Seven marathoners are scheduled to go to the post in Wednesday's Cougar II Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on the main track.
The race has been designated as part of the "Win and You're In" program of the Breeders' Cup, and a victory insures the winner a spot in the Breeders' Cup Marathon, one of three new races this year.
Taking on the veteran are Brazilian-bred Fado, trained by Paulo Lobo; Neil Drysdale's Marsh Side; a pair of John Sadler trainees, Tissy Fit and Zappa; and two 3-year-olds, Harlene, trained by Doug O'Neill, and Trevor's Clever, trained by Ted H. West.
SHIRREFFS TRYING TO FIND ANSWER TO TIAGO'S STRUGGLES
Multiple stakes winner Tiago continues to struggle in his efforts to prepare for Del Mar's Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic and trainer John Shirreffs continues to try to find the answer.
The 4-year-old half-brother to 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo was on the track for a workout Saturday but was pulled up shortly after breaking off at the half-mile pole for the work.
"He just has not felt good on the track," Shirreffs. "Right now we think it's a foot [problem]. It certainly puts the Pacific Classic in doubt, but we don't have all the information on him yet, so we're going to wait and see."
In another Pacific Classic development, the owners of 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin have indicated interest in sending the 4-year-old winner of this year's Dubai World Cup to Del Mar for the track's signature event Sunday, August 24.
Director of Racing Tom Robbins said Curlin is considered a possibility for the race. A second-place finish in a turf race designed to prepare him for a possible start in France's Arc de Triomphe has prompted exploring other options for the champion.
In the meantime, 2007 Pacific Classic winner Student Council finished second in Saturday's Grade I Whitney Handicap as he moves along owner Ro Parra's schedule toward the Del Mar classic. Prior to coming into last year's race, Student Council had finished second in an allowance/optional claiming race at Churchill Downs.
'NO DECISION' STILL THE ANSWER ON FUTURE OF LAVA MAN
Trainer Doug O'Neill reported this morning that the owners of Lava Man are still at the "no decision" point in discussions on the future of the 2006 Pacific Classic winner and earner of $5.2 million.
Lava Man ran his losing streak to six when he finished sixth and last in Del Mar's Grade I Eddie Read Handicap. His last win came in the 2007 Hollywood Gold Cup, the third straight time he won the race.
"They may wait for another week," O'Neill said.
RECORD $1.5 MILLION CARRY OVER AWAITS DEL MAR FANS TODAY
A slew of long-shot winners Saturday created a Del Mar record carry over of $1,561,987.02 to go into today's Pick Six wager. The Pick Six begins with the fourth race of the nine-race card.
Scheduled post time for the fourth race is 3:35 p.m.
Saturday results included winners that paid $44.20, $49.20 and $49.
Two tickets with five winners each paid a record $218,977.40.
OLD WARRIOR PERFECT DRIFT TO TACKLE NINE IN TURF FEATURE
Perfect Drift returns to the wars Monday in a 10-horse field going 1 1/16 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course for trainer Richard Mandella. He comes into the race from an eighth-place finish in the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup, which followed a fourth in the Grade I Shoemaker Mile on the Hollywood Park turf.
The old warrior will be making his 49th lifetime start. His resume shows 11 wins, 14 seconds and six thirds and $4.6 million in purse earnings. The gelded son of Dynaformer has gone 17 straight races without a win, going back to his victory in the 2005 Washington Park Handicap at Arlington Park.
Perfect Drift will start from the outside post and will carry 118 pounds, including jockey Victor Espinoza.
ROAD TRIP LITTLE BOTHER TO BEJARANO'S JOCKEY LEAD
Saturday out-of-towner Rafael Bejarano lost no ground to his closest pursuer in the race for 2008 Del Mar riding champion as Tyler Baze failed to go to the winner's circle. Joel Rosario posted one win to move into a tie with Baze at eight wins each.
Bejarano has 14 victories, and he added to his resume for the year by winning the Grade I Go for Wand Handicap aboard trainer Robert Frankel's Ginger Punch, 2007 winner of the Breeders' Cup Distaff and the Eclipse Award for the nation's outstanding older mare. The victory Saturday gave her an automatic bid to the Breeders' Cup Ladies, the new name for the former Distaff.
Having the biggest impact outside the leader in the meet's second week has been Alex Solis, who broke out of a slump with five wins so far during the period.
Also of interest, defending Del Mar titlist Michael Baze posted his first two victories of the season after missing the first five days of the meet recovering from a neck injury suffered at Hollywood Park in June. He provided winning bookends on the day with Christiana's Heat in the first race and Gold Star Status in the 10th. The win by Christiana's Heat gave stallion Unusual Heat his fifth winner of the meet.
SHORE LINES -- Favorites took a beating again Saturday going 0 for 10, sending the percentage of winning favorites to a hard-to-believe 18.60 figure on 16 wins in 86 races ... Harrah's Casino plays host to Del Mar horsemen each Thursday. A bus departs between 6 and 6:30 p.m. and returns at 11:30 outside the track's executive offices. Horsemen must sign up in the front side racing office before boarding the bus. Refreshments are available on the bus.
TRAKUS FACTS -- Sat., 7/26 -- Peak Speed: Race 4 (Polytrack) -- Concettina -- 43.1 mph (first 3/16ths); Race 9 (turf) -- Hopehopehope -- 43 mph (first 3/16ths); Fastest Late Stretch Run: Race 7 (Polytrack) -- Massone -- 38.4 mph (final 16th); Race 9 (turf) -- Storm Mesa -- 38 mph (final 16th).
DEL MAR COMBINED JOCKEY & TRAINER STATISTICS
(Current Through Saturday, July 26, 2008)
Jockey -- Mts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won
Rafael Bejarano -- 46 -- 14 -- 11 -- 9 -- 30% -- $825,235
Tyler Baze -- 51 -- 8 -- 6 -- 9 -- 16% -- $384,872
Joel Rosario -- 54 -- 8 -- 4 -- 9 -- 15% -- $310,000
Alex Solis -- 34 -- 5 -- 10 -- 3 -- 15% -- $268,880
Victor Espinoza -- 45 -- 5 -- 6 -- 7 -- 11% -- $367,892
Michael Martinez -- 25 -- 4 -- 4 -- 2 -- 16% -- $90,500
Joseph Talamo -- 35 -- 4 -- 2 -- 2 -- 11% -- $180,248
Alonso Quinonez -- 25 -- 4 -- 1 -- 3 -- 16% -- $95,960
Garrett Gomez -- 32 -- 3 -- 7 -- 4 -- 9% -- $298,000
Martin Pedroza -- 32 -- 3 -- 5 -- 4 -- 9% -- $141,620
Trainer -- Sts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won
Mike R. Mitchell -- 21 -- 5 -- 2 -- 2 -- 24% -- $461,170
Jerry Hollendorfer -- 19 -- 5 -- 1 -- 8 -- 26% -- $225,376
John W. Sadler -- 24 -- 4 -- 9 -- 0 -- 17% -- $305,854
Peter Miller -- 11 -- 4 -- 2 -- 1 -- 36% -- $116,300
Doug F. O'Neill -- 25 -- 3 -- 7 -- 4 -- 12% -- $185,609
Clifford W. Sise, Jr. -- 6 -- 3 -- 1 -- 1 -- 50% -- $84,440
Ronald L. McAnally -- 14 -- 3 -- 1 -- 0 -- 21% -- $123,343
Eoin G. Harty -- 6 -- 3 -- 0 -- 0 -- 50% -- $248,640
Patrick Gallagher -- 10 -- 2 -- 3 -- 0 -- 20% -- $96,380
Carla Gaines -- 8 -- 2 -- 2 -- 2 -- 25% -- $110,700
Winning Favorites Report
(Current Through Saturday, July 26, 2008)
Winning favorites -- 16 out of 86 -- 18.60%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 3 out of 7 -- 42.86%
In-the-Money favorites -- 56 out of 86 -- 65.12%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 6 out of 7 -- 85.71%