Zensational, Battle of Hastings featured on Pacific Classic
undercard
The $1 million Pacific Classic is the main event at Del Mar on Sunday, but
there will be a couple of three-year-old stars competing on the undercard. The
West Coast’s best sprinter, ZENSATIONAL (Unbridled’s Song), will seek his third
straight Grade 1 victory over older horses when he starts in the $300,000
Pat
O’Brien S., and the nation’s best turf sophomore, BATTLE OF HASTINGS (GB)
(Royal Applause [GB]), will make his eagerly-awaited return to the Golden State
in the $350,000
Del
Mar Derby (G2).
After easily winning the Bing Crosby S. (G1) as the 2-5 favorite earlier in
the meet, Zensational figures to be a similarly short price against five
undistinguished challengers in the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien. The gray ridgling
rolled to a 2 1/2-length decision last time, garnering a career-best 104 BRIS
Speed rating, and owns a three-race winning streak. An authoritative winner of
the Triple Bend H. (G1) two starts back, the Bob Baffert trainee will break from
the rail with regular rider Garrett Gomez.
Grade 2 winner NOBLE COURT (Doneraile Court), unraced since a third in the
Triple Bend, is also entered along with Bing Crosby runner-up TALKIN TO MOM ROO
(You and I), and last-out allowance/optional claiming winners NIKKI’SGOLDENSTEED
(Formal Gold) and BIG BAD LEROYBROWN (Wild Again) will face a major class hike.
SCREEN TO SCREEN (Deputy Wildcat), who owns a six-race losing skein, completes
the cast.
Battle of Hastings opened this year with victories in the Baldwin S. (G3) and
La Puente S. at Santa Anita prior to hitting the road for his next three starts.
His first attempt resulted in a fast-finishing second in the American Turf S.
(G3) at Churchill Downs, and the Jeff Mullins runner has taken his game to a
new level since then, recording victories in the Colonial Turf Cup (G2) and
Virginia Derby (G2). After defeating Take the Points (Even the Score) both
times, the classy gelding was flattered when that rival returned to win the
Secretariat S. (G1) in his next outing.
Battle of Hastings has proven himself at a variety of distances, so the cut
back to 1 1/8 miles should be no problem, and he’s recorded bullet works over
the turf at Del Mar in preparation for the Del Mar Derby. Tyler Baze will return
to the saddle aboard the bay, who earned a whopping 110 BRIS Speed rating in his
last start.
Arkansas Derby (G2) winner PAPA CLEM (Smart Strike), who finished a good
second to Pioneerof the Nile in the Robert B. Lewis S. (G2) over Pro-Ride earlier
this season, will make his turf debut off a fourth in the Haskell Invitational
(G1), and the hard-trying colt owns a commendable fourth-place effort in the
Kentucky Derby (G1). Gomez will pick up the mount for Gary Stute.
AFLEET EAGLE (Northern Afleet) will step up to face graded company following a 2
1/2-length score in the Oceanside S. on opening day, and the Vladimir Cerin
pupil owns a three-race win streak. METEORE (Pulpit), RENDEZVOUS (Victory
Gallop) and GRETSKY (Toccet), the respective top three finishers in the August 15
La Jolla H. (G2), will all return for the Del Mar Derby, and the Canadian-based
MIDNIGHT MISCHIEF (Medaglia d’Oro) will invade for Roger Attfield off a fifth in
the Hall of Fame S. (G2) at Saratoga.
Cinema H. (G3) victor OIL MAN (Ire) (Pyrus) and California-bred allowance
winner ACCLAMATION (Unusual Heat) round out the field.
The stakes action at Del Mar will get underway Sunday in the $100,000
Torrey Pines S. sending three-year-old fillies one mile. Grade 1 runner-up
THIRD DAWN (Sky Mesa) owns the most stakes experience in the six-filly field,
and enters the Torrey Pines off a 1 1/2-length score against allowance/optional
claiming company over track and trip.