Dalmore © Zoe Metz for Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
BEYOND THE BIG THREE, CLASSIC HOPES ABIDE FOR OTHERS
The odds, from morning line to expected final flash, are that one of three horses – Beholder, California Chrome or Dortmund – will win Saturday’s 26th running of the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic.
But there are nine, not three, entered in the signature event of the Del Mar summer season. And it’s been proven a multitude of times that anything can happen in a horse race. So before all eyes are turned to the Big Three when the gates open at around 6:10 p.m. tomorrow, let’s hear it for (and from) the other guys.
“The Desormeaux stable is getting ready to take down the hero of California,” Keith Desormeaux, trainer of Dalmore, said Friday morning. “California Chrome is going down tomorrow.”
For the record, he said it with a grin, a laugh and a twinkle in the eye. Said it displaying the enthusiasm, energy and optimism Louisianans often seem to display when the odds are against them. And said it, quite possibly, to add some Cajun spice –for those who prefer it – to the conversation on the eve of what’s being billed as the best race in America to this point in 2016.
“We’re excited about running against a great field in the Pacific Classic,” Desormeaux said, turning serious. “We’re optimistic, but if you don’t feel good about your horse going against that caliber of field, you might not want to be running. He looks great, feels great and he’s training great.”
Dalmore, a 3-year-old son of Colonel John owned by Big Chief Racing and Rocker O Ranch, comes in on a two-race winning streak, with the last being a half-length victory over Danzing Candy, under Kent Desormeaux, in the Grade III Affirmed Stakes on July 2 at Santa Anita. Dalmore is 20-1 on oddsmaker Russ Hudak’s morning line.
In its inaugural year, 1991, Best Pal bested a group of elders in the Pacific Classic and 3-year-olds have prevailed three times since. Dalmore is the only 3-year old in this year’s race.
“It can happen and my horse is fresh,” Desormeaux said. “The problem is if you look behind those other (3-year-old winners) there are probably no California Chromes, Beholders or Dortmunds.”
John Sadler-trained Hard Aces has losses to each of the Big Three during a 33-race career that has produced $999,645 in earnings. The 6-year-old son of Hard Spun also has a victory in the 2015 Hollywood Gold Cup on his record and is coming off a win in the Classic-prep Cougar II Handicap. Sadler nominated Hard Aces for both the Del Mar Handicap on grass and the 1 ¼-mile main-track Classic on Saturday’s card and opted for the Classic. Hard Aces is 15-1 on the morning line.
“I put another horse of ours (Express Himself) in the grass race,” Sadler said. “(Hard Aces) is doing great, he’s really thrived since his last win here and that’s why we’re in there. You try to run them when they’re at their best. But this really is the best race anywhere this year.”
The possibility of having the Big Three in the Pacific Classic has been talked about since the beginning of the meeting. The prospect wasn’t so daunting as to prevent owner Ron Paolucci from shipping War Story from Thistledown in Cleveland for the son of Northern Afleet to make the second start of his 2016 campaign.
And to summon young jockey Ricardo Mejias from the Midwest to ride.
“We’re happy to be in it and we like the post position (No. 3) it’s good for us,” said Dean Greenman, trainer of 30-1 War Story. “We’re going to tell our jockey (Mejias) that if the pace is too slow to be up close and if it’s fast we want to be back off it. It’s going to be a jockey’s race and this kid has never ridden out here, but he knows the horse and that’s the most important thing. If the horse breaks well, he’s going to take it from there.”
AND NOW, A WORD FROM THE EXERCISE RIDERS
Of course they’re biased.
Janeen Painter and Dihigi Gladney’s lives currently revolve around Beholder and California Chrome, the championship horses for which they are, respectively, the regular exercise riders.
But they’re entitled to their opinions on the epic confrontation in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic Saturday. And here’s what they said earlier this week.
Painter on Beholder: “I know she’ll try and I think this race will set up better for her than the last one.” Beholder and Gary Stevens lost by a half length to Stellar Wind and Victor Espinoza in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes here July 30.
“There was no speed in the last one. Gary (Stevens) rode his best race and Victor (Espinoza) damn sure rode his best race.
“When she was younger it was just, ‘Boom, go for it’ with her. But her preferred running style, now that she’s older, is to sit off the pace. And there’s speed in this one that I think she’ll be able to do that.”
Gladney on California Chrome: “I’m not worried about the No. 1 post at all. That horse has speed and Victor can place him wherever he wants. (California Chrome) is a lot stronger than he was for the San Diego (Handicap on July 23). He’s been training really well at Los Alamitos and getting stronger every day. It reminds me of Dubai (leading up to a victory in the $10 million Dubai World Cup). I’m very confident in Chrome.”
EURTON AND CO. COULD BE A FORCE IN OAKS AND HANDICAP
Trainer Peter Eurton will have reasons for optimism when he sends out Cheekaboo (8-1 morning line) in the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Oaks and Ashleyluvssugar (3-1 favorite) in the Grade II $250,000 Del Mar Handicap for top clients Sharon Alesia, Mike Ciaglia and partners on Saturday.
Cheekaboo, a California-bred daughter of Unusual Heat , is something of a surprise, albeit a pleasant one.
“If there was a depth chart for our 3-year-old fillies at the start of the year, it would probably have been Pacific Heat, Sheza Milky Way and then Cheekaboo,” said bloodstock agent and stable consultant Larry Zap.
But with injuries temporarily sidelining the first two, Cheekaboo has stepped up to first string status and performed admirably, most recently with a victory in the Grade II Honeymoon at Santa Anita on June 19 and second in the Sandy Blue Stakes here on July 17. Both were under Mike Smith. But with Smith at Saratoga to ride Songbird in Saturday’s Alabama, Santiago Gonzalez, second-leading rider of the meeting, takes over.
The Oaks field was reduced by one Friday morning when Mrs. Norris (Eoin Harty, Tyler Baze, 20-1) was scratched.
The field for the Oaks, which goes as the sixth on an 11-race card, from the rail: Lady Valeur (Rafael Bejarano, 12-1), Decked Out (Kent Desormeaux, 8-1), Mokat (Norberto Arroyo, Jr., 7-2), Mines and Magic (Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1), Barleysugar (Gary Stevens, 5-1), Lynne’s Legacy (Victor Espinoza, 20-1), Harmonize (Junior Alvarado, 9-2), Cheekaboo (Santiago Gonzalez, 6-1), Stays in Vegas (Flavien Prat, 5-1) and Tin Type Gal (Joe Talamo, 8-1).
Ashleyluvssugar, a 5-year-old son of Game Plan, was second to Big John B in last year’s Del Mar Handicap, the sixth race and final race of his 2015 campaign. Given 10 months off, he came back to finish second in the Crystal Water on June 11 at Santa Anita and second in the Grade II Eddie Read here on July 17.
Ashleyluvssugar has posted triple-figure Beyer speed figures in his last three starts and five of the last six.
The field for the Del Mar Handicap, which goes as the eighth race, from the rail: Belisarius (Junior Alvarado, 20-1), Quick Casablanca (Tyler Baze, 8-1)), Wanstead Gardens (Santiago Gonzalez, 12-1), Metaboss (Rafael Bejarano, 4-1), Power Foot (Norberto Arroyo, Jr., 20-1), Express Himself (Victor Espinoza, 8-1), Flamboyant (Flavien Prat, 7-2), Ashleyluvssugar (Gary Stevens, 3-1), Finnegans Wake (Kent Desormeaux, 8-1), El Huerfano (Brice Blanc, 20-1), Patentar (Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1) and Texas Ryano (Joe Talamo, 20-1).
BAFFERT SENDS OUT CLASSIC DOUBLE TEAM FOR A FIFTH TIME
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic four times, will be double-teaming the race for the fifth time with Dortmund (5-2 morning line second choice) and Hoppertunity (8-1).
Baffert isn’t into comparisons of horses, but from a historical perspective his doubles have been hit (two wins) and miss (two losses). A list of Baffert’s previous twosomes and their results:
1999—General Challenge and River Keen -- first and second.
2000—General Challenge and River Keen – fourth and seventh.
2009—Richard’s Kid and Misremembered – first and seventh.
2012 – Game On Dude and Jaycito – second and seventh.
MIDNIGHT STORM FAVORED AMONG FIVE IN SUNDAY’S DEL MAR MILE
Midnight Storm, winner of the Grade II Eddie Read Stakes on July 17, will be sent out to augment credentials as the top grass horse of the meeting when he faces four rivals in Sunday’s Grade II $200,000 Del Mar Mile.
Trained by Phil D’Amato and ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Midnight Storm went wire-to-wire, his preferred style, in a half-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Read and will be shortening up to a mile on Sunday.
The field from the rail: Om (Gary Stevens, 7-2), Midnight Storm (Rafael Bejarano, 4-5), Ohio (Brice Blanc, 5-1), Little Curlin (Santiago Gonzalez, 6-1) and Ambitious Brew (Flavien Prat, 5-1).
CLOSERS – A stat Tweet Friday morning from the Daily Racing Form’s Jay Privman : “Pac Classic field has combined for 19 Grade I wins, 5 Eclipse Awards (including HOY), Ky Derby, Dubai World Cup, 2 BC wins, 2 SA Derbies.” That’s saying a lot in 140 characters or less … Advanced wagering on the TVG Pacific Classic became available at 9 a.m. (Pacific) Friday on-track and at all regular wagering outlets that handle Del Mar. The advanced betting is for the Grade I headliner only, not for other races on the 11-race card.
DEL MAR STATISTICS
Jockey Standings
(Current Through Thursday, August 18, 2016 Inclusive)
|
Jockey |
Mts |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
Win% |
In-money% |
Money Won |
|
Flavien Prat |
132 |
26 |
20 |
14 |
20% |
45% |
$1,542,070 |
|
Santiago Gonzalez |
139 |
21 |
24 |
17 |
15% |
45% |
$1,032,074 |
|
Rafael Bejarano |
107 |
20 |
21 |
17 |
19% |
54% |
$1,315,836 |
|
Kent Desormeaux |
91 |
16 |
17 |
12 |
18% |
49% |
$936,703 |
|
Tyler Baze |
121 |
14 |
18 |
22 |
12% |
45% |
$880,398 |
|
Victor Espinoza |
47 |
12 |
7 |
8 |
26% |
57% |
$869,333 |
|
Stewart Elliott |
68 |
10 |
6 |
7 |
15% |
34% |
$393,185 |
|
Mario Gutierrez |
69 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
13% |
39% |
$648,062 |
|
Norberto Arroyo Jr. |
59 |
8 |
9 |
9 |
14% |
44% |
$408,895 |
|
Tiago Pereira |
65 |
7 |
8 |
4 |
11% |
29% |
$329,648 |
Trainer Standings
(Current Through Thursday, August 18, 2016 Inclusive)
|
Trainer |
Sts |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
Win% |
In-money% |
Money Won |
|
Philip D'Amato |
65 |
13 |
7 |
9 |
20% |
45% |
$854,371 |
|
Bob Baffert |
42 |
10 |
8 |
5 |
24% |
55% |
$846,415 |
|
Peter Miller |
57 |
9 |
10 |
9 |
16% |
49% |
$512,855 |
|
Richard Baltas |
50 |
9 |
9 |
6 |
18% |
48% |
$587,251 |
|
Mark Glatt |
36 |
9 |
7 |
8 |
25% |
67% |
$333,710 |
|
John W. Sadler |
39 |
9 |
6 |
7 |
23% |
56% |
$643,815 |
|
Doug F. O'Neill |
89 |
7 |
11 |
12 |
8% |
34% |
$509,375 |
|
Michael Machowsky |
17 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
41% |
47% |
$220,165 |
|
James M. Cassidy |
32 |
6 |
3 |
5 |
19% |
44% |
$327,192 |
|
Jerry Hollendorfer |
40 |
5 |
8 |
2 |
13% |
38% |
$379,253 |
Winning Favorites Report
(Current Through Thursday, August 18, 2016 Inclusive)
Winning favorites -- 77 out of 219 -- 35.16%
Winning favorites on dirt -- 53 out of 140 -- 37.86%
Winning favorites on turf -- 24 out of 79 -- 30.38%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 15 out of 32 -- 46.88%
In-the-Money favorites -- 155 out of 219 -- 70.78%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 25 out of 32 -- 78.13%
Contact: Dan Smith 858-792-4226/Hank Wesch 858-755-1141 ext. 3793