By Hank Wesch

EUROPEAN STANDOUTS TO SHIP IN FOR TVG PACIFIC CLASSIC

Toast of New York, winner of the $2 million United Arab Emirates Derby, and Cat O’Mountain, third in the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan, United Arab Emirates on March 29,  will ship in for the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic reports Cindy Niemetz of the International Racing Bureau.

Toast of New York, owned by Michael Buckley and trained by Jamie Osborne,  is a 3-year-old Kentucky son of Thewayyouare. He has three wins in six starts with all of the victories coming on synthetic surfaces, two in England and the other in the UAE Derby to account for most of his $1,243,115 in earnings. The colt was shipped to Belmont Park for the July 5 Belmont Derby, a 1 ¼-mile turf race and finished fourth to Mr. Speaker, beaten 5 ¼ lengths.

Toast of New York is scheduled to be flown in to Los Angeles International Airport on August 16 and, after passing through quarantine, arrive at Del Mar on the 18^th and go out on the track a day later.

Cat O’Mountain, owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by Charles Appleby, is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Street Cry with five wins in 12 career starts and earnings of $1,121,279. Cat O’Mountain has made four starts on the all-weather surface at Kempton, England and four on the synthetic surface at Meydan.  He will ship in following an August 6 workout at Kempton.

Appleby made a U.S. impression in last year’s Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita when he trained Outstrip to win the Juvenile Turf with Mike Smith aboard.

YEAR AFTER YEAR, SPEED THRILLS IN CROSBY

Kona Gold won the 2000 Bing Crosby Stakes and went on to an Eclipse Award in the Sprint division. Amazombie, who will lead the post parade in the Grade I, $300,000 event Sunday, won an Eclipse Award after finishing third in 2011, and came back to claim Crosby victory in 2012.

They’re the last examples of speedy talent on display in the first of Del Mar’s two graded sprint stakes. And the 2014 edition, a “Win And You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, features Goldencents, beaten only a head in last year’s Crosby and the reigning Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile champion. While last year’s Crosby loss was a narrow one, Goldencents is 0-for-2 at 6 furlongs, giving others hope.

Like trainer Ron Ellis, who will saddle Seeking the Sherif, who steps up to a  Grade  I stakes on a four-race winning streak at lower levels. “We’re going to take a shot at the moon and see what he can do,” Ellis said. “He couldn’t be training any better. The big question will be how he handles the synthetic. He’s 3-for-4 at the distance, but unfortunately none were on synthetics.”

And like trainer John Sadler, who will saddle Kobe’s Back, one of three 3-year-olds in the field of eight. “It’s his first time against older horses and there are some tough ones in there,” said Sadler. “ But he’s a two-time stakes winner and he’s training very well. It would benefit him if they hook up in a speed duel on the front because he’s a late-running sprinter. It is a tough race.”     

WHAT’S IN A NAME – The Bing Crosby Stakes honors the legendary entertainer who co-founded Del Mar with Pat O’Brien. Inaugurated in 1946, the Crosby will have its 69^th running today.

TVG PACIFIC CLASSIC WATCH, SECOND EDITION, 4 WEEKS OUT

Prospects were being projected from far (see Internationals above) and near. Saturday’s San Diego Handicap may generate as many as four (see below). Those who passed on the San Diego but are being trained with the $1 million event in mind continued to make progress. A rundown:

Game On Dude – The defending race champion worked four furlongs in :48.00 on Thursday and received a rare, from California clockers, “breezing” description.

Majestic Harbor – The Gold Cup winner went 5 furlongs in :59.40 on Sunday morning. “Everything went well and he’s still right on schedule (for the race),” trainer Sean McCarthy said.

Clubhouse Ride – Produced a bullet work, seven furlongs in 1:24.80 on Friday which delighted trainer Craig Lewis and likely moved the Pacific Classic to the top of a list of options for the Gold Cup runner-up.

Shared Belief – The undefeated Eclipse Award winner in the Juvenile category for 2013 worked 5 furlongs in 1:02.20 on Wednesday at Golden Gate Fields.

Candy Boy, Medal Count, Zivo – Are training at Del Mar, Churchill Downs and Belmont Park, respectively as Classic “possibles.”

SAN DIEGO TOP FOUR ALL FINE

Fed Biz, Footbridge, You Know I Know and Frac Daddy, the top four finishers in Saturday’s Grade II $200,000 San Diego Handicap, came out of the race in good shape and with possibilities of moving on to the TVG Pacific Classic.

“We’re looking to get a Grade I (win) for him,” trainer Bob Baffert said of Fed Biz following the 5 ¼-length victory in track record time of 1:41.00 for 1 1/16 miles. It bettered Zenyatta’s 1:41.48 in the 2008 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes, the first of her three straight wins in that event.

Reminded that the Pacific Classic fit the Grade I profile, Baffert said: “I know, but there are lots of Grade Is, all over the country.”

Eoin Harty, who trains Footbridge for Goldolphin Racing, said he was happy with and not surprised by the performance of the 4-year-old son of Street Cry, who went off at odds of 25-1. “He’s been running well out here and I was surprised he was such a long shot,” Harty said. “If everything goes well and he stays together, we’ll come back in the Pacific Classic.”

Trainer John Sadler noted that You Know I Know did well to close strongly on a track that favored speed. Sadler said You Know I Know will run again at the meeting and the Pacific Classic will be a race to consider.

Blake Heap, who deputized for Wesley Ward and saddled Frac Dadd, said that the horse’s connections were “leaning toward” keeping the horse at Del Mar and trying again in the Classic.

ART SHERMAN TO RECEIVE PINCAY AWARD BETWEEN RACES

Trainer Art Sherman will be presented with the Laffit Pincay, Jr. Award in a ceremony between the fourth and fifth races on Sunday. Sherman becomes the 11^th recipient of the award but the first to receive it at Del Mar. Previously, it was presented at Hollywood Park.

“It’s a great honor and a privilege,” Sherman said Sunday morning. “Laffit and I have been friends for a long time. He is a man of real class and it’s very special to receive an award named for him.”

Sherman, 77, had a 23-year-career as a jockey and has been training for 35 years. His riding career ended in 1975. “I spent most of my career riding in Northern California and Laffit was down south so we didn’t ride against other except in maybe a few bigger races where he came up to ride,” Sherman said. “He rode some horses for me as a trainer, but I think they were just claimers, which is mostly what I had back then.”

Sherman trained California Chrome to victories in this year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness in earning an award to those who have served the sport “with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination and distinction.” Previous  winners are: Bob Benoit (2004), Noble Threewitt (2005), Mel and Warren Stute (2006), Elwood W. “Bud” Johnston (2007), Pete Pedersen (2008), Merlin Volzke (2009), Oak Tree Racing Association (2010), Jerry and Ann Moss (2011), John Harris (2012) and Eddie Delahoussaye (2013).

MILLER, TRUJILLO TOP TRAINER AND JOCKEY STANDINGS

With two wins on Saturday, one of them a track record 1:34.74 mile by Big Cazanova, Peter Miller took a 7-5 lead over Doug O’Neill in the trainer standings.

“Big Cazanova ran great,” Miller said. “I would have liked to have seen him in the San Diego Handicap. That would have been a helluva race. A new track record and we’re going to think about the Pacific Classic for him.

“The meet has been going good for us. We’ll keep working and try to keep it going.”

Trujillo relocated from Florida at the urging of agent Tom Knust, who had assurances from O’Neill that he would give Trujillo some business. Trujillo won the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Monmouth Park aboard Maryfield for O’Neill.

“I knew he had a really good reputation and I knew he could ride,” Knust said. “(Trujillo) took the risk and now it’s paying off. I have to thank Doug for the initial support and now Jerry Hollendorfer and Peter Miller are supporting him. You ride for those three guys you’re going to have a lot of good mounts. And we’re winning for others as well.”     

ETHNIC DANCE TOPS FIELD OF EIGHT IN CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’

Trainer John Sadler won the 2013 version of the California Dreamin’ Handicap with He Be Fire N Ice. Sadler tries for a second straight in the stakes on Sunday when he saddles 3-1 opening line favorite Ethnic Dance. With three scratches from the race taken off the turf, eight will go in the $150,000, 1 1/16 mile race.              

Mega Heat, the 7-2 second choice on the opening line, will be the first stakes horse for the connections of ill-fated Dance With Fate – trainer Peter Eurton and owners Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable and Joe Ciaglia – since Thursday’s tragic accident.

“We had horses for them on the day it happened, and I think every day since,” Eurton said. “Every day is a little bit better than the day before.”

WHAT’S IN A NAME – California Dreamin’ was a memorable hit recording by The Mamas and The Papas. The race was added to the Del Mar stakes schedule in 2006.

CLOSERS – Ship and Win eligible horses on Sunday’s card are: Street Serenade (3^rd, trainer Robertino Diodoro), Friendly Banter (3^rd, R.B. Hess, Jr.), Malibu Way (3^rd, Alfredo Marquez), Nothing But Air (6^th, Phil D’Amato), Leona Pegasus (6^th, Val Brinkerhoff), Midnight Candy (7^th, J. Keith Desormeaux), Goldencents (8^th, Doug O’Neill, no bonus, stakes), Pablo Del Monte (8^th, Wesley Ward, no bonus, stakes), Sistas Stroll (9^th, Tom Proctor), Personal Diary (9^th, Victoria Oliver), Guinevere’s Finale (9^th, Vann Belvoir) … Through eight days of the current season, average field size is 9.7, compared to 8.1 at the same point last year… Selected works from 194 timed by clockers on Sunday: Mr. Commons (4f, :48.40), Customer Base (5f, :59.40), Majestic Harbor (5f, :59.40), Obviously (5f, 1:01.00), Unbridled Reward (5f, 1:00.00), Iotapa (6f, 1:13.00), Moulin de Mougin (7f, 1:26.80).

DEL MAR STATISTICS

Jockey Standings

(Current Through Saturday, July 26, 2014 Inclusive)

Trainer Standings

(Current Through Saturday, July 26, 2014 Inclusive)

Winning Favorites Report

(Current Through Saturday, July 26, 2014 Inclusive)

Winning favorites -- 15 out of 76 -- 19.74%

Winning favorites on Polytrack -- 11 out of 51 -- 21.57%

Winning favorites on turf -- 4 out of 25 -- 16.00%

Winning odds-on favorites -- 1 out of 4 -- 25.00%

In-the-Money favorites -- 43 out of 76 -- 56.58%

 In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 3 out of 4 -- 75.00%

Sunday, July 27, 2014 Contact: Dan Smith 858-792-4226/Hank Wesch 858-755-1141 ext. 3793