Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) winner LAVA MAN (Slew City Slew) and Swaps Breeders’
Cup S. (G2) victor SURF CAT (Sir Cat) are among the 12 horses entered for Sunday’s
15th running of the $1 million Pacific Classic (G1). Lava Man, who brings a
three-race winning skein into the 1 1/4-mile event, has been listed as the 9-5
favorite on the morning line and the Doug O’Neill-trained four-year-old will be
ridden by Patrick Valenzuela.
Surf Cat is the 3-1 second choice and the
late-blooming sophomore has drawn comparisons to Tiznow, who came from
practically nowhere to earn Horse of the Year honors at three in 2000.
Trained by Bruce Headley, Surf Cat earned his first stakes win when
recording an impressive five-length triumph in the Swaps and will
attempt to become the fourth three-year-old, following in the hoofsteps
of Best Pal (1991), General Challenge (1999) and Came Home (2002), to win Del Mar’s centerpiece
event. Alex Solis rides.
Other top contenders include Grade 1 winner and $3.4 million earner PERFECT
DRIFT (Dynaformer), who exits a sharp 4 1/4-length tune-up in Arlington’s
Washington Park H. (G2). The six-year-old gelding finished a good second to
Pleasantly Perfect in last year’s Pacific Classic but must overcome the far
outside post position in 2005. CHOCTAW NATION (Louis Quatorze), who recorded his
second straight victory in the San Diego H. (G2) on July 24, drew a much better
gate (post 2) and likes the track. The Jeff Mullins trainee’s only stakes
wins have come at Del Mar.
The Pacific Classic field, from the rail with jockeys and morning-line odds,
is POLISH TIMES (Sea Hero), Kent Desormeaux, 50-1; Choctaw Nation, Victor
Espinoza, 6-1; BORREGO (El Prado [Ire]), Garrett Gomez, 12-1; Lava Man; Surf
Cat; SUPER FROLIC (Pine Bluff), Jason Lumpkins, 30-1; MUSIQUE TOUJOURS (Musique
d’Enfer), Jorge Chavez, 20-1; CONGRATS (A.P. Indy), Tyler Baze, 10-1; ISLAND
FASHION (Petionville), Corey Nakatani, 20-1; OCEANUS (Brz) (Rainbow Corner
[GB]), Jose Valdivia Jr., 30-1; ACE BLUE (Brz) (Coax Me Clyde), David Flores,
30-1; and Perfect Drift, Mark Guidry, 4-1.
All starters carry 124 pounds except Island Fashion, who receives a
five-pound allowance, and Surf Cat, who totes only 117.