The G1 Del Mar Oaks has always attracted some of the best 3-year-old fillies in the country. This year, it’s attracting horses from across the pond. Two Euros head up the 10-horse field that kicks off the late stakes pick three on Pacific Classic Day at Del Mar.

Twelve horses are entered in a very competitive field that features the heartbreaking runner-up in the G2 Eddie Read earlier this summer; the runner-up in the G1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita; the runner-up in the G2 Kilroe Mile, and the winner of the Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar last month.

That’s the word from trainer Aggie Ordonez on her filly Om N Joy’s status for next week’s 36th running of the G1, $1 million, Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

There are many things about Del Mar you can count on. The sun will be shining, the racing will be exciting and Sweet Azteca will make her annual appearance in the Grade III Rancho Bernardo.

It has been nearly eight months since Jockey Umberto Rispoli’s accident, which led to multiple surgeries to repair and months of rehab in Spain and France. And yet by June, he was back up working horses and today he rides with the confidence and ability as if nothing ever happened.

Kentucky Gal won the $100,000 Possibly Perfect at Santa Anita in June when three horses hit the wire together. All three are back for the CTT and TOC.

All Grand Slam Smile has to do is finish in the money in Saturday’s $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar and she’ll become racing’s newest millionaire. Easy enough for a horse who has done it her entire career.

Larry Collmus has done and seen a lot of things in horse racing. So, when something comes along that Larry hasn’t done yet, it’s worth noting.

Late last December a veteran jockey based in Florida brought his tack out to Southern California. Emisael Jaramillo had done well in Florida, he had ridden in the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup but he’d never won one of the big races. Jaramillo decided he needed to go to a place where he could make that happen.

It’s tourist season in Southern California when people come from all parts of the world to enjoy San Diego’s sites and attractions. And it’s not only humans making the trip.