Grade 1 Blue Grass winner Dullahan shipped in from Kentucky with no problems
on Sunday, and has acclimated well to his new surroundings during his first 72
hours at Del Mar.
That was the report Wednesday morning from Tammy Fox, former jockey turned
exercise rider, partner of trainer Dale Romans and the woman in charge of
Dullahan’s preparations for Sunday’s Grade, $1 million Pacific Classic.
Fox arrived at Barn P, where Dullahan is stabled with the horses of trainer
Tom Proctor and his assistant Amy Dollase, Tuesday morning to hop up on the
three-year-old colt for a 1 1/2-mile gallop over the Polytrack. The same routine
was followed Wednesday morning.
The Pacific Classic is a 1 1/4-mile test over a surface which is the same
synthetic brand as that at Keeneland where Dullahan recorded both his victories
in a career of 11 starts with earnings of more than $1.1 million.
“To me, the surface is pretty much the same thing as Keeneland and he likes
it,” Fox said. “He’s running on his preferred surface and that should help. He’s
running against older horses for the first time, but it’s later on in the year
where he should be able to handle it.
“He seems to be happy here. Amy Dollase is taking good care of him, and
taking good care of me, too. So far, so good. Hopefully he’ll run a lot better
than the last two races he’s run in.”
Dullahan finished third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and was held out of the
Preakness before finishing seventh, beaten 11 lengths as the 5-2 favorite in the
Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. Seven weeks later, he was fifth of six, beaten 13 1/2
lengths, in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.
Fox is not the regular exercise rider of Dullahan. But she has been aboard
for his workouts at several tracks.
“From working him at Keeneland compared to Churchill or other places, it’s a
huge difference,” she said. “Hopefully he steps it up.”
Late entries are still possible, but a field of at least 10 is expected for
the Pacific Classic. The draw for post positions was scheduled to be conducted
at a party Wednesday evening at Burlap Restaurant in Rancho Santa Fe,
California.
The horses considered certainties, in alphabetical order with jockeys and
trainers in parentheses are:
Akkadian (David Flores, Julio Canani), Amani (Garrett Gomez, Neil Drysdale),
Dullahan (Joel Rosario, Dale Romans), Game on Dude (Chantal Sutherland, Bob
Baffert), Jaycito (Rafael Bejarano, Bob Baffert), Rail Trip (Jose Valdivia, Jr.,
Ron Ellis), Richard’s Kid (Victor Espinoza, Leandro Mora), Riveting Reason
(David Flores, Myung Kwon Cho), Suggestive Boy (Joe Talamo, Ron McAnally), and
Where’s Sterling (Paco Lopez, Luis Ramirez).
Trainers Carla Gaines and John Sadler had not reached decisions by late
Wednesday morning regarding the 2-3 finishers in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap,
John Scott and Kettle Corn.
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