By Jim Charvat

Geaux Rocket Ride © Benoit Photo

PACIFIC CLASSIC HOPEFULS PUT IN FINAL WORKS

The G1 FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic is less than a week away and many nominees for the $1 million race put in their final works this weekend.

Friday, Geaux Rocket Ride went seven furlongs in 1:25 (1/1). It was the 3-year-old’s fourth work since his breakout win in the G1 Haskell at Monmouth Park last month. Two of those works were at seven furlongs, as trainer Richard Mandella readies the son of Candy Ride for his first race against older horses.

Saturday, Arabian Knight worked five furlongs in :59.60 (3/94). The son of Uncle Mo also ran in the Haskell, finishing third, and he’s put in four works since returning to the West Coast and to the Bob Baffert barn.

The last 3-year old eyeing the Pacific Classic is Skinner. He worked five furlongs Saturday in 1:00.60 (22/94) for trainer John Shirreffs, who said he was waiting to see how his son of Curlin did in his final work before making a final decision on whether to run or not. The colt has put in six works since his last race, a runner-up finish to Reincarnate in the $125,000 Los Alamitos Derby on July 8.

Piroli worked four furlongs in :47.60 (9/124) on Saturday at Del Mar for trainer Michael McCarthy. His last race was a fourth-place finish in a second-level allowance race at Del Mar last month but before that he was runner-up to Defunded in the G1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita. He’s worked three times since.

Stilleto Boy put in a nice five-furlong work Saturday for trainer Ed Moger, Jr., stopping the clock at 1:00.60 (23/96). The G1 Santa Anita Handicap winner is a go for the Pacific Classic next Saturday.

“We are going to run him,” Moger says. “We breezed him Saturday and he came out of it good. He’s been training great the whole meet and he’s ready to run.”

The son of Shackleford has worked six times since his last race, a sixth-place finish in the G1 Stephen Foster at Ellis Park.

Slow Down Andy worked six furlongs in 1:13.60 (9/14) on Saturday. He’s worked three times since his runner-up finish to Senor Buscador in the G2 San Diego.

American Admiral worked four furlongs in :48.40 (38/126) Saturday at Del Mar. Trainer Tim Yakteen has worked the big, imposing son of American Pharoah three times since his eighth-place finish in the G2 San Diego last month.

Tripoli, the 2021 Pacific Classic winner, is being pointed to this year’s race. He worked seven furlongs Saturday in 1:25.20 (1/1).

“He likes this track,” trainer John Sadler says. “Last year we didn’t want to run him (in the Pacific Classic) against Flightline. He was fifth in the prep (G2 San Diego) and Tiago (Pereira) said to us he had some trouble and with good luck he would have been second.”

On Sunday, trainer Doug O’Neill sent out Katonah, who worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:12.00 (1/9). The Pleasanton Mile winner has worked three times since returning from Northern California.

The Pacific Classic is the feature on a five-stakes program next Saturday. The draw for the ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Breeders’ Cup Classic will be held Tuesday at the Brigantine Restaurant in Del Mar.

JOCKEY RAMON VAZQUEZ PUNCHES HIS TICKET TO THE BREEDERS’ CUP

Ask most of the top jockeys what their main goal is at Del Mar and somewhere between winning lots of races and finding a good place to eat is coming up with a Breeders’ Cup horse.

Ramon Vazquez can now check that off his list. He rode Anarchist to victory Saturday in the G2 Pat O’Brien, a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

“I’m so happy with how the meet is going,” Vazquez says. “I’m feeling great and we keep winning races.”

Vazquez says he may have more than one race to ride on Breeders’ Cup Day.

“I’m very excited,” Vazquez says with a smile. “Right now we have other horses that might go to the Breeders’ Cup like Practical Move. Now Anarchist. We have a few more.”

Practical Move is the Santa Anita Derby winner. He also rides Elm Drive and Hong Kong Harry for Phil D’Amato and Faiza for Bob Baffert. But for now, Anarchist appears to be his ticket into the Breeders’ Cup.

“He’s pretty amazing,” Vazquez says of Anarchist. “He’s the kind of horse you really want. You’re going be in the big races and now in the Breeders’ Cup.”

Vazquez is in his second year of riding full time at Del Mar. He’s riding with the confidence of a jockey who has been here for years. After a successful debut year at the seaside oval in 2022, he’s back working to improve on last year and solidify his name as one of the go-to jockeys in Southern California.

“Me and my agent (Bill Castle) are working hard,” Vazquez says. “I’m hoping to stay healthy.”

Vazquez came into the 2023 Del Mar meet off another riding title at Los Alamitos. The native Puerto Rican won all three riding titles at Los Al in 2022 and then grabbed another in 2023 at Los Al’s two-week meet in late June and early July.

“We have to keep going in the same way,” Vazquez says. “We’re not giving up.”

His approach to riding is a mix of dedication with hard work.

“I get my schedule every morning,” Vazquez notes. “I come here (to Del Mar) and walk around, telling trainers if you need anything I’m here to help you.”

Last year at Del Mar Vazquez won 24 races during the 2022 summer meet, good enough for third-place in the jockey standings. He finished third in the standings again during the fall meet at Del Mar and after clinching his third riding title at Los Al in December, Vazquez went to Santa Anita and kept the ball rolling with a third-place finish in their winter/spring meet. He notched his 2,000^th win in June.

“Now people know me from last year,” Vazquez says. “I’m so happy. The owners and trainers are supporting me.”

Vazquez is no rookie to the sport. He began riding in 2002 and came to the U.S. in 2011, riding in Florida at Gulfstream Park and Calder. He moved his tack and became a fixture for several years at Arlington Park and Oaklawn, where he won his first graded stake in 2016.

He was ready to move his tack to Churchill Downs in 2022 when fellow jockey Flavien Prat decided to move from the west coast to the east coast and ride in New York. Vazquez called an audible and came to Del Mar instead in hopes of filling the void left by Prat.

He wasn’t the only rider hoping to grab Prat’s old business. But by 2023 Vazquez and Hector Berrios appear to have won horse racing’s version of ‘Survivor’ and are now riding every day. Through Saturday’s racing at Del Mar, Vazquez has 149 mounts, the most out of all of the jockeys riding at the seaside oval. He has 15 wins, 18 seconds and 16 thirds. He is fifth in the jockey standings and has collected over $1.2 million in earnings.

“I’m excited to be here,” Vasquez says. “I think every jockey wants to ride here at Del Mar.”

NINE STAKES IN THREE DAYS OVER LABOR DAY WEEKEND AT DEL MAR

It’s the Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of summer and Del Mar is celebrating with nine stakes races over the three day holiday weekend, highlighted by the 33^rd running of the G1 FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic.

The weekend starts Saturday with five stakes on the docket, the Classic being the main event. On the undercard is the G2 Del Mar Handicap, the G2 Del Mar Mile, the G3 Torrey Pines and the G3 Green Flash, all quality races that could stand on their own on any given weekend.

There were 15 nominations for the Del Mar Handicap, run at a mile and three eighths on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. Leading trainer Philip D’Amato, who is well stocked with grass runners again this year, has five horses nominated for the race, including last year’s winner Gold Phoenix.

Michael McCarthy, John Sadler and Richard Mandella have each nominated two horses for the $300,000 Handicap, a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

D’Amato also comes with a heavy hand in the Mile with seven nominations led by last year’s winner, Hong Kong Harry. He’s also nominated Balnikhov, the 2022 Oceanside Stakes winner.

Whoever he decides to run will have their hands full with Exaulted, trainer Peter Eurton’s G1 Shoemaker Mile winner.

“I wanted to keep him going a mile,” Eurton says. “I didn’t want to go in the mile and a eighth earlier in the meet (the Eddie Read) and then come back in the Mile. There’s just no break in there at all. I want to keep him fresh and I didn’t want to travel. He’s coming up to the race in good shape and I just hope he runs as well as he’s been.”

Eighteen horses have nominated for the Mile.

The G3 Torrey Pines is reserved for 3-year-old fillies and could be quite a showdown between two very quick fillies. Bob Baffert has nominated Faiza, undefeated after five starts until her loss in the G2 Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico in May, while Doug O’Neill has nominated Ceiling Crusher, a disappointing third in the $175,000 Fleet Treat Stakes at Del Mar last month, the first loss in her five-race career.

Trainer John Shirreffs has nominated Justique to the Torrey Pines, a one-mile test on the main track. She’s looking for her first win since the $100,000 Desi Arnaz at Del Mar last year.

Twenty two horses have been nominated for the Green Flash, a five-furlong turf sprint that’s a Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In.’ D’Amato has nominated four horses for the race, including Turn On The Jets, winner of a contentious allowance race earlier this month at Del Mar. The Irish-bred also won the $100,000 Stormy Liberal at Del Mar last fall.

Richard Mandella may run Lane Way in the Green Flash. The 6-year-old son of Into Mischief had finished first or second in his last seven races, including the Green Flash last year, before going on the shelf in January.

Entries for Saturday’s races will be drawn Wednesday except for the Pacific Classic, which will be drawn Tuesday at the Brigantine Restaurant in Del Mar.

The stakes action continues Sunday, September 3 with two features, the $125,000 Shared Belief for 3-year-olds on the dirt and the G2 Del Mar Derby for 3-year-olds on the turf.

Twelve horses nominated to the Shared Belief, a one-mile journey on the main track. Baffert has nominated four horses including Reincarnate, winner of the $125,000 Los Alamitos Derby last out. The son of Good Magic also won the G3 Sham earlier this year.

The G2 Del Mar Derby has 16 nominations, including the G3 La Jolla winner. Maltese Falcon is out of the Leonard Powell barn and a win would give the conditioner the top 3-year-old colt and the top 3-year old filly (Anisette) on the grounds. Panic Alarm, the runner-up in the La Jolla, also is nominated to the race.

The top two finishers for D’Amato in the Oceanside Stakes, Conclude and Classical Cat, also may go in the Derby. Entries will be drawn for both the Shared Belief and the Del Mar Derby on Thursday.

On Labor Day, the stakes action features the Generous Portion, a Cal-bred race for 2-year-old fillies and the $100,000 Tranquility Lake, a one-mile test for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up.

Nine horses were nominated to the Generous Portion, including Pushiness, an impressive front-running winner of the $125,000 CTBA Stakes earlier this month at Del Mar.

The Tranquility Lake had 20 nominations, including D’Amato’s Desert Dawn and Elm Drive and Baffert’s Fun to Dream.

Entries for both the Generous Portion and the Tranquility Lake will be drawn next Friday.

COOLING OUT: Trainer Doug O’Neill says Anarchist came out of his victory in the G2 Pat O’Brien in good order. He says they will play it by ear as to whether or not they run between now and the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile November 4…O’Neill had three wins Saturday. In addition to Anarchist, he had Pride of the Nile in the fifth race and Positivity in the sixth. O’Neill is now tied with D’Amato on top of the trainer standings at Del Mar with 15 wins…Reylu Gutierrez won his first race ever at Del Mar Saturday, guiding Pride of the Nile to victory. The veteran jockey had been riding at Finger Lakes, Saratoga and Ellis Park before arriving at Del Mar this week…50-1 longshot Mary Boy Bolt got up for trainer Mick Ruis, Sr. in race #4 Saturday. She paid $103.20, the highest payoff for a $2 win ticket so far this summer at Del Mar…Notable works on Sunday: Dirt – Dr. Schivel (3f, :37.40); Carmelita’s Man (4f, :48.60); Desert Dawn (4f, :48.00); Exaulted (4f, :48.00); Kings River Knight (4f, 48.20); Du Jour (5f, 1:00.40); Faiza (5f, :59.80); Reincarnate (5f, 1:01.00); Ceiling Crusher (6f, 1:13.60), and Katonah (6f, 1:12.00). Turf – Closing Remarks (4f, :48.20); Hong Kong Harry (4f, :50.20); Turn on the Jets (4f, :48.40); Gold Phoenix (5f, 1:02.00; Conclude (5f, 1:02.00); Macadamia (5f, 1;03.60), and Panic Alarm (5f, 1:02.80). A total of 241 horses put in official works, 206 on the dirt, 35 on the turf. 

Del Mar Statistics

 Jockey Standings
(Current Through August 26, 2023 Inclusive)

Trainer Standings
(Current Through August 26, 2023 Inclusive) 

Winning Favorites Report
(Current Through August 26, 2023 Inclusive)

Winning favorites -- 75 out of 197 -- 38.07%
Winning favorites on dirt -- 44 out of 110 -- 40.00%
Winning favorites on turf -- 31 out of 87 -- 35.63%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 17 out of 29 -- 58.62%
In-the-Money favorites -- 127 out of 197 -- 64.47%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 23 out of 29 -- 79.31%