Flightline © Benoit Photo

FLIGHTLINE TOPS LIST OF NOMINEES FOR TVG PACIFIC CLASSIC

Nominations for this year’s $1 million, G1 TVG Pacific Classic were released Friday with some expected names and one intriguing surprise. A total of nine horses were nominated for the Classic, which will be run for the 32^nd time on September 3.

Topping the list is Hronis Racing, et al’s Flightline, the undefeated son of Tapit who has been very impressive in the mornings leading up to the race, not to mention in the afternoons when he does race.

“Couldn’t be happier,” trainer John Sadler says. “He’ll have a little soft work (Saturday) and then he’s ready to go.”

In his last work at Del Mar on August 20, Flightline clicked off fractions of :12.20, :35.20, :47.40; and 1:11.40 before stopping the clock on the seven furlong work in 1:24.00. ‘Effortless’ seemed to be the consensus of those watching the work as he glided by the grandstand.

What may surprise some is the fact that Flightline didn’t appear to scare off many potential rivals from running in the TVG Pacific Classic. Trainer Dick Mandella went so far as to nominate three of his horses to the race though he may run one of them, MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm’s Tizamagician, on the grass in one of the Graded stakes on the Pacific Classic undercard.

“We’re pointing him to the Del Mar Handicap,” Mandella said, “though we may still decide to run him in the Pacific Classic.”

Mandella’s other nominees are Fox Hill Farms and Sienna Farm’s Royal Ship, winner of the G2 San Diego at Del Mar last month and Jay Em Ess Stable’s Extra Hope, who finished third in the G3 Cougar II on opening weekend at Del Mar.

If there is one trainer who isn’t phased by a heavy favorite in the Pacific Classic it would be Richard Mandella. The Hall of Fame conditioner brought Dare And Go to the Classic in 1996 when Cigar shipped in riding a 16-race win streak and was odds-on to set the North American record for consecutive victories. Dare And Go won that day, shocking the racing world.

“Can’t win if you ain’t in,” Mandella says.

Trainer Bob Baffert has made his intentions known all along that he was bringing Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, et al’s Country Grammer to the TVG Pacific Classic. The Dubai World Cup winner used the San Diego as a prep after a four-month layoff to recover from the trip to the Middle East (he raced twice there, winning the Dubai World Cup in his second effort), often a tough ordeal for horses shipping from the U.S. Country Grammer ran second in the San Diego.

Baffert has the utmost respect for Flightline, even paid him the highest of compliments, but that won’t stop him from running against him in the TVG Pacific Classic.

“You can’t be afraid of one horse,” Baffert says. “He’s an exceptional horse, I’ve watched him train. I haven’t seen a horse like that since American Pharoah and another good horse that I had, Arrogate. He’s that type of caliber of horse.”

What comes as a surprise to the list of nominees for the TVG Pacific Classic is the inclusion of Zedan Racing Stable’s Taiba from the Baffert barn. The 3-year old son of Gun Runner has been training at Del Mar since returning from his runner-up finish to Cyberknife in the G1 Haskell at Monmouth Park last month. He posted a six furlong bullet work on August 20.

C R K Stable’s Express Train is another horse with impressive credentials nominated to the TVG Pacific Classic. The son of Union Rags won three in a row to start the year, including the G1 Santa Anita Handicap, giving trainer John Shirreffs his first Big ‘Cap victory. He hasn’t raced since his runner-up finish to Stilleto Boy in the G2 Californian at Santa Anita in April.

Steve Moger’s Stilleto Boy is another one nominated for the TVG Pacific Classic. He’s been keeping company with all the big boys on the west coast and always gives a good account of himself.

In addition to Flightline, Sadler has nominated Hronis Racing’s Heywoods Beach, winner of the G3 Cougar II at Del Mar.

The post position draw for the G1 TVG Pacific Classic will be held Tuesday afternoon, August 30 at approximately 4 P.M.

PACIFIC CLASSIC DAY SHAPING UP TO BE ACTION-PACKED AFTERNOON

The undercard for the $1 million G1 TVG Pacific Classic is stacking up to be “must see” racing, with full fields possible and wide-open races. Four stakes races will highlight the undercard, three of them Graded.

The G2 Del Mar Handicap drew 22 nominations including last year’s winner, Astronaut. The son of Quality Road has only run twice since his upset win in the Handicap last year and has not run at all this year.

The top two finishers in the G2 Eddie Read, Master Piece and Hong Kong Harry, are nominated for the Handicap, which is run at a mile and three-eighths on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. They’re joined by Tizamagician and Heywoods Beach, both of whom were also nominated for the TVG Pacific Classic.

22 horses have been nominated for the G2 Del Mar Mile, which is also contested on the turf. Count Again, winner of the G1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita on Memorial Day, heads the list. He’s joined by last year’s Pacific Classic winner, Tripoli, as well as the top 3-year-old at last year’s summer meet, None Above the Law.

Irideo, upset winner of the $100,000 Wickerr Stakes on opening weekend at Del Mar, has been nominated to the Mile along with The Chosen Vron, if he does not run in this weekend’s G2 Pat O’Brien. Hong Kong Harry and Astronaut also are nominated for the Mile

The G2 Del Mar Derby also will be contested on Pacific Classic Day. 16 3-year-old colts and geldings have been nominated for the mile and an eighth event on the grass. Balnikhov, winner of the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes on opening day at Del Mar, is joined by Cabo Spirit, another winner at Del Mar this summer. He took the G3 La Jolla earlier this month.

Mackinnon and Slow Down Andy are also nominated for the Derby. Both come from the Doug O’Neill barn and both are looking to rebound off their previous races. Mackinnon finished fourth in the Oceanside, while Slow Down Andy was runner-up to Big City Lights in the Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar.

Trainer Ron Ellis is also eyeing the Derby with War At Sea. The colt has won three straight including the $100,000 Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita in June.

Finally, the $125,000 Shared Belief attracted 11 nominations. There’s the Real Good Deal Stakes winner, Big City Lights. Also nominated are Armagnac with the Bob Baffert barn and one-time Kentucky Derby hopeful, Newgrange, now with trainer Phil D’Amato. Slow Down Andy also has been nominated should he not run in the Del Mar Derby, as has Taiba, who was also nominated for the Pacific Classic. The Shared Belief is run at one mile on the dirt.

AMERICAN THEOREM SETS A HIGH BAR IN G2 PAT O’BRIEN

The third of six Breeders’ Cup Challenge races at Del Mar this summer takes place Saturday with the 37^th running of the G2 Pat O’Brien Stakes. A field of 10 sprinters will go to the gate in the seven-furlong test with a free entry in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile up for grabs.

Kretz Racing’s American Theorem looks to keep his winning streak alive. The son of American Pharoah has won two in a row since trainer George Papaprodromou shortened him up. He won the seven-furlong G2 Triple Bend at Santa Anita on Memorial Day weekend then followed with a win in the six-furlong G1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar last month.

“He’s doing good,” Papaprodromou says. “He’s on his form right now, he’s on his peak right now.”

The victory in the Bing Crosby punched American Theorem’s ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Kenneland on November 5. A victory in the Pat O’Brien would provide the connections with an option of running in the Sprint or the Dirt Mile.

American Theorem may have the best form on paper but the Pat O’Brien is far from being a walkover. Especially with the entry of Godolphin’s Speaker’s Corner from the Bill Mott barn. The east coast invader is coming off a well-beaten second to Horse of the Year candidate Life Is Good in the G2 John Nerud at Belmont Park July 2. But he’s a three-time stakes winner this year who figures double tough Saturday.

Trainer Bob Baffert brings a pair of runners to the O’Brien. Pegram, Watson and Weitman’s Defunded was runner-up to There Goes Harvard in the G1 Hollywood Gold Cup on Memorial Day. Royal Ship, winner of the G2 San Diego at Del Mar, ran third that day.

The other Baffert horse is Juddmonte Farm’s Laurel River, who has been running primarily in allowance company though he did finish second to Sondereker Racing, et al’s The Chosen Vron in the G3 Laz Barrera at Santa Anita in May. The Chosen Vron is also entered in the O’Brien.

Trainer Peter Miller is packing a one-two punch with Kagele, Barber or Madaket Stable’s C Z Rocket and Gary Barber’s Get Her Number. C Z Rocket is a multiple graded stakes winner who won the Pat O’Brien in 2020 and was runner-up to Ginobili in last year’s edition. Get Her Number was runner-up to American Theorem in the G1 Bing Crosby last month.

Here’s the field for the G2 Pat O’Brien from the rail with jockeys: C Z Rocket (Umberto Rispoli); Principe Carlo (Victor Espinoza); Restrainedvengence (Tiago Pereira); American Theorem (Joe Bravo); Get Her Number (Ramon Vazquez); The Chosen Vron (Hector Berrios); Laurel River (Juan Hernandez); Speaker’s Corner (Mike Smith); Defunded (Abel Cedillo), and Senor Buscador (Edwin Maldonado).

COOLING OUT: Trainer Jonathan Wong pulled off the hat trick at Del Mar Thursday. His three winners were Prayer for Jabez, Sally’s Sassy and Cees Get Degrees… Apprentice jockey Emily Ellingwood notched her fourth win of the meet aboard Ardis in the third race at Del Mar Thursday…Del Mar is offering Handicapping Sessions before the weekend races. Hosted by Dan Smith, this Saturday guest handicapper is Ed Wilson of the Southern California News Group, while on Sunday Frank Scatoni is the host and Carlos Ortega is the handicapper. The sessions are from 1:05 to 1:30 outside the Hacienda Room…Notable works on Friday: Carmelita’s Man (4f, :47.80); Forbidden Kingdom (4f, :46.00); Park Avenue (4f, 47.40); Neptune’s Storm (4f, 50.60); Bran (5f 1:01.20); Finneus (6f, 1:12.20), and Heywoods Beach (6f, 1:13.40). A total of 142 horses put in official works on Friday.

Del Mar Statistics

Jockey Standings
(Current Through Thursday, August 25, 2022 Inclusive) 

Trainer Standings
(Current Through Thursday, August 25, 2022 Inclusive)

Winning Favorites Report
(Current Through Thursday, August 25, 2022 Inclusive)

Winning favorites -- 68 out of 188 -- 36.17%
Winning favorites on dirt -- 41 out of   104 -- 39.42%
Winning favorites on turf -- 27 out of 84 -- 32.14%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 13 out of 30 -- 43.33%
In-the-Money favorites -- 142 out of 188 -- 75.53%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 26 out of 30 -- 86.67%