PACIFIC CLASSIC DRAW ELICITS DIFFERENT RESPONSES FROM TRAINERS

The post position draw for Saturday’s G1 TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar was not racked with the same tension you might find at another 1 ¼ mile race run in Louisville on the first Saturday in May. In fact, the only thing you might cut with a knife at Tuesday’s draw was the delicious shrimp appetizer served at the Brigantine Restaurant overlooking the track prior to the event. But that’s not to say everyone was delighted with their post position.

‘I’d have preferred a middle to outside post,” trainer Bob Baffert says about his horse, Country Grammar, who drew post #2. “He runs better when he’s on the outside. Frankie Dettori was inside the whole way and he got to the outside. That’s why he won the Dubai World Cup. If he had been on the outside in Saudi (the Saudi Cup) I think he would have won.

“He’s going to be following the speed,” Baffert added about his perfect scenario for Saturday’s race. “I’m laying just off and swinging out like Laurel River, that kind of trip. If I can get a Laurel River trip, I’ll be happy.”

Laurel River tucked in behind the front runners until he split horses at the top of the lane, hit the front and went on to win by 3 ¾ lengths in last weekend’s G2 Pat O’Brien at Del Mar.

Flightline, the morning line Classic favorite at 1-5, drew post #5. Perfectly fine for trainer John Sadler.

“Good post, I’m very pleased with that,” Sadler says. “We thought most of the posts would have been good because of the relatively small field and he’s tactical, he doesn’t have to have the lead and he doesn’t have to be way back either.”

Sadler says he went in with no preconceptions.

“If you think about what you want you jinx the post,” Sadler says. “So you just let it happen and that’s a good post.”

Sadler’s one who doesn’t see the post position coming into play this Saturday.

“Not too much because you have that good long run,” Sadler believes. “You have about a quarter of a mile run into the first turn so you have time to work out a nice trip.”

On the other hand, trainer John Shirreffs says he thinks the post position is always important, regardless of the size of the field or the distance of the race. His horse, Express Train, drew post #4.

“I think four is great, it’s in the middle of the field,” Shirreffs says. “It’s a good post position.”

Shirreffs says he’s hoping for a lively pace.

“I’d like to see enough speed so he (Express Train) can get to the outside and get clear running room,” Shirreffs says.

Ed Moger, Jr., the trainer of Stilleto Boy, feels the same way.

“I’d like to see a lot of speed,” Moger says. “There will be a lot of speed - the problem is they don’t back up very much. We’ll probably get a stalking trip and hope to have something left for the stretch.”

Stilleto Boy drew post #6 and Moger says their game plan could have used a better post.

“We want to go inside so we got the worst out of that,” Moger says. “I think a lot of trainers would have loved to have the six hole and there’s really no bad post for that race.”

Richard Mandella is sending two horses after Flightline Saturday and he’s happy with their posts. Royal Ship, the winner of the G2 San Diego at Del Mar in July, drew post #3 and Extra Hope landed post #1. He says he’s happy with both draws.

“Mile and a quarter, it doesn’t make much of a difference,” Mandella says.

He says keep an eye on Extra Hope, who is the longest shot in the field at 30-1.

“He likes to take it to him,” Mandella says. “He likes to move along near the front end so he’ll be there.”

Does that mean they plan to go with Flightline should the heavy favorite go to the front in the early stages of the race?

“No, I wouldn’t give that direction,” he says. “We’ll just leave it to Tyler Baze, he knows him pretty well.”

And where would Mandella like to see Royal Ship?

“I’d like to see him flying through the wire at the finish in front.”

The TVG Pacific Classic goes off as the 10th race on the 11-race card Saturday. First post is at 1 p.m. Post time for the Classic is approximately 5:50 p.m.

Here’s the field from the rail with jockeys: Extra Hope (Tyler Baze); Country Grammer (John Velazquez); Royal Ship (Mike Smith); Express Train (Victor Espinoza); Flightline (Flavien Prat), and Stilleto Boy (Juan Hernandez).

TRAINERS RACE A MIXED BAG; JOCKEYS RACE A FOREGONE CONCLUSION

Bob Baffert has assumed the top spot in the trainer standings as we enter the second to last week of the summer meet at Del Mar. Buoyed by his win in the G2 Pat O’Brien last Saturday, Baffert has won 14 races this season, one better than Phil D’Amato and Doug O’Neill at 13 victories and two up on Peter Miller and Jonathan Wong at 12.

Wong had an incredible week of racing, winning seven races.

“We got lucky, the horses ran really well,” Wong said after his three-win day last Thursday. “I thought they all had a chance.”

George Papaprodromou (11), John Sadler (10), Mark Glatt (9), Andy Mathis (7), and Jeff Mullins (6) round out the top 10.

Juan Hernandez continues to maintain a strong grip on the number one spot in the jockey standings. He’s won 39 races including a sweep of the two Graded stakes last weekend. Saturday he won on Laurel River in the G2 Pat O’Brien and Sunday he rode Edgeway to victory in the G3 Rancho Bernardo.

“I’m really happy,” Hernandez says. “I’ve been lucky to have a lot of support from the owners and the trainers.”

Hernandez has won 27% of his 147 mounts and finished in the money 59% of the time. He’s piled up $2,697,186 in earnings.

Umberto Rispoli is a distant second in the standings with 23 wins followed by Ramon Vazquez with 18, Joe Bravo with 14 and Abel Cedillo with 12.

“We started a little bit slow,” Cedillo says about his meet, “but I was confident and my agent (Tom Knust) does a really good job, too.”

He says he’s not watching the standings.

“No, not really,” Cedillo says. “I just ride with confidence and try to win a couple of races and try to do better and better.”

Tied with Cedillo at 12 victories are Mike Smith and Edwin Maldonado. Rounding out the top 10 in the rider standings are Hector Berrios (10), Kyle Frey (8) and Florent Geroux, Ryan Curatolo and Mario Gutierrez tied with 7.

The partnership of Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman are knotted with Hronis Racing for the most wins by owners with six each. Tommy Town Thoroughbreds are right there with five victories.

HEYWOODS BEACH, TIZAMAGICAN MEET AGAIN IN DEL MAR HANDICAP

Heywoods Beach and Tizamagician square off again in the G2 Del Mar Handicap, part of the excellent card on TVG Pacific Classic Day at Del Mar Saturday. But this time they’ll go at it on the grass.

The two met on opening weekend in the G3 Cougar II, run on the main track at Del Mar. The two dueled throughout much of the 1 ½ mile race with Heywoods Beach coming out on top at the end and Tizamagician finishing a game second. The year before it was Tizamagician walking into the winner’s circle and Heywoods Beach finishing third in the Cougar II.

Heywoods Beach has been running against some tough competition like Smooth Like Straight, Country Grammer and Express Train. The win in the Cougar II was just his second race of the year and the 1 3/8 miles of the Del Mar Handicap shouldn’t be a problem.

Tizamagician will be trying grass for the first time since he ran 10th in his only other try on the turf in 2020. Mandella had considered the TVG Pacific Classic but chose the Handicap instead.

“I’m going to be a magician and make a grass horse out of him,” Mandella says. “With as tough as the Classic is and him wanting the long distance, it just figured. I tried him once as a 3-year-old on the turf and it wasn’t a real fair evaluation. So we’re just hoping he can adapt to the turf because then you have more long races and that’s what he really likes.”

As for turning the tables on Heywoods Beach.

“I don’t take anything personal,” Mandella says. “I just try to beat anybody I can.”

The Del Mar Handicap is far from being a two-horse race. Trainer Michael McCarthy will bring his G2 Eddie Read winner Master Piece to the party.

“He’s training super,” McCarthy says. “Obviously he likes this turf course. Hopefully, he’ll put out the same kind of performance he did in the Eddie Read.”

Master Piece had a ground-saving trip throughout the 1 1/8 mile journey in the Eddie Read, tipping out at the top of the lane and blowing by dueling front runners to win by 3 ¼ lengths. Two other runners in the Del Mar Handicap ran in the Eddie Read: Masteroffoxhounds set the pace and faded to fifth and Tango Tango Tango made a run at the lead on the turn but faded to seventh.

The G2 Del Mar Handicap will go off as the 11th and last race of the stakes-packed card. Approximate post time is 6:20 p.m.

Here’s the field from the rail with jockeys: Dicey Mo Chara (John Velazquez); Gold Phoenix (Flavien Prat); Gregdar (Umberto Rispoli); Red King (Hector Berrios); Tango Tango Tango (Declan Cannon); Tizamagician (Mike Smith); Order and Law (Edwin Maldonado); Tesoro (Joe Bravo); Master Piece (Abel Cedillo); Masteroffoxhounds (Juan Hernandez), and Heywoods Beach (Ramon Vasquez).

COOLING OUT:  Eclipse Award winner Ce Ce is back at trainer Michael McCarthy’s barn at Del Mar following her last-place finish in the G1 Ballerina at Saratoga over the weekend. “Seems like she’s okay, “ McCarthy says. “Tough trip.”…Notable works for Thursday: Dirt -- Eddie’s New Dream (4f, :49.80). Turf – Bellabel (4f, :49.00). A total of 52 horses worked on the dirt Thursday. Thirteen put in official works on the turf.

Del Mar Statistics

Jockey Standings
(Current Through Sunday, August 28, 2022 Inclusive)

Trainer Standings
(Current Through Sunday, August 28, 2022 Inclusive)

Winning Favorites Report
(Current Through Sunday, August 28, 2022 Inclusive)

Winning favorites -- 76 out of 215 -- 35.35%
Winning favorites on dirt -- 46 out of 119 -- 38.66%
Winning favorites on turf -- 30 out of 96 -- 31.25%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 15 out of 32   -- 46.88%
In-the-Money favorites -- 160 out of 215 -- 74.42%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 28 out of 32 -- 87.50%