Here is a nice writeup for today's 1 million dollar Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
PACIFIC CLASSIC S. (G1), 10TH-DMR, $1,000,000, 3YO/UP, 1 1/4M, 6:30 P.M. PDT, 8-24
PP HORSE TRAINER JOCKEY WT
1 AWESOME GEM DOLLASE CRAIG BAZE T C 124
2 MOSTACOLLI MORT CANANI JULIO C ESPINOZA V 124
3 ZAPPA SADLER JOHN W GARCIA A 124
4 SURF CAT HEADLEY BRUCE FLORES D R 124
5 BARCOLA HENNIG MARK NAKATANI C S 124
6 GO BETWEEN MOTT WILLIAM I GOMEZ G K 124
7 WELL ARMED HARTY EOIN GRYDER A T 124
8 MAST TRACK FRANKEL ROBERT J BEJARANO R 124
9 DELOSVIENTOS IADISERNIA GIUSEPPE ROSARIO JOEL 124
10 STUDENT COUNCIL ASMUSSEN STEVEN M BRIDGMOHAN S X 124
11 MCCANN'S MOJAVE SPECHT STEVE GARCIA J A 124
Sunday's $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar has attracted a contentious field of 11, and a solid case can be made for a number of leading contenders. Perhaps the key to the 1 1/4-mile affair is that there is plenty of early speed signed on. In these circumstances, we believe that the talented SURF CAT (Sir Cat) will be able to settle better in the early going, enabling him to unleash the kind of ferocious late charge that he's shown at shorter distances. We trust his pedigree, which features some significant stamina influences farther back, and his undeniable class, to help him stay the trip.
The dark bay has tried 1 1/4 miles only once before, as a sophomore in the 2005 Pacific Classic, but he was embroiled in an early duel that day and tired to finish sixth. This is an older, and presumably wiser, Surf Cat, who figures to switch off early and let the pacesetters go, as he did to such good effect in the 2006 and 2008 editions of the 1 1/16-mile Mervyn LeRoy H. (G2). He has also won in a rare foray at 1 1/8 miles, recording a commanding five-length romp in the 2005 Swaps S. (G2), and we know that Bruce Headley wouldn't pitch him in if he were too worried about the added ground. Note that Headley has prepared him for the stretch-out through a pair of one-mile works over the track, followed by a bullet five-furlong move in :57 3/5 on Tuesday. David Flores, who guided Surf Cat to a closing second-place effort to WELL ARMED (Tiznow) in the San Diego H. (G2) last time out, will be back aboard the 6-1 shot.
Defending champion STUDENT COUNCIL (Kingmambo) is sure to relish the prospect of a pace meltdown up front. Although he captured last year's Pacific Classic off a tepid tempo from midpack, one of his finer performances came in the May 16 Pimlico Special (G1), where he rallied from well back off an honest pace to get up in time. Most recently, the Steve Asmussen trainee turned in a sneakily good runner-up effort in the nine-furlong Whitney H. (G1) at Saratoga. Rolling from near the tail of the field, Student Council gunned down everyone but the impressive Commentator (Distorted Humor) to finish 8 1/2 lengths clear of third. Only two horses have managed to win back-to-back Pacific Classics -- Tinners Way (1994-95) and Skimming (2000-01) -- and the bay needs a clean trip from post 10 to try to add his name to that list.
Can GO BETWEEN (Point Given) really finish second for the fourth straight time? The Bill Mott charge has been stuck on the runner-up spot in his past three, chasing Heatseeker (Ire) in the Santa Anita H. (G1), Sterwins (Runaway Groom) in the Ben Ali S. (G3) and MAST TRACK (Mizzen Mast) in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1). Either he's bound to break through sooner or later, or alternatively, he's the type who tends to find someone too good on the day. We suspect the latter is the case, especially in these top-level events, but we won't be shocked if the galvanizing Garrett Gomez engineers a turnaround.
The deep-closing AWESOME GEM (Awesome Again) has never run a bad race at Del Mar, as evidenced by his terrific second in the 2007 Pacific Classic, and he is coming off a photo-finish loss in the grassy Wickerr H. The hard-trying chestnut missed by a nostril in last year's Goodwood S. (G1) and went on to gain third in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), so he can make his presence felt on his best day. We're a trifle concerned that the Craig Dollase pupil was unable to land a blow in the Big 'Cap, which set up for him so well on paper. On the other hand, he may have had an excuse, since he was sidelined thereafter until the Wickerr. Awesome Gem is one of several in here who merit respect, and he is a must-use in the exotics, but is he good enough to take top honors?
Well Armed would rate a much better chance if he could dictate on the front end, the tactic that netted him the San Diego most recently and the San Antonio H. (G2) earlier this campaign. He's sure to be plagued by the attentions of BARCOLA (Old Trieste), DELOSVIENTOS (Siphon [Brz]) and Mast Track, however. The early pressure, combined with the fact that he'd have to carry his speed 1 1/4 miles, make him vulnerable as a win candidate. Still, Well Armed was a game third in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) at about this distance, and he's eligible to hang on grimly for a small share. Mast Track looks tractable enough to stalk, but he may not be able to beat a field of this quality with that kind of trip. In other words, his front-running Hollywood Gold Cup score smacks of opportunism to us, and we'll oppose him in this spot. MOSTACOLLI MORT (Hold for Gold), a late-charging third in the San Diego, is on the upgrade for Julio Canani. A repeat of his last might help him sneak into the superfecta at healthy odds.
ZAPPA (Afternoon Deelites) looked like a world-beater in the 1 1/2-mile Cougar II H. last time out, but a cutback in trip, while simultaneously stepping up in class, isn't usually a recipe for success. Indeed, he has been beaten by several of the Pacific Classic principals already. The speedy Barcola and Delosvientos are trying the same gambit of dropping down from 1 1/2 miles while facing much better competition. They face an even tougher task than Zappa, since they'll be winging it early too. MCCANN'S MOJAVE (Memo [Chi]) is a grand old campaigner, but he looks a notch below these at the twilight of his career.
1st-SURF CAT
2nd-STUDENT COUNCIL
3rd-GO BETWEEN
