Sunday, August 29, 2010
Contact: Dan Smith 858-792-4226/Gene Williams 858-755-1141 ext. 3793

DAY 30

ALL STAKES WINNERS IN GOOD SHAPE AFTER PACIFIC CLASSIC DAY

Richard's Kid and El Brujo, winners of the Pacific Classic -- Presented by TVG and Pat O'Brien Stakes and both from the Bob Baffert barn, were reported in good shape this morning after Saturday's winning efforts in the Grade I stakes.

Richard's Kid, repeating as defending champion in Del Mar's signature race, earned an automatic bid to the Breeders' Cup Classic and El Brujo gets a guaranteed spot in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, both on Saturday, November 6. Saturday's victories served as a reprise of 2009 for Baffert -- Richard's Kid won the Classic and Zensational won the Pat O'Brien.

A secondary twist to Saturday's action is that Arnold Zetcher owned Richard's Kid last year before selling him to Zabeel Racing International and Zetcher is the owner of El Brujo.

Baffert eschewed the big day at the seashore to saddle one stakes winner -- Rapport -- in Saratoga's Grade III Victory Ride Stakes, leaving the heavy lifting here to assistant Jim Barnes, who sent out three winners on the day.

Gate-to-wire winner Enriched bounced well out of his Del Mar Mile win that earned him a bid to the Breeders' Cup Mile. He's not Breeders' Cup-eligible so a run there would mean a hefty fee to the owners of the Lava Man half-brother known as "Baby Lava" in the Doug O'Neill barn. His next start could come in the Oak Tree Mile.

Pacific Classic runner-up Crowded House was reported in good order this morning, with future plans in flux since he's not B.C.-eligible. The long-term goal, said Jamie McCalmont, stable manager for J. Paul Reddam, is another crack at the Dubai World Cup.

Dakota Phone, third in the Classic, has options for the Breeders' Cup championship day, Dan Ward, assistant to Jerry Hollendorfer, said this morning. "He's already in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile [by winning the San Diego Handicap], so we have options after his nice race yesterday," Ward said.

Perhaps the most enthusiastic trainer of the morning was one who had no winners in the big races, but was runner-up in both the Del Mar Mile and the Pat O'Brien. Hall of Fame conditioner Richard Mandella was very encouraged by the finishes of Meteore in the mile and Crowns of Thorns in the sprint.

"I think they both ran really good races," Mandella said this morning. "I think Meteore deserves another chance, so we'll be looking at the Oak Tree Mile for him."

Crown of Thorns, who had been off since his second-place finish in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Sprint, appears to be ready for a little more distance, Mandella said. "I've always thought he'd do well going farther, so this year we'll try the Goodwood at Oak Tree, instead of keeping him sprinting."

The Goodwood on October 2 is at 1 1/8 miles and is a prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

NINE HAVE SIGHTS SET ON HISTORIC DEL MAR HANDICAP

With Unusual Suspect staying in the barn after his ninth-place run in Saturday's Pacific Classic -- Presented by TVG, nine marathon turf runners will line up today in the 71st running of the Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

The winner will get an automatic bid to the Breeders' Cup Turf at 1 1/2 miles on Saturday, November 6, at Churchill Downs.

Champ Pegasus, runner-up in Hollywood Park's Sunset Handicap, rules as the tepid 3-1 morning-line favorite.

DEL MAR DERBY, DARLEY DEBUTANTE, 5 OTHER STAKES TOP WEEK 

For those thinking any action at Del Mar would be anticlimactic following the big Pacific Classic, they need only look at the upcoming week's schedule of stakes races to see the fallacy in any such suggestion.

There will be seven stakes races from Wednesday through Sunday as the season winds down into its final full week of action. The schedule is highlighted by the 60th running of the Grade I, $250,000 Darley Debutante for 2-year-old fillies at 7 furlongs on Saturday and the 66th edition of the Grade II, $300,000 Del Mar Derby for 3-year-olds on Sunday.

Along with those major attractions, there will be three $100,000 stakes and a pair of $75,000 events.

Expected to headline the Debutante will be Sorrento Stakes winner Wickedly Perfect, runner-up A Z Warrior and third-place finisher Izshelegal, along with impressive maiden winners Avid and Sugarinthemorning, trained by Hall of Famers Richard Mandella and Ron McAnally, respectively.

Expected to head up the Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf are the undefeated Twirling Candy, impressive winner of the Oceanside Stakes on July 21, and the 2-3-4 finishers in Del Mar's Grade II La Jolla Handicap, Kid Edward, Alphie's Bet and Summer Movie, as well as August 15 maiden winner Royal F J.

The $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes (see below) opens the week's action on Wednesday, followed by the $100,000 El Cajon Stakes on Friday. Supporting Saturday's Debutante is the $75,000 Windy Sands Handicap, and on the undercard for the Del Mar Derby will be the $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes and the $75,000 Adoration Stakes.

TWO GRADED STAKES HEADLINE FIVE-WIN DAY FOR ROSARIO

Just like that, Joel Rosario turned a four-win deficit in Del Mar's jockey race to a one-win lead. Just like that, being five victories on Del Mar's biggest stage, Pacific Classic day.

Two of the victories came in the Grade II Del Mar Mile and the Grade I Pat O'Brien Stakes, both in front-running style. The 25-year-old native of the Dominican Republic won races 2-3-4 and 10 and 11 to zip past former leader Rafael Bejarano and take a 42-41 lead in the standings.

Along with Rosario's five wins, Mike Smith and Patrick Valenzuela each scored two wins to give the trio nine wins out of the 11 races. One of Smith's wins was his repeat victory in the $1-million Pacific Classic -- Presented by TVG aboard defending champion Richard's Kid. It was the Hall of Fame rider's third victory in five starts in the Pacific Classic, winning first with Came Home in 2002.

The wins for Valenzuela moved him into uncontested third place in the standings with 22 victories to 21 for Victor Espinoza.

Among trainers, Bob Baffert picked up three wins, including the Pacific Classic and Pat O'Brien as Doug O'Neill improved his lead to 24-16 over John Sadler with Enriched's win in the Del Mar Mile.

13 CAL-BRED JUVENILE FILLIES TO LINE UP FOR GENEROUS PORTION

Streaking Perfect Curls and Desperate Measures lead a group of 13 Cal-bred filly 2-year-olds in Wednesday's $100,000, 6-furlong Generous Portion Stakes.

Perfect Curls is a perfect three or three in her most recent starts at Golden Gate Fields, Pleasanton and Santa Rosa for trainer Clifford DeLima. In the filly's first start, she was second.

Desperate Measures, claimed by trainer Bill Spawr out of a winning effort at Del Mar July 29, won a starter allowance at the seashore in her first race for her new connections. With two straight wins at Del Mar, she appears to love the surface here and seems ready for her stakes debut.

Swiss Wild Cat, one of two runners from the Mike Harrington barn, is back with Cal-breds after trying open company following her victory in the C.T.B.A. Stakes, in which she beat stablemate Hi Ho Yodeler. Hi Ho Yodeler is back for another try.

Here's the lineup from the rail, with weights and riders: Lucky Sis, 118, Johnny Gihua; Swiss Wildcat, 123, Christian Santiago Reyes; Miles Rules, 120 Jose Verenzuela; Desperate Measures, 118, Martin Garcia; Yellow Slicker, 118, Martin Pedroza; Rockin Heather, 120 Kerwin John; Faisca, 120, Joel Rosario; Tiz Blushing, 120, David Flores; Vonn Nez, 118, Mike Smith; Clubhouse Rules, 118, Victor Espinoza; Perfect Curls, 122, Rafael Bejarano; Hi Ho Yodeler, 120, Patrick Valenzuela, and Trick Skate, 120, Alex Bisono.

EIGHT SPEEDSTERS STRETCH OUT FOR EL CAJON STAKES AT A MILE

Ultra-swift Goggles McCoy puts his five-race unbeaten record up for grabs Friday against seven foes in the $100,000 El Cajon Stakes at one mile on the main track. It will mark the first time the 3-year-old, gelded son of In Excess has traveled that far.

Goggles McCoy, trained by Steve Sherman and ridden by Russell Baze, was an easy gate-to-wire winner of Del Mar's Real Good Deal Stakes for Cal-breds on August 11.

Offering the stiffest competition in the field will be Face and an Ace, who finished fifth in the Grade II La Jolla Handicap for trainer by Paco Gonzalez. The son of Came Home has three victories this year and will be ridden by his regular jockey, Brice Blanc.

Here's the lineup from the rail, with weights and riders: Face and an Ace, 117, Blanc; Goggles McCoy, 119, Baze; Lions Story, 119, Patrick Valenzuela; Haimish Hy, 117, Alonso Quinonez; Gallant Gent, 119, Victor Espinoza; Distorted Economy, 117, Rafael Bejarano; In the Paint, 117, Martin Garcia, and Just Magic, 117, Joel Rosario.

SHORE LINES -- Trainer John Sadler saddled two horses at Saratoga on Saturday, with Ike and Dawn Thrash's Hurricane Ike doing best with a fourth in the Grade I King's Bishop Stakes for 3-year-olds at 7 furlongs. Sister Dawn, also owned by the Thrashes, stumbled at the start and lost all chance in the Victory Ride Stakes, finishing seventh ... Workouts of note this morning: Darley Debutante prospects Rigoletta, 5f in 1:01; Tell a Kelly, 5f in 1:01.20; A Z Warrior, 6f in 1:13.40; Futurity prospects Indian Winter, 4f in 48.60; Classic Bobby, 5f in 1:00.20; J P's Gusto, 6f in 1:13.60 ... Apprentice jockey Johnny Gihua was excused from his rides today after being stepped on by a horse during training hours. He suffered a bruised ankle but is expected to ride Wednesday.

TRAKUS FACTS -- Sat., Aug. 28 -- Peak Speed: Race 3 (Polytrack) -- Truco -- 43.8 mph (first 3/16); Race 2 (Turf) -- Bradium -- 44.7 mph (first 1/4); Fastest Late Stretch Run: Race 7 & 8 (Polytrack) -- Golden Bounty (7) & Dakota Phone (8) -- 36.6 mph (final 1/16); Race 4 (Turf) -- Meteore -- 40.0 mph (final 1/16).

DEL MAR COMBINED JOCKEY AND TRAINER STATISTICS

 (Through Saturday, August 28, 2010)

Winning Favorites Report

 (Through Saturday, August 28, 2010) 

Winning favorites -- 84 out of 252 -- 33.33%

Winning favorites on Polytrack -- 55 out of 180 -- 30.56%

Winning favorites on turf -- 29 out of 72 -- 40.28%

Winning odds-on favorites -- 19 out of 31 -- 61.29%

In-the-Money favorites -- 179 out of 252 -- 71.03%

In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 29 out of 31 -- 93.55%