DAY 21

EIGHT ENTERED IN TVG PACIFIC CLASSIC; ACCELERATE (8-5) IN POST 5

Accelerate will break from post position No. 5 in a field of eight in quest of completing the “California Triple” in Saturday’s $1 million TVG Pacific Classic.

Trained by John Sadler for Hronis Racing LLC, the 5-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky was established as the 8-5 morning line favorite by oddsmaker Russ Hudak by virtue of wins in the Santa Anita Handicap and Gold Cup at Santa Anita earlier this year.

A Pacific Classic win would put Accelerate with Lava Man (2006) and Game On Dude (2013) as horses to sweep the three major handicap division events in California in the same year.

A look at the Classic field in post position order:

1. The Lieutenant (Drayden Van Dyke, 6-1) – “I’m not concerned going a mile and a quarter from the one hole,” trainer Mike McCarthy said. “The horse is very tractable and we’ll go ahead and get a nice stalking trip.” The Lieutenant comes in off a runner-up finish in the Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park on July 7.
2. Dorr (Joe Talamo, 6-1) – Trainer Bob Baffert worked nominees Mubtaahij and Dr. Dorr on Monday and Tuesday and opted to go with the 5-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky owned by his wife, Jill. “Mubtaahij got a little tired and I had missed some training with him so I wasn’t comfortable with him going a mile and a quarter,” Baffert said. “Dr. Dorr actually worked really well (Tuesday) so I threw him in there. He drew a little bit inside, but that’s OK.” Dr. Dorr was second, beaten 6 ¾ lengths by Catalina Cruiser in the San Diego Handicap on July 21.
3. Prime Attraction (Kent Desormeaux, 8-1) – “Very happy with the draw,” trainer Jim Cassidy said. “I wanted to avoid the rail if we could and the three hole is good. It gives us options.” Prime Attraction achieved a 101 speed figure when third, beaten only a neck, in the Eddie Read Stakes on turf July 22.
4. Roman Rosso (Flavien Prat, 5-1) –  Nothing like the signature event of the Del Mar summer season, and one of the biggest races of the thoroughbred year, for the U.S. debut of a South American standout. But that’s what Baffert has chosen for the Group I winner in Argentina and Uruguay whose last race was in March. “He has trained really well, but I don’t really know how he fits in,” Baffert said. “I know he’s won a lot of money ($547,546 from five wins in eight starts), so we’ll find out.”
5. Accelerate (Joel Rosario, 8-5) – Sadler chose to use stablemate Catalina Cruiser to win the San Diego and save Accelerate for the Classic. “I was happy to get the No. 5 post, but felt he could handle any (post) going a mile and a quarter,” Sadler said. “You’d rather be the favorite than not, and we’re excited going into the race.”
6. Beach View (Rafael Bejarano, 15-1) – “We’ve drawn to the outside, but hopefully going a mile and a quarter we won’t be outside for too long,” trainer Leonard Powell said. “Hopefully there will be good pace early on and we’ll be able to rate behind it and finish strong.” Beach View was switched from turf to dirt and won the 1 ½-mile Cougar II Handicap on July 25.
7. Pavel (Mario Gutierrez, 7-2) – “Seven of eight, not bad,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “We were going into it not overly concerned where he drew, but he won from the outside (No. 9) in the Stephen Foster, so we kind of like him out there. We’re happy with the way he’s going and (although) it’s not big in numbers, it’s a pretty contentious race.”
8. Two Thirty Five (Franklin Ceballos, 20-1) – “Being outside doesn’t bother me. You’ve got the length of the stretch, or maybe a little more, to the first turn. I thought he bounced (regressed) a little in the San Diego after running a big number the race before. You can’t win if you’re not in, so we entered and will take a look at the race and see what happens.”

The TVG Pacific Classic is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $6 million

Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Churchill Downs.

TWELVE ENTERED FOR BOTH DEL MAR OAKS AND HANDICAP SATURDAY

Twelve 3-year-old fillies were entered Wednesday morning for Saturday’s Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Oaks. In its 62^nd running, the Oaks determines the meeting champion of sophomore fillies and often carries weight for national honors in Eclipse Award voting for the division.

With the post position draw scheduled later Wednesday, the entrants in alphabetical order are: Animosity (Tyler Gaffalione), Californiagoldrush (Flavien Prat), Colonia (Joel Rosario), Fatale Bere (Kent Desormeaux), Fool’s Paradise (Mario Gutierrez), Movie Moment (Gary Stevens), Ms Bad Behavior (Rafael Bejarano), Ms Peintour (Tiago Pereira), Ollie’s Candy (Tyler Baze), Paved (Drayden Van Dyke), So Hi Society (Evin Roman) and Streetwithnoname (Joe Talamo).

Fatale Bere and Paved are both back at the West Coast after journeys to New York for the Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 7 at Belmont Park. Fatale Bere finished sixth, beaten 3 ½ lengths by Athena in the Grade I event while Paved was eighth, a quarter-length behind Fatale Bere.

Before heading to New York, Fatale Bere and Paved had split decisions in the Grade III Providencia and Grade II Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Ania. Fatale Bere won the Providencia while Paved was third. Paved took the Honeymoon while Fatale Bere was a distant seventh after her saddle slipped during the race.

“`She ran a good race in New York and has been here at Del Mar since the end of July,” said Leonard Powell, trainer of Fatale Bere. “The key will be to have her covered up in the first part and then to finish strong.”

The Del Mar Handicap was also scheduled to be drawn later Wednesday. In alphabetical order the entrants are: Ashleyluvssugar (Joel Rosario), Cashman (Geovanni Franco), Colonist (Drayden Van Dyke), Fashion Business (Flavien Prat), Flamboyant (no rider), Itsinthepost (Tyler Baze), Kenjistorm (Gary Stevens), Multiplier (Tyler Gaffalione), Ritzy A.P. (no rider), Unapologetic (Kent Desormeaux), Whoop Whoop (Joe Talamo) and Ya Gotta Wanna (Tiago Pereira).

The Del Mar Handicap is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf in November at Churchill Downs.

PRAT, MILLER ATOP STANDINGS WITH THREE WEEKS TO GO

Defending champion Flavien Prat holds a five-win advantage over Drayden Van Dyke and Tyler Baze in the rider standings while two-time champion Peter Miller has a seven-win lead over Doug O’Neill and Jerry Hollendorfer atop the trainer board entering the fifth week of the summer season.

Prat notched six wins last week to boost his total to 22 for the first 20 days of the meeting from 82 mounts. Tyler Baze tallied five wins to pick up three on Van Dyke and forge the second-place tie.

Speaking of ties, apprentices Assael Espinoza and Heriberto Figueroa, who tied for the championship of the short Los Alamitos meeting, are tied for fourth here with 13 wins each.

Miller saddled six winners last week to more than double the three-win edge he had to start the session over Hollendorfer. Miller has 19 wins from 63 starters, Hollendorfer and Doug O’Neal 12 each from 51 and 88 starters, respectively.

SPORTS WRITING LEGEND JIM MURRAY SALUTED AT DEL MAR THURSDAY

Jim Murray, an award-winning superstar of sports writing whose wit, style and durability made him an icon to fans worldwide, will be saluted and recalled Thursday at Del Mar on the 20-year anniversary of his final column for the Los Angeles Times.

That column, which appeared on August 16, 1998 had been written about the gray colt Free House winning the Pacific Classic under jockey Chris McCarron the day before at Del Mar. It was the final chapter in a rich career that included stints with various newspapers, Time and Sports Illustrated magazines and a more than 30-year run at the L.A. Times. Among his dozens and dozens of awards, Murray earned a Pulitzer Prize, one of only four sportswriters to be saluted with the nation’s foremost journalistic honor.

Thursday’s tribute at Del Mar will include his widow, Linda McCoy Murray. Media members will be asked to join her and Del Mar officials in the winner’s circle after the day’s 4th Race to salute a man of all sports who had a special place in his heart for racehorses and the world of people who surrounded them.  

CLOSERS – New Zealand artist Peter Williams, a familiar figure in the paddocks of the most famous racetracks in the world, including Del Mar, died August 13 at his home in Goshen, Ky. He was 84. A celebration of Mr. Williams’ life will be held to coincide with an opening reception of his upcoming exhibition, “Peter Williams, Painted from Life,” at the Headley Whitney Museum in Lexington, Ky., on September 7. Several of Mr. Williams’ works are on display at Del Mar … Selected works from 316 officially timed over the past three days. Monday – Richard’s Boy (3f, :36.40), Fatale Bere (4f, :49.20), Sigalert (4f, :48.80), Abel Tasman (5f, 1:00.40), Gray Gem (5f, :59.00), Heartfullofstars (5f, 1:03.00), Moonshine Memories (5f, 1:02.40), Mubtaahij (5f, 1:00.60), Vale Dori (5f, 1:00.40), Marley’s Freedom (7f, 1:26.20). Tuesday – La Force (3f, :35.40), Shivermetimbers (5f, 1:01.20), Diamondsandpearls (6f, 1:14.40), Dr. Dorr (6f, 1:14.00), Wednesday – Lippy (4f, :47.20), Miss Sunset (4f, :48.60), Isotherm (6f, 1:12.80) …

DEL MAR STATISTICS 

Jockey Standings

(Current Through Sunday, August 12, 2018 Inclusive)

Trainer Standings

(Current Through Sunday, August 12, 2018 Inclusive)

Winning Favorites Report

(Current Through Sunday, August 12, 2018 Inclusive)

Winning favorites -- 60 out of 174 -- 34.48%

Winning favorites on dirt -- 45 out of 108 -- 41.67%

Winning favorites on turf -- 15 out of 66 -- 22.73%

Winning odds-on favorites -- 17 out of 26 -- 65.38%

In-the-Money favorites -- 122 out of 174 -- 70.11%

In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 25 out of 26 -- 96.15%