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Racing! We are set for Saturday’s Pacific Classic

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Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as get ready for a big week down in ole Del Mar.

The starters for Saturday’s $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar are finally known and, as anticipated, Accelerate is the favorite, at 8-5. This year’s Pacific Classic doesn’t have the star power of previous years. Last year there was Arrogate, who did not live up to expectations. Before that the race had California Chrome, Beholder and Shared Belief, all who won.

No disrespect to Accelerate but he’s just not as well known as the others.

He drew the five post and will have Joel Rosario in the saddle instead of the injured Victor Espinoza. John Sadler is the trainer.

The second favorite is Pavel at 7-2 for trainer Doug O’Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez.

Of some interest are a couple of horses who were nominated but didn’t run. Unique Bella was a filly that Jerry Hollendorfer thought about running, but Hollendorfer rarely runs his fillies against the boys. Sadler also had the choice between Catalina Cruiser, a three-time starter who won the San Diego Handicap, and Accelerate. But, most were sure that Sadler would go with the veteran Accelerate in this race.

Bob Baffert has two entrants, Roman Rosso (5-1) and Dr. Dorr (6-1).

Here’s the Pacific Classic field with morning-line odds.

1. The Lieutenant 6-1

2. Dr. Dorr 6-1

3. Prime Attraction 8-1

4. Roman Rosso 5-1

5. Accelerate 8-5

6. Beach View 15-1

7. Pavel 7-2

8. Two Thirty Five 20-1

Stewards rulings

Here’s our weekly rundown of actions by the Del Mar stewards.

--Gary Stevens was fined $200 for excessive whipping on Spring Lily in the sixth race on Aug. 5. It was his second offense in the last 60 days. Spring Lily won the race.

--Owner Daniel Cardenas (Tricar Stables) was ordered to pay $23,917 in veterinarian bills.

Battle of Midway

Remember Battle of Midway? He was third in last year’s Kentucky Derby. He won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Well, he’s back on the track and we may see him before the end of the Del Mar meeting. After his 3-year-old year he was sent to stud but found to be sub-fertile. So, he’s back in Hollendorfer’s barn and he’s still a colt. He’s won five of his nine starts and been in the money all but one race.

Jay Privman of the Daily Racing Form has more. Just click here.

Jockey and trainer standings

First, the jockeys.

Rank Name-------Starts-------Win--------Place------Show------Win%--------ITM%-----Earnings

1 Flavien Prat-------82-----------22----------14-----------5----------27%----------50%-------$1,363,190

2 D. Van Dyke------70-----------17-----------5-----------9-----------24%-----------44%------$1,174,530

3 Tyler Baze---------94-----------17---------10---------11-----------18%-----------40%-------$932,579

4 A. Espinoza-------102---------13-----------9----------10----------13%-----------31%--------$492,850

5 H. Figueroa--------69-----------13---------7-----------5-----------19%-----------36%---------$349,545

6 G. Franco----------80-----------10----------7----------16----------13%-----------41%---------$483,412

7 M.Gutierrez-------62-----------9-----------11----------7-----------15%-----------44%---------$524,680

8 R. Bejarano-------81-----------7-----------11----------11-----------9%-----------36%---------$527,990

9 T.J. Pereira-------66------------7-----------6-----------11-----------11%----------36%---------$363,007

10 K.Desormeaux--70-----------6-----------11-----------16-----------9%-----------47%---------$563,402

And now, the trainers

Rank Name-------Starts-------Win--------Place------Show------Win%--------ITM%-----Earnings

1 Peter Miller----63----------19-----------9------------6----------30%----------54%----------$834,720

2 J. Hollendorfer--51----------12----------8-------------4----------24%----------47%----------$744,414

3 D. O'Neill-------88----------12----------13----------12----------14%----------42%----------$650,155

4 P. D'Amato-----58----------7------------7------------6----------12%----------34%----------$606,918

5 J.W. Sadler-----37----------7------------2------------4----------19%----------35%----------$582,214

6 R. Baltas--------56----------7------------6------------9----------13%----------39%----------$439,500

7 Jeff Mullins-----29----------7-----------4-------------1----------24%----------41%----------$322,205

8 Bob Baffert-----21----------5----------6---------------3--------24%----------67%----------$327,815

9 S.Callaghan---20----------5----------2---------------1---------25%----------40%----------$313,355

10 B. Koriner-----24-----------5----------2---------------1---------21%----------33%----------$270,225

Del Mar preview

It’s one of those weekday eight-race cards for Del Mar with a 2 p.m. start. There are three turf races but five of the card’s races are for claimers.

The feature is the CTT and TOC Stakes for fillies and mares going 1 3/8 on the turf. Post time is about 3 p.m. The favorite, at 2-1, Is Queen Blossom for trainer Richard Baltas and jockey Mario Guiterrez. She has won three of 16 races with a win in the Santa Barbara at 1 ½ miles.

Fahan Mura is the second choice at 5-2. She has won two of nine lifetime and won the Osunitas at 1 1/16 miles. She hasn’t really seen this distance so that will be the question mark. She is trained by Vladimir Cerin and ridden by Edwin Maldonado.

The field size, in order, is 9, 9, 11, 10, 7, 9, 9 (4 also eligible), 10.

Bob Ike’s DMR pick of the day

THIRD RACE: No. 5 Peach Cove (6-1)

Although she has never won over the Del Mar turf course in five previous starts, ‘Cove should fire a good shot today. She figures to get a good trip behind an anticipated quick pace, goes to a barn (Mike Puype) that does well off the claim and with fresh runners, and gets a rider upgrade to Drayden Van Dyke. Square price in a competitive 11-horse field.

Sunday’s result: Flip the Coin Jan ran off uncontrollably early to open a big lead while setting fast fractions, then had little left in the stretch and finished a badly-beaten third.

Bob Ike is a Partner/VP of Horsebills.com (here's a video) and the proprietor of BobIkePicks.com (full-card picks, 3 Best Plays and betting strategy).

Final thought

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Any thoughts, you can reach me at johnacherwa@gmail.com. You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa

Now, the star of the show, Wednesday’s entries.

Del Mar Entries for Wednesday, August 15.

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Del Mar, California. $2 Win, Place and Show; $1 Exacta, $2 Quinella, 50-cent Trifecta, $2 Rolling Double, 50-cent rolling Pick 3; 10-cent Superfecta; 50-cent Pick 4 last 4 races; 50-cent Players Pick 5 first 5 races; $2 Pick 6 last 6 races; $1 Place Pick All; $1 Super High Five last race. Trifecta needs 4 betting interests; Superfecta needs 6. 20th day of a 36-day meet.

FIRST RACE.

5½ Furlongs. Purse: $32,000. Maiden Claiming. 2 year olds. Claiming Prices $62,500-$55,000.

PPHorseJockeyWtTrainerM-LClaim $
1Principe CarloTiago Pereira120Marcelo Polanco20-162,500
2SaltarinAlonso Quinonez120Victor L. Garcia5-162,500
3Swamp SouffleFranklin Ceballos120George Papaprodromou20-162,500
4DyfKent Desormeaux120J. Keith Desormeaux10-162,500
5Samurai JackSantiago Gonzalez120Mark Glatt4-162,500
6SuenoDiego Sanchez120J. Keith Desormeaux20-162,500
7Data HawkTyler Baze120Tim McCanna5-162,500
8SavageryJoseph Talamo120Peter Miller3-162,500
9Two Fifty CoupFlavien Prat120Doug F. O'Neill5-262,500

SECOND RACE.

6 Furlongs. Purse: $20,000. Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Prices $8,000-$7,000.

PPHorseJockeyWtTrainerM-LClaim $
1Curly's WaterfrontAlonso Quinonez119Reed Saldana8-18,000
2Paynes PrairieHeriberto Figueroa114Jonathan Wong4-18,000
3Reverend AlAssael Espinoza116Blake R. Heap15-18,000
4Rocket FuelSantiago Gonzalez119Steven Miyadi8-18,000
5Private JokeIII Antongeorgi123Jonathan Wong7-28,000
6HackletonStewart Elliott117Robert B. Hess, Jr.10-17,000
7Lambo LuxxEvin Roman119Jack Carava3-18,000
8TomasinoGeovanni Franco119Charles S. Treece6-18,000
9Go GhettoEdgar Payeras116Justin B. Clark12-18,000

THIRD RACE.

1 Mile Turf. Purse: $34,000. Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Prices $25,000-$22,500.

PPHorseJockeyWtTrainerM-LClaim $
1Subic BayHeriberto Figueroa115Jeff Mullins8-125,000
2Hip Ninety ThreeMartin Pedroza120Molly J. Pearson20-125,000
3Easy SongJoseph Talamo120Carla Gaines8-125,000
4Award ItGeovanni Franco122Bill McLean10-125,000
5Peach Cove Drayden Van Dyke120Mike Puype6-125,000
6Night Time Inc Santiago Gonzalez120Martin F. Jones20-125,000
7SalsitaAssael Espinoza113Peter Miller7-222,500
8Red Livy Evin Roman118Rafael DeLeon12-122,500
9Girl DownstairsFlavien Prat120Ronald W. Ellis3-125,000
10Gone to BaliTyler Baze120Jeff Mullins5-125,000
11Cee Sam's GirlMario Gutierrez116George Papaprodromou20-125,000

FOURTH RACE.

5½ Furlongs. Purse: $24,000. Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $20,000.

PPHorseJockeyWtTrainerM-LClaim $
1Generous PourEdwin Maldonado123Craig Dollase15-120,000
2Miz TianjinFlavien Prat123Eddie Truman5-120,000
3Party HostessHeriberto Figueroa118Jorge Periban8-120,000
4DiscatsonthesquareGary Stevens123Matthew Chew4-120,000
5MagicalchicEdgar Payeras118Louis A. Bradvica20-120,000
6AlpenhornEulices Gomez123Peter Eurton20-120,000
7AwesometasticMario Gutierrez123Richard Baltas8-120,000
8Always BelieveAssael Espinoza118John W. Sadler5-120,000
9Summer Down NowGeovanni Franco120Thomas Ray Bell, II20-120,000
10BroomeDrayden Van Dyke120Vann Belvoir9-520,000

FIFTH RACE.

1 3/8 Mile Turf. Purse: $75,000. 'CTT and TOC Stakes'. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up.

PPHorseJockeyWtTrainerM-LClaim $
1Fahan MuraEdwin Maldonado122Vladimir Cerin5-2
2VexatiousRafael Bejarano120Neil D. Drysdale4-1
3Space CadetGeovanni Franco120Richard Baltas10-1
4AmboseliKent Desormeaux120James M. Cassidy6-1
5Evo Campo Brice Blanc124Patrick Gallagher5-1
6Queen Blossom Flavien Prat124Richard Baltas2-1
7Fool's ParadiseMario Gutierrez116Ben D. A. Cecil15-1

SIXTH RACE.

5½ Furlongs. Purse: $60,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies. 2 year olds. State bred.

PPHorseJockeyWtTrainerM-LClaim $
1The PetMario Gutierrez120Edward R. Freeman8-1
2Flying to the LineHeriberto Figueroa115Peter Miller3-1
3Sneaking OutAssael Espinoza115Jerry Hollendorfer10-1
4Opus WonFlavien Prat120Richard Baltas5-2
5Blew by YouStewart Elliott120Daniel Dunham8-1
6Square PeggyTiago Pereira120Brian J. Koriner6-1
7Lady EmberJoseph Talamo120Peter Eurton12-1
8AlystarMatt Garcia120Javier Jose Sierra20-1
9Blueberry PrincessKent Desormeaux120Hector O. Palma9-2

SEVENTH RACE.

5 Furlongs Turf. Purse: $62,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $40,000.

PPHorseJockeyWtTrainerM-LClaim $
1Meet and GreetHeriberto Figueroa114William E. Morey4-1
2TraviezaRafael Bejarano116Doug F. O'Neill6-1
3Navajo Dreamer Assael Espinoza111Richard Baltas8-1
4Just a SmidgeDrayden Van Dyke116Bob Baffert7-2
5OperandiMario Gutierrez118Doug F. O'Neill5-1
6TizanillusionTyler Conner119John W. Sadler8-1
7Beau SquareTyler Baze119Jack Carava5-1
8Ruby TrustGary Stevens119Howard L. Zucker20-1
9Kimberlea KFlavien Prat116Jerry Hollendorfer8-1
Also Eligible
10Cute Knows CuteEvin Roman116Peter Miller15-1
11Love a HoneybadgerTiago Pereira121Peter Miller6-1
12ParasailEdgar Payeras114Robert J. Lucas20-1
13Kentan RoadAssael Espinoza116John W. Sadler8-140,000

EIGHTH RACE.

6½ Furlongs. Purse: $20,000. Maiden Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $20,000.

PPHorseJockeyWtTrainerM-LClaim $
1The ChadinatorJohnny Allen120Jerry Wallace, II20-120,000
2Violent AffairEdgar Payeras115Art Sherman6-120,000
3Livin On PrayerKent Desormeaux120Jeff Mullins5-220,000
4Magnum MaduroVinnie Bednar120Keith E. Craigmyle15-120,000
5Black StormBrayan Pena123Lloyd C. Wicker7-220,000
6Powerful ThirstRuben Fuentes120Andrew Lerner15-120,000
7For the HustleEdwin Maldonado123Bruce Headley8-120,000
8Death DealerJohn Jude120Walther Solis20-120,000
9Friendly SteveAssael Espinoza115Blake R. Heap3-120,000
10Serve Me a DoubleAgapito Delgadillo123George Papaprodromou12-120,000
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