Mandella Aims Trio at Cigar

Trainer Richard Mandella will take three shots at stopping Cigar’s 16-race winning streak in the $1-million Pacific Classic on Saturday.

Mandella, who nearly defeated the world’s best horse with Soul Of The Matter in the Dubai World Cup in March, said Monday that Dare And Go will join stablemates Soul Of The Matter and Siphon in the Pacific Classic.

The beaten favorite in the Bel Air Handicap last month after finishing fifth in the Hollywood Gold Cup, Dare And Go earned his place in the lineup with a 59 4/5 five-furlong work Monday.

“He went really well,” Mandella said. “He’s had two races in him now [after being sidelined for about 2 1/2 months] and he looks fantastic.”

Still, if there is to be a monumental upset Saturday, Dare And Go is the least likely candidate of the Mandella trio. Soul Of The Matter, who came within a half-length of Cigar in the World Cup, finished second in the Pacific Classic last year. He will work a half-mile on Wednesday morning.

Siphon, who scored a 9-1, front-running upset in the Hollywood Gold Cup, will work four or five furlongs this morning. He worked a mile in a disappointing 1:42 3/5 last Friday.

The other probable entries for the Pacific Classic are Tinners Way, who will be trying to win the race for the third consecutive time and who worked six furlongs in 1:14 4/5 Monday morning, and Luthier Fever, who merely has to run in the Grade I event to earn the $500,000 MGM Classic Crown bonus as the only horse to compete in the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic.

Dramatic Gold, who was second to Cigar in last month’s Arlington Citation Challenge and was third in the 1994 Pacific Classic, is likely to participate since he is scheduled for a half-mile work Wednesday and is owned by John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm. Mabee is Del Mar’s chairman of the board and it would seem logical he would want to be represented in one of the most-anticipated races in the track’s history.

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Cigar, who last raced at Del Mar in 1993, will arrive at the track a little earlier than planned.

The 6-year-old son of Palace Music will arrive at Ontario Airport at 9 a.m. Thursday morning, then be vanned to Del Mar. He is expected here at noon and will be stabled at Bill Shoemaker’s barn.

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The Del Mar record for most stakes victories by a trainer during a meeting is six. Charlie Whittingham did it in 1980 and 1989 and, 12 days into the current season, Jenine Sahadi is halfway there.

Fastness’ victory in Sunday’s Eddie Read was Sahadi’s third since the meeting began July 24, following wins by Lit De Justice in the Bing Crosby and Megan’s Interco in the Wickerr.

She will have the opportunity to equal or break the record. Shanawi is expected to start in Friday’s Escondido Handicap, European import Troysend is possible for Sunday’s La Jolla Handicap, Lit De Justice will be favored to defend his title in the Pat O’Brien on Aug. 17 and Megan’s Interco is expected to return in the Del Mar Breeders’ Cup Handicap on Sept. 8.