A razor-sharp Mast Track rocketed through 6 furlongs this morning in a bullet 1:11.40 as he finished his serious work toward Sunday's $1-million Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on the main track.
The Hollywood Gold Cup winner trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Robert Frankel was caught in 59.20 for 5 furlongs on the way to the final timing. The son of Mizzen Mast, who was a multiple stakes winner for Frankel, galloped out 7 furlongs in 1:24.20.
"It was a very good work," said Humberto Ascanio, Frankel's chief assistant in charge of the Del Mar string. "It may have been a little faster than Bobby wanted, but he did it nice. He's a naturally fast horse and he's a good work horse."
Regular exercise rider Jose Dominguez was up for the work.
Frankel's other Pacific Classic prospect, Out of Control, is scheduled to work Monday at Saratoga and ship on Tuesday. The riding assignments on the Frankel pair are now settled: Rafael Bejarano on Mast Track and Edgar Prado on Out of Control.
Also completing final work for the Pacific Classic on Del Mar's main track this morning was Zappa, who traveled 7 furlongs in 1:25.80 for trainer John Sadler. Another possible Pacific Classic runner for Sadler, Tissy Fit, also worked 7 furlongs, posting a time of 1:27.20. Tissy Fit is also a top prospect for Saturday's Grade II, $250,000 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
Both the Pacific Classic and the Del Mar Handicap are "Win and You're In" races, giving the winner of each an automatic bid to the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic and the $3-million Breeders' Cup Turf, respectively, on Saturday, October 25.
At Belmont Park, Barcola turned in an easy half-mile breeze in 49.12 as he finished his major work for the Pacific Classic. The son of Old Trieste will ship west Tuesday.
In a new development, Joel Rosario was announced as the rider for Delosvientos instead of the earlier named Eibar Coa.
A potential field of 12 or 13 looms for the Grade I race. Entries will be taken Wednesday and the post-position draw will be Wednesday night.
The other candidates are: 2007 winner and runner-up Student Council and Awesome Gem, San Diego Handicap winner and runner-up Well Armed and Surf Cat, Delosvientos, Go Between, McCann's Mojave and Mostacolli Mort.
TRIO OF PROSPECTS WORKS
FOR O'BRIEN SHOT AT B.C. SPRINT
Bing Crosby Handicap runner-up In Summation led a trio of workers this morning who are taking aim at Sunday's Grade II, $300,000 Pat O'Brien Handicap at 7 furlongs on the main track.
The O'Brien winner gets an automatic bid to the $2-million Breeders' Cup Sprint Saturday, October 25 at Santa Anita. A field of at least 10 is building.
In Summation stopped clocks in 47.40 for a half-mile, while Hurry Up Austin ran 5 furlongs in 1:03 and Johnny Eves sped 6 furlongs in 1:13.60. In Summation will be ridden in the O'Brien by Corey Nakatani, Hurry Up Austin gets Jon Court and no rider has been named on Johnny Eves.
Expected to join that trio are 2007 Breeders' Cup Sprint and Eclipse Award winner Midnight Lute, with Garrett Gomez up; Arson Squad, with David Flores; Barbecue Eddie, Aaron Gryder; Bullsbay, Victor Espinoza; Five Star Thief, Joel Rosario; How's Your Halo, no rider named, and Doppio, no rider.
SPRING HOUSE TURNS IN BULLET WORK
FOR DEL MAR HANDICAP
Julio Canani trainee Spring House bounded 5 furlongs on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course this morning in 58.80, the fastest of 13 at the distance. Spring House is being prepared for Saturday's Grade II, $250,000 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on the turf.
Fellow prospects for the Del Mar 'Cap, Runaway Dancer and American Imperium, chose to work over the main track as they moved forward. Runaway Dancer, the 9-year-old multiple stakes winner from the Dan Hendricks barn, went 5 furlongs in 1:01.60, and American Imperium, whom trainer Gary Mandella hopes to get into the race as one of the light weights, turned in 1:13 for 6 furlongs.
Warning Zone, winner of Hollywood Park's Sunset Handicap, was withdrawn from consideration this morning by trainer John Sadler, when a quarter crack was noted.
Expected to join the aforementioned trio are Cedar Mountain, second in the Sunset; Church Service, fifth in that race; Mr. Universo, fourth in his American debut at Del Mar July 26; Transduction Gold, fourth in the Sunset, and You Got Me Rocking, eighth in Del Mar's San Diego Handicap July 19.
GALLAGHER RELISHES FIRST GRADE I WIN;
MAGICAL FANTASY FINE
A proud and happy Patrick Gallagher was still basking this morning in the afterglow of his first Grade I victory Saturday when his trainee turned fantasy to reality as the longest shot ever to win the Del Mar Oaks.
Magical Fantasy, at odds of $42.50-1, accomplished the feat on a magical ride by Alex Solis on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. The magic came in mid-stretch of the 1 1/8-mile race when a huge hole opened and Solis sent the 3-year-old daughter of Diesis roaring to the lead. She pulled away to win by two lengths.
It was Solis' first stakes win of the meet and his 90th at Del Mar, where he is sixth on the career list.
Gallagher said this morning that although he hadn't given a lot of thought to winning his first Grade I race, he acknowledged that it pretty much is in the back of any trainer's mind. "But I guess if I was to think about it, I would think about doing it with Alex, because we've had so much success together," the Irish-born trainer said.
Gallagher said Magical Fantasy came out of the race in good shape, and while he doesn't have another race for her on the agenda at this time, he's hopeful that she might get an invitation to Keeneland's Grade I, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup October 11.
PEDROZA'S TWO WINS MOVE HIM
CLOSER TO CAREER NO. 3,000
The big news in the jockey race Saturday was the two victories posted by veteran rider Martin Pedroza, putting his career win total at 2,993. With 15 racing days to go before the meet ends Wednesday, September 3, the 43-year-old native of Panama stands a chance of hitting the mark at Del Mar.
Pedroza's wins came in the second race with Draft Choice for trainer John Sadler and the ninth aboard Bigum for Julio Canani.
As for the rest of the roster, leader Rafael Bejarano won one race to open up a margin of three over runner-up Joel Rosario, 30-27. Tyler Baze, third in the standings, was off his mounts Saturday after a training accident in the morning left him with a foot injury.
The big win of the day in the trainers' race came for Patrick Gallagher, who scored his first ever Grade I victory when Magical Fantasy scored a huge upset as the longest shot on the board in the Del Mar Oaks. The win was his sixth of the meet, good for a tie for seventh in the standings with Barry Abrams and Clifford Sise Jr.
DICK ENBERG, COTTER SMITH
COME TO 'PLAY' AT DEL MAR
Renowned sportscaster and multiple Emmy Award winner Dick Enberg and acclaimed actor Cotter Smith will be in the winner's circle to do the honors today following the running of the featured $100,000 Solana Beach Handicap. Enberg, who lives in nearby La Jolla, is an old friend of racing, having been a horse owner as well as the original host of the Breeders' Cup for NBC through its first seven runnings.
Monday and Tuesday Enberg and Smith again will be featured in Solana Beach, this time at the town's North Coast Repertory Theater for two nights of performances of "McGuire," the play Enberg wrote about his broadcast partner Al McGuire, the hard-scrabble New Yorker who became a basketball coaching legend (including a national championship at Marquette) and then a broadcasting original known to sports fans far and wide.
Enberg's one-man play, which stars Smith in a transforming one-man role that virtually brings McGuire back to life, was a sell-out success in its two-day run at the theater this past spring. The upcoming two-day stand has already sold out its Monday performance, but tickets are still available for the Tuesday shows at 6:30 and 9 p.m. Both will feature a Q&A with Enberg following the performance.
Tickets can be obtained on-line at http://www.northcoastrep.org or by calling the theater at (858) 481-1055.
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.
Sunday, 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 -- Del Mar fans will have a shot at a nice-sized carryover pool today, beginning with $206,263 from Saturday, when no one hit the wager. Ninety-four tickets with five winners paid $1,880.80 to each holder ... The percentage of winning favorites at the seashore has continued to climb over the past couple of weeks, reaching 30.25 percent, which historically is the norm or close to it ... Becrux has moved to the barn of John Sadler from that of Neil Drysdale. Sadler said he doesn't expect to run the horse until Oak Tree ... The ever-positive Caesar Dominguez on winning his first race of the meet Saturday with Austie in the third race: "Me and Bob Baffert are tied."
TRAKUS FACTS -- Sat., 8/16 -- Peak Speed: Race 6 (Polytrack) -- Palacio de Amor -- 43.1 mph (first eighth); Race 8 (Turf) -- Misty Ocean -- 41.7 mph (first eighth); Fastest Late Stretch Run: Race 3 (Polytrack) -- Austie -- 36.8 mph (final 16th); Race 1 (Turf) -- Mean Heat -- 37.1 mph (final 16th).
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