DAY 23

BREEDERS’ CUP RETURN IN 2021 HAS DEL MAR HORSEMEN ENTHUSED

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships will make its second appearance at Del Mar in November of 2021, four years after the track hosted one of the most successful cups in the 34-year history of the event.

The announcement regarding Del Mar was part of a three-pronged media release  Thursday of Breeders’ Cup future sites after Churchill Downs hosts for the ninth time in November. The two-day fall championship event returns to Santa Anita for a 10^th time in 2019 and goes back to Keeneland in 2020 for a second hosting by the Lexington, Ky., facility before returning to Del Mar.

“We’re looking forward to it,” Del Mar Thoroughbred Club CEO Joe Harper said. “It was a lot of fun to put it on the first time and hopefully we’ll come up with some new ideas of how we present it and new ways of entertaining the people and providing a great overall experience.”

There was some fear of the unknown and pre-event jitters concerning Del Mar’s first experience as a Breeders’ Cup site, November 3-4 of last year. But in the end it set records for on-track wagering of more than $25 million, common-pool handle of more than $166 million and an impact on the local economy of more than $96 million.

Beyond dollars, the racing was superb. Gun Runner won the $6 million Classic, European horsemen raved about the event, especially after Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien notched his 12^th Breeders’ Cup victory with Mendelssohn in the Juvenile Turf. And there was some local savor when Peter Miller saddled his first BC winner with Stormy Liberal in the Turf Sprint and his second with Roy H in the Sprint in a matter of a couple hours.    

“That’s fantastic, great news,” trainer Miller said when apprised on Thursday of the Cup’s return to his home track. “I thought the first one was handled very well and hopefully Del Mar can even improve a little on the last time.

“It was pretty good for me. I’d take a repeat. The racing was great, the weather was good and the track played fair. I’m biased, but it was my favorite Breeders’ Cup.”

Not surprisingly, prominent Southern California-based horsemen had unanimously favorable reactions to having the Breeders’ Cup in the region two of three years from 2019-21.

“(Del Mar) deserves it,” said trainer Doug O’Neill, who has saddled five Breeders’ Cup winners. “It was great here last year and I think it’s good for the sport, so I’m pumped up.”

Southern California horsemen will have the advantage of familiarity with tracks and won’t have to incur shipping expenses in two of the next three years.

“And I don’t think the people around the world mind coming to California, so it’s a win-win,” O’Neill said.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert agreed.

“I love it when it’s in California,” Baffert said. “I think there was a lot of excitement (here last November) and I think it went well. I don’t care where they run it, it’s always good to be in it, but the key is the weather and it’s always good out here.”

Trainer John Sadler touched on another aspect.

“It makes good business sense,” Sadler said. “We really feel that with our climate it really ought to be out here in November. Back east, there’s such a risk with the weather. It’s great for the Breeders’ Cup and it’s great for the Californians.”

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Vice President for racing Tom Robbins said that talk of a second Breeders’ Cup here started while the 2017 event was still in progress. A relatively quick return is no surprise. 

“To have one under our belt and to know what we do from the first experience is going to be very helpful,” Robbins said. “We took good notes and hopefully it’ll be easier in 2021.

“We had a lot of concern, as did the Breeders’ Cup, coming into it the first time. But we got through it. I know the Europeans were pleased with it and we’re looking forward to them returning.”

SADLER SAYS ACCELERATE ‘S ‘TRAINED UP’ AND READY FOR CLASSIC

Blessed with two TVG Pacific Classic-worthy horses under the same ownership, John Sadler decided to go with Catalina Cruiser in the San Diego Handicap and prepare Accelerate for the $1 million signature event of the summer meeting on works alone.

Catalina Cruiser cruised to victory in the San Diego. Accelerate is the 8-5 morning line favorite against seven rivals and Sadler has expressed confidence the winner of the Santa Anita Handicap and Gold Cup at Santa Anita has been ‘trained up’ to his first race in nearly three months.

“He’s had four really good works over this track,” Sadler said. “Had a bullet work the other day in 1:26 (for seven furlongs) and 1:12 before that. We’re feeling very good. You’d rather be the favorite than not.”

A race over the track, particularly one against a talented stable mate, didn’t seem necessary.

“He’s done so much already this year,” Sadler ponted out. “He’s won the Santa Anita Handicap and the Gold Cup so he has a good resume already. He’s got three races left this year. The Pacific Classic, one prep at Santa Anita and then the Breeders’ Cup.

“This is his third year here and he’s won every single year he’s been here. As a three-year-old he won the Shared Belief. Last year he won the San Diego Handicap. He’s good on this track and the training has gone really smoothly. His work pattern has been steady and consistent.

“He’s shown that he can run this distance and the other thing we really like a lot is that he’s been running these big races and giving weight away. We get them at equal weights this time and I think that’s also an advantage.”

The field from the rail: The Lieutenant (Drayden Van Dyke, 6-1), Dr. Dorr (Joe Talamo, 6-1), Prime Attraction (Kent Desormeaux, 8-1), Roman Rosso (Flavien Prat, 5-1), Accelerate (Joel Rosario, 8-5), Beach View (Rafael Bejarano,  15-1). Pavel (Mario Gutierrez, 7-2) and Two Thirty Five (Franklin Ceballos, 20-1).

The TVG Pacific Classic is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Churchill Downs. The Classic is scheduled as the 10^th on an 11-race program with an approximate post of 6:40 p.m.

EAST COAST INVADER GETS PLENTY OF RESPECT IN THE GRADE I OAKS

Trainer H. Graham Motion won the 2011 Del Mar Oaks with Summer Soiree, the first of five stakes victories here. Saturday, the English-born conditioner, who saddled Animal Kingdom to win the 2011 Kentucky Derby, seeks to add a second Oaks score to his Del Mar stakes total with the French-bred 3-year-old filly Colonia in the 62^nd running of the Grade I $300,000 1 1/8-mile turf test.

Imported from France after her fifth career start there in April, Colonia trained well at Graham’s Fair Hill, Md., center and made an impressive U.S. debut, sweeping from last in a field of 10 to a 1 ¾-length victory in the $100,000 Hatoof stakes at Arlington Park on July 7.

“The way she blew by them, it looked like she did it easily,” said track oddsmaker Russ Hudak, whose morning line has Colonia the 7-2 favorite in a highly competitive field of 12.

Since her last race, Colonia had three works at the Fair Hill center, then shipped to Del Mar, arriving Wednesday, accompanied by Motion assistant Alice Clapham. Motion will remain on the East Coast Saturday and Clapham will handle the saddling duties.

The field from the rail: Ms Peintour (Tiago Pereira, 20-1), Streetwithnoname (Joe Talamo, 20-1), Fool’s Paradise (Mario Gutierrez, 20-1), Ollie’s Candy (Tyler Baze, 9-2), Fatale Bere (Kent Desormeaux, 6-1), Paved (Drayden Van Dyke, 6-1), Colonia (Joel Rosario, 7-2), Californiagoldrush (Flavien Prat, 8-1), Ms Bad Behavior (Rafael Bejarano, 6-1), So Hi Society (Evin Roman, 12-1), Movie Moment (Gary Stevens, 20-1), Animosity (Tyler Gaffalione, 8-1).

The Oaks is scheduled as the eighth race on an 11-race program.

ASHLEYLUVSSUGAR BACK FOR A THIRD DEL MAR HANDICAP START

In 2016, Ashleyluvssugar produced a front-running nose victory over Metaboss as the favorite in the Del Mar Handicap.

Last year, the California-bred gelded son of Game Plan led at the top of the stretch but was outkicked in the late stages of the 1 3/8-mile turf marathon and finished sixth, albeit beaten only 2 ¼ lengths.

Saturday, the Peter Eurton trainee, an earner of more than $1.3 million in a 27-race career, will take a third swing at the $250,000 Grade II event.

It’s race that has fit the horse annually, Eurton said, for its place on the calendar and the distance of the assignment.

“There are not a lot of mile and a quarter, or mile and three-eighths races that you can stay in town for,” Eurton said. “From the end of Santa Anita to now, you find yourself running in races that are too short, and he likes the extra distance.

“He gets to control the pace, rather than the pace controlling him. A mile and a mile and a sixteenth, it’s too athletic for him and takes him out of his game. A mile and a quarter or a mile and three-eighths is perfect for him. He can get in his own rhythm rather than having to get out of his rhythm just to keep up with them.”

It will be the fourth 2018 start for Ashleyluvssugar and the first beyond 1 1/16 miles.

“He seems like he’s coming into it well because I don’t think he’s been over-run this year,” Eurton said. “He won it at the age of five, now he’s seven and sometimes as horses get older they may lose some athleticism but they can keep their stamina.

“He’s got a good draw and we’ll definitely be forwardly placed.”

The field from the rail: Kenjisstorm (Gary Stevens, 9-2), Flamboyant (Rafael Bejarano, 8-1), Whoop Whoop (Joe Talamo, 20-1), Ya Gotta Wanna (Tiago Pereira, 20-1), Unapologetic (Kent Desormeaux, 15-1), Itsinthepost (Tyler Baze, 7-2), Multiplier (Tyler Gaffalione 8-1), Ashleyluvssugar (Joel Rosario, 6-1), Colonist (Drayden Van Dyke, 8-1), Ritzy A.P. (Tyler Conner, 20-1), Cashman (Geovanni Franco, 8-1) and Fashion Business (Flavien Prat, 6-1).

The Del Mar Handicap goes as the sixth race on an 11-race program. The race is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf in November at Churchill Downs.

SHARP SAMURAI FAVORED IN SUNDAY’S DEL MAR MILE HANDICAP

Catapult and Sharp Samurai, the 1-2 finishers in the Grade II Eddie Read Stakes on July 22, take a step back in distance from 1 1/16-miles in Sunday’s Del Mar Mile Handicap. Sharp Samurai is the 7-2 favorite in the field of 12 on the morning line posted Friday by oddsmaker Russ Hudak.

Catapult got a perfectly timed ride from Drayden Van Dyke to rally from sixth place at the top of the stretch and nip Sharp Samurai by a nose in the Read. Having drawn the No. 1 post could prove to be an obstacle for Catapult while Sharp Samurai, the top 3-year-old of the 2017 meeting seeking a third Del Mar stakes victory in two years here, has the more comfortable No. 4 spot.

Trainer Mark Glatt will be seeking back-to-back Mile victories. He saddled Blackjackcat to win by a head over Vyjack last year.

Two-time Mile winner Doug O’Neill will be represented by B Squared, who has one victory in eight starts this year, seven of them coming in ungraded stakes.

“He’s been beaten a couple times as the favorite, but he’s been close almost every time,” O’Neill assistant Leandro Mora said of the 4-year-old son of Square Eddie who has $411,698 in earnings from 19 career starts. “It’s been maybe a little bit disappointing, but we always hope the next one coming up will be a good one.”

The field from the rail: Catapult (Drayden Van Dyke, 9-2), What a View (Kent Desormeaux, 20-1), True Valor (Brice Blanc, 20-1), Sharp Samurai (Gary Stevens, 7-2), Le Ken (Tyler Baze, 30-1), Bowies Hero (Joel Rosario, 8-1), Caribou Club (Mike Smith, 6-1), B Squared (Mario Gutierrez, 20-1), Fly to Mars (Tyler Gaffalione, 6-1), Om (Joe Talamo, 12-1), Big Score (Rafael Bejarano, 10-1), Next Shares (Stewart Elliott, 20-1) and Hunt (Flavien Prat, 6-1).

MARTINE BELLOCQ TO RECEIVE PINCAY AWARD ON SATURDAY

Martine Bellocq, the trainer who braved the burning stables at San Luis Rey Downs last December in an attempt to save her horses, will receive the 15^th Laffit Pincay, Jr. Award Saturday.

Bellocq, who suffered life-threatening burns over much of her body and lost a foot due to circulation complications, has fought her way back and plans to be in the winner’s circle with her family to receive the award from Pincay in her first public appearance since the fire.

Also among the “heroes” to be saluted are the staff of the Trifecta Equine Athletic Center, which is located directly across the street from San Luis Rey and whose workers sheltered and treated 101 injured and terrified horses through the night of the fire.

The ceremony will be held after the third race on the Pacific Classic Day program.

CLOSERS –  A statistical check shows the most potent trainer/jockey combination at the meet so far is Peter Miller and apprentice Heriberto Figueroa.  They have won nine races together … Select works from 157 officially timed Friday: Pantsonfire (4f, :48.60), City of Light (5f, 1:00.00), Rubilinda (5f, 1:01.60), Catalina Cruiser (6f, 1:12.60), Chasing Yesterday (6f, 1:13.00), Der Lu (6f, 1:14.60) and Roadster (6f, 1:12.80) … Kudos to a film crew from the Breeders’ Cup who were told that Accelerate would make his final pre-Classic gallop at 4:40 Friday morning and showed up at 4:15 to make sure they didn’t miss anything.

DEL MAR STATISTICS

Jockey Standings

(Current Through Thursday, August 16, 2018 Inclusive)

Trainer Standings

(Current Through Thursday, August 16, 2018 Inclusive)

Winning Favorites Report

(Current Through Thursday, August 16, 2018 Inclusive)

Winning favorites -- 65 out of 190 -- 34.21%

Winning favorites on dirt -- 48 out of 118 -- 40.68%

Winning favorites on turf -- 17 out of 72 -- 23.61%

Winning odds-on favorites -- 18 out of 28 -- 64.29%

In-the-Money favorites -- 135 out of 190 -- 71.05%

In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 27 out of 28 -- 96.43%