Although the two supporting stakes on Sunday’s Pacific Classic Day program at
Del Mar drew short fields of six apiece, both Grade 2 events feature top-level
performers. Coil and Camp Victory are the most accomplished entrants in the
$250,000
Pat
O’Brien Stakes on Polytrack, while Jeranimo, Mr. Commons and Norvsky are the
big names in the $200,000
Del Mar
Mile Handicap on turf.
Bob Baffert has won the past three runnings of the Pat O’Brien with
Zensational (2009), El Brujo (2010) and The Factor (2011), and Coil gives the
Hall of Famer a massive chance of a fourth straight.
Coil was nominated to the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles, but Baffert
made it clear that the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien was the intention. The winner
of last year’s Grade 1 Haskell Invitational over Shackleford, he headed to the
sidelines following a third to older stablemate Game on Dude in the Grade 1
Goodwood.
Unraced for nearly 10 months, Coil returned to action with an impressive
allowance score at this track and trip on July 26, notching a 113 BRIS Late Pace
rating with conspicuous ease. The handsome chestnut has always shown much more
zip than his pedigree warrants, being by Point Given and out of a Theatrical
half-sister to champion turf mare Possibly Perfect, and he seeks his first major
victory going one turn here. Rafael Bejarano will be back aboard Coil, who is
tactically drawn in the outside post 6.
Baffert fields another contender in the improving Capital Account. The
five-year-old son of Closing Argument made an encouraging stakes debut in the
Grade 1 Bing Crosby on July 29, rallying for third to champion sprinter
Amazombie and The Factor. Capital Account figures to enjoy the extra furlong on
offer Sunday.
Camp Victory, a classy sprint specialist, is the biggest danger to the
Baffert duo. Runner-up to The Factor in the 2011 Pat O’Brien, Camp Victory
inflicted his revenge when upsetting The Factor by 3 1/4 lengths in the Grade 1
Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood Park. The Mike Mitchell charge has been
freshened since recording that career-best 108 BRIS Speed figure on June 30, and
he picks up seven pounds as the 123-pound highweight here. The closer might not
get enough of a pace set-up, though, because there’s no committed speedball in
the group.
Mobilized, who was third in the Triple Bend two back, reverts to one turn
after a fifth in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap. Don Tito aims to regroup after
trailing in the Bing Crosby, and Cal-bred turf veteran Bruce’s Dream, who
recently returned from a 20-month layoff, tries synthetic for the first time
since his debut maiden win.
In the Del Mar Mile, Jeranimo looks to follow up on his scintillating success
in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park June 30. The Mike Pender trainee
was still last in midstretch, but sprinted home to defeat Suggestive Boy and
Little Mike, who have both come back to flatter the form. Suggestive Boy
captured the Wickerr Stakes and rates a threat in the Pacific Classic, and
Little Mike just wired last Saturday’s Grade 1 Arlington Million.
Jeranimo has raced once before over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course at Del Mar,
finishing second to champion Acclamation in last summer’s Grade 1 Eddie Read.
The six-year-old by Congaree seems to hit it off well with Garrett Gomez, and
the 123-pound highweight gets him back in the saddle Sunday.
Mr. Commons, who missed by a nose in last year’s Del Mar Mile as a
three-year-old, has seen his reputation diminish this campaign. After two
sparkling wins in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort and Grade 2 Arcadia at Santa Anita
over the winter, the Artie Schiller colt has dropped three straight. Mr. Commons
came up a neck short against Willyconker in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile,
got up for a belated second to Wilkinson in the Grade 2 American Handicap, and
settled for fourth behind Jeranimo in the Shoemaker Mile.
Brice Blanc takes over the riding assignment on Mr. Commons, as regular rider
Mike Smith is away at Saratoga to pilot champion filly Royal Delta. Whether that
helps to galvanize the John Shirreffs trainee or not, it could be significant
that he’s run two excellent races here. Mr. Commons was a handy winner of the
2011 Oceanside prior to taking on his elders in the Del Mar Mile, and a return
to the seaside could be a tonic.
Norvsky is another with a strong local mark, having recently repeated in the
July 22 California Dreamin’ Handicap, but his career highlight is a victory over
Jeranimo in the Grade 2 San Gabriel at Santa Anita in January. Jeranimo somehow
found himself on the lead in a paceless race that day, and Norvsky got to play
the stalk-and-pounce role.
There’s no such pace conundrum in the Del Mar Mile. Obviously ran his rivals
ragged in a five-length allowance romp over this course and distance August 2,
blitzing the mile in 1:32 2/5. The stretch-out to two turns clearly suited the
Choisir gelding, who is eligible to pull the same wire job. Obviously signaled
his readiness with a bullet :58 1/5 five-furlong drill on August 19 for trainer
Mitchell.
Calimonco, a close third in the 2011 Del Mar Mile, has been beaten
consistently by both Jeranimo and Mr. Commons. The full brother to Life Is Sweet
and Sweet Catomine has yet to finish out of the top three on the Del Mar turf,
however. When trying to defend his title in the July 25 Wickerr, the John Sadler
veteran finished a solid runner-up to Suggestive Boy.
Rounding out the field is Tale of a Champion, a new recruit to the Kristin
Mulhall barn. Formerly based at Calder with Chris Gatis, the well-bred son of
Tale of the Cat most recently rallied to take the July 7 Bob Umphrey Turf
Sprint.
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