Cruiser (5f, 1:00.00), City of Light (5f, :59.60), Fahan Mura (5f, 1:00.60), Dabster (6f, 1:12.60), Pavel (6f, 1:13.80) and Roman Rosso (7f, 1:26.00).  

DEL MAR STATISTICS

Jockey Standings

(Current Through Thursday, August 9, 2018 Inclusive)

Trainer Standings

(Current Through Thursday, August 9, 2018 Inclusive)

Winning Favorites Report

(Current Through Thursday, August 9, 2018 Inclusive)

Winning favorites -- 50 out of 147 -- 34.01%

Winning favorites on dirt -- 39 out of 91 -- 42.86%

Winning favorites on turf -- 11 out of 56 -- 19.64%

Winning odds-on favorites -- 14 out of 22 -- 63.64%

In-the-Money favorites -- 102 out of 147 -- 69.39%

In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 21 out of 22 -- 95.45%