Ranking as a "Mr. Consistency," Go Between shows one of the most impressive resumes among the 15 prospects lining up for Del Mar's Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic Sunday, August 24, a race that guarantees the winner a place in the Breeders' Cup Classic as part of the "Win and You're In" program.
The 5-year-old son of Point Given has been out of the money only three times in his last 14 starts and is a constant traveler, having run in Southern California three times and in Kentucky once so far this year. His record also shows races at Calder Race Course, Louisiana Downs, Arlington Park, Churchill Downs, Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park over the past two years.
Go Between's career statistics show seven wins, seven seconds and six thirds in 25 starts, with $2,183,880 in purse earnings.
Kenny McCarthy, who handles the Bill Mott string, including Go Between, at Churchill Downs, said by telephone, "The horse is doing excellent. We gave him a couple of easy works after he came back from the Hollywood Park race and then put two sharp works into him. He'll work again Monday -- a half-mile or 5 furlongs -- and then we'll ship on Wednesday."
The trip to Del Mar will be the second for McCarthy. He saddled Union Avenue to finish third in the 2006 Del Mar Derby.
Garrett Gomez has the call on Go Between, a horse he's ridden in his four starts this year.
Julio Garcia has been named to ride McCann's Mojave in the Pacific Classic. McCann's Mojave, with career earnings of $1.5 million, will put in his final pre-Pacific Classic work at Golden Gate Fields Saturday and ship to Del Mar on Monday.
Mark Hennig, trainer of Barcola, said his 5-year-old son of Old Trieste will be ridden by Corey Nakatani.
Expected to join Go Between and McCann's Mojave in the starting gate are defending champion Student Council, who will have his final work on Monday and ship to Del Mar Tuesday; 2007 runner-up Awesome Gem; Hollywood Gold Cup winner Mast Track; Out of Control, second in Belmont Park's Manhattan Handicap; Barcola, who will work once more at Saratoga and ship on Tuesday; Well Armed, Surf Cat and Mostacolli Mort, 1-2-3 finishers in Del Mar's San Diego Handicap; Zappa and Tissy Fit, 1-2 in the Cougar II Handicap; Tres Borrachos, the Swaps winner that is also considered a prospect for the Travers Stakes, Saturday, August 23; Delosvientos, on a three-race win streak, and Belo Purse, a recent arrival from Brazil who is considered a longshot to run by co-owner Billy Koch of Little Red Feather Stable.
CALDER SHIPPER PREPS FOR PAT O'BRIEN WITH EASY WORK
How's Your Halo, preparing for the Grade II, $300,000 Pat O'Brien Handicap Sunday, August 24, worked an easy half-mile in 49.80 for Calder-based trainer Brian Prichard.
The Pat O'Brien is part of the Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" program and a victory earns the winner an automatic spot in the $2-million Breeders' Cup Sprint at Oak Tree at Santa Anita Saturday, October 25.
How's Your Halo has been bedded down in the Wesley Ward barn since Saturday and Prichard considered the work a leg-stretcher. "We just wanted him to get a feel for the track," the trainer said. "He'll breeze back in a week, and we'll let him roll a little bit."
Prichard said stakes winner How's Your Halo earned his way into the Pat O'Brien with a second-place finish to outstanding sprinter Benny the Bull in the Smile Handicap at Calder July 12.
PACE FIGURES TO MAKE THE RACE FOR MAGICAL FANTASY'S OAKS
Trainer Patrick Gallagher is hoping his filly, Magical Fantasy, will find some magic in the form of a quick pace in Saturday's Grade I, $350,000 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
"She needs a good pace and some racing luck," the trainer said of the 3-year-old daughter of Diesis, who has been running in graded company in each of her three 2008 starts. She finished second in the Grade III Senorita Stakes at Hollywood Park, fifth in Hollywood's Grade II Honeymoon Handicap and sixth in the Grade I American Oaks, also at Hollywood Park.
Magical Fantasy came to the Gallagher barn this past winter from racing in England as a 2-year-old, where she had one win and two seconds in five starts.
Gallagher is hopeful her time at Del Mar has paved the way for a big effort. "She's been acting good and training very well here," he said.
The 10-horse field is loaded with stakes-quality runners, including American Oaks runner-up Satan's Circus, San Clemente Handicap winner Storm Mesa, and double Del Mar stakes winner Lethal Heat. Misty Ocean could well supply the speed Gallagher is hoping for, what with her front-running victory in the Grade II Honeymoon and her pace-setting San Clemente effort that fell short.
All will carry 122 pounds.
Here's how the field will line up from the rail, with riders: Storm Mesa, Eddie Martin Jr.; Ginger Pop, Richard Migliore; Lethal Heat, Rafael Bejarano; Oceane Music, Mike Smith; Magical Fantasy, Alex Solis; Bel Air Sizzle, Clinton Potts; Misty Ocean, Joel Rosario; Satan's Circus, Garrett Gomez; Missit, David Flores; Million Dollar Run, Tyler Baze.
TEN CAL-BRED FILLIES SET TO GO IN SUNDAY'S SOLANA BEACH
Four Barry Abrams fillies, including dual stakes winner Lethal Heat, who is entered, also, in Saturday's Grade I Del Mar Oaks, lead a field of 10 California-bred fillies into Sunday's $100,000-added Solana Beach Handicap at a mile on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
Joining Lethal Heat, who already has won the Fleet Treat and Real Good Deal Stakes and set the 7-furlong record twice in the doing, are stablemates Exquisite Beauty, America's Friend and Lightmyfirebaby. The Fleet Treat is for 3-year-old Cal-bred fillies and in the Real Good Deal she beat males, the first to do that in the history of the race. In that race, she broke her own 7-furlong track record by sizzling the distance in 1:21.95.
Of the other Abrams runners, America's Friend shows a liking for the Del Mar turf, with a second and a first in two starts over the grass this season. The win came the last time out in an allowance event July 25.
John Sadler will take two swings at the Solana Beach, with Bachelorette One for longtime owner Tom Mankiewicz and Tutta Bella for owner Pamela Ziebarth, also a veteran owner with Sadler. Bachelorette One has been off since April and hasn't been to the winner's circle since January 2007. Tutta Bella put together three victories in the spring but has been winless in her last two starts, including the Redondo Beach Stakes at Hollywood Park in June.
Of the rest, Silver Z sticks out as one who is returning to state-bred competition after tackling the Grade I Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park, where she was fourth, and the Grade II Clement Hirsch at Del Mar, where she finished seventh in a race in which her saddle slipped.
Here's the lineup from the rail: Comedy Girl, 119, Victor Espinoza; Swiss Current, 116, Rafael Bejarano; Exquisite Beauty, 112, Clinton Potts; Tutta Bella, 119, Garrett Gomez; Bachelorette One, 114, Mike Smith; America's Friend, 115, Alex Solis; Lightmyfirebaby, 119, Joel Rosario; Silver Z, 117, Joe Talamo; Christiana's Heat, 113, Michael Baze; Lethal Heat, 120; Jose Valdivia Jr.
SADLER'S GET FUNKY PAVES WAY FOR A BREEDERS' CUP RUN
Get Funky split horses in deep stretch to come home first in Wednesday's $90,220 Green Flash Handicap, causing trainer John Sadler to say, "He's a very brave horse."
Sadler also pointed out that Get Funky has shown a liking for the Del Mar turf, posting his second win, along with two thirds, in four races over the Del Mar turf. In addition, the win also made him five for five in turf sprints.
This year's goal is to run in the $1-million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and to that end Get Funky's next start will be in the Morvich Handicap at Oak Tree at Santa Anita, the site of this year's two-day Breeders' Cup championships, October 24-25. The 5-year-old son of Straight Man, who captured the 2006 Del Mar Derby on the turf, won the Morvich in 2007.
Finishing second was Idiot Proof, who was second to Midnight Lute in the 2007 Breeders' Cup Sprint and second to Benny the Bull in the 2008 Dubai Golden Shaheen. Trainer Clifford Sise Jr. said, "It was a good comeback race. He'd been off quite awhile, but he tried and he dug in. You just can't beat Sadler." Idiot Proof had not run since the March 29 Dubai race.
Sise said he will continue to prime Idiot Proof for a second try at the
$2-million Breeders' Cup Sprint with his next start being in Oak Tree at Santa Anita's Ancient Title Stakes September 27. The B.C. Sprint, at 6 furlongs on the main track, is scheduled for Saturday, October 25.
MAIN TRACK MAINTENANCE:
On Tuesday, the Polytrack surface was power-harrowed and rototilled to a depth of six (6") inches. The track was returned to training and racing depth of approximately two inches and consistency through Gallop Mastering and watering.
Thursday, there were three loads of water (by water truck) added to the racetrack between training and racing time. Additionally, there will be one load of water applied to the running lanes after the day's second race.
Barring notable weather changes, a similar watering pattern will be followed each racing day, with the exception of Fridays and its later start.
On Fridays, following training hours, the track will be power-harrowed to a depth of four (4") inches, then returned to training and racing depth and consistency through Gallop Mastering and watering. No additional water will be added to the track during the racing card Fridays.
SHORE LINES -- Trainer Eoin Harty will send out Colonel John for a final 5-furlong tune-up for Saratoga's $1-million Travers Stakes Monday at Del Mar. The 3-year-old will ship to Saratoga on Tuesday and gallop up to the race on Saturday, August 23. Harty is also looking forward to September 1 when his Sanford Stakes winner, Desert Party, is expected to go in the Grade I, $250,000 Hopeful Stakes ... Four O'Clock Friday goes forward a half-hour this week for a first post time of 3:30. A reggae concert by The Wailers will follow shortly after the day's last race in the Plaza de Mexico ... This week's free handicapping sessions start Friday from 2:30 to 3 with Daily Racing Form staffers Steve Andersen and Brad Free at the Seaside Terrace near the head of the stretch. At the same spot on Saturday and Sunday from 12:30 to 1:15, respectively, will be jockey agent Rogelio Olguin and former jockey agent Bill (Bear) Barisoff.
TRAKUS FACTS -- Wed., 8/13 -- Peak Speed: Race 5 (Polytrack) -- Going Forward -- 43.6 mph (first eighth); Race 7 (Turf) -- Idiot Proof -- 44.2 mph (first quarter); Fastest Late Stretch Run: Race 3 (Polytrack) -- Michael's Notes -- 37.8 mph (final 16th); Race 7 (Turf) -- Get Funky -- 40.9 mph (final 16th).
DEL MAR COMBINED JOCKEY & TRAINER STATISTICS
(Current Through Wednesday, August 13, 2008)
Jockey -- Mts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won
Rafael Bejarano -- 121 -- 27 -- 29 -- 23 -- 22% -- $1,527,800
Tyler Baze -- 127 -- 23 -- 14 -- 17 -- 18% -- $1,059,943
Joel Rosario -- 132 -- 23 -- 11 -- 22 -- 17% -- $871,048
Garrett Gomez -- 82 -- 18 -- 11 -- 12 -- 22% -- $1,159,415
Victor Espinoza -- 96 -- 10 -- 12 -- 11 -- 10% -- $616,430
Martin Garcia -- 82 -- 9 -- 12 -- 10 -- 11% -- $430,147
Joseph Talamo -- 78 -- 8 -- 10 -- 4 -- 10% -- $432,186
Alex Solis -- 72 -- 7 -- 17 -- 13 -- 10% -- $450,400
David Flores -- 73 -- 7 -- 10 -- 12 -- 10% -- $771,165
Michael Baze -- 60 -- 7 -- 10 -- 2 -- 12% -- $397,927
Trainer -- Sts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won
John W. Sadler -- 68 -- 19 -- 17 -- 3 -- 28% -- $1,238,101
Doug F. O'Neill -- 61 -- 10 -- 13 -- 9 -- 16% -- $529,787
Jeff Mullins -- 49 -- 10 -- 12 -- 7 -- 20% -- $367,227
Mike R. Mitchell -- 43 -- 10 -- 5 -- 8 -- 23% -- $650,970
Jerry Hollendorfer -- 35 -- 9 -- 3 -- 9 -- 26% -- $346,529
Peter Miller -- 27 -- 7 -- 4 -- 2 -- 26% -- $229,900
Clifford W. Sise, Jr. -- 20 -- 6 -- 4 -- 3 -- 30% -- $202,708
Patrick Gallagher -- 23 -- 5 -- 4 -- 4 -- 22% -- $236,760
William Spawr -- 29 -- 5 -- 3 -- 2 -- 17% -- $180,336
J. Eric Kruljac -- 13 -- 5 -- 3 -- 1 -- 38% -- $194,420
Winning Favorites Report
(Current Through Wednesday, August 13, 2008)
Winning favorites -- 61 out of 213 -- 28.64%
Winning favorites on dirt -- 47 out of 164 -- 28.66%
Winning favorites on turf -- 14 out of 49 -- 28.57%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 15 out of 28 -- 53.57%
In-the-Money favorites -- 149 out of 213 -- 69.95%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 25 out of 28 -- 89.29%