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Heavyweight Battle Between Arklow, United Headlines Pacific Classic Undercard At Del Mar

Four Graded stakes, each eligible to be a card topper on a given day, instead will provide a first-rate “undercard” for Saturday's TVG Pacific Classic Day at Del Mar.

Topping the quartet are a pair of $300,000 offerings – the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies and the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap presented by The Japan Racing Association. The former is run at nine furlongs on grass, while the latter goes at a mile and three eighths on the green for 3-year-olds and up.

Also on the agenda is another $300,000 Grade 2 special, the Del Mar Mile on the main track. The fourth stakes is the Grade 3, $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes for sophomore fillies traveling a mile on the dirt.

The Oaks has lured a field of nine including a pair of shippers: Head of Plains Partners' Fluffy Socks in from New York and Yuesheng Zhang's Soaring Sky aboard from her native Ireland.

The Del Mar Handicap will bring out 10 competitors and sets up for a clash of titans between two of the best grass route horses in the country in LNJ Foxwoods' United and Donegal Racing, Bulger and Coneway's Arklow.

Six will go hard and heavy at the classic flat mile in the Del Mar Mile and each and everyone of them is a major stakes winner. Their purse earnings got past the $5.4-million mark and they're all seasoned racehorses eligible to fire a big shot Saturday.

In the Torrey Pines, seven will face the starter, each of them eyeing their first graded stakes score. The Fast Anna filly I'm So Anna has the most bragging rights in the group currently with a pair of Cal-bred stakes on her ledger and $289,740 in the bank.

The “undercard” races will be run like this: Torrey Pines – 6th Race; Del Mar Mile – 7th Race; Del Mar Oaks – 9th Race; Del Mar Handicap – 11th Race. The TVG Pacific Classic is the day's 10th Race.

The key prep race for the Del Mar Oaks is the Grade 2, $150,000 San Clemente Stakes, run at Del Mar at a mile on the turf on July 24. The one, two, three finishers from the race — Kaleem Shah's Madone, Dubb, Gevertz or Nentwig, et al's Going Global and Slam Dunk Racing or Platts' Tetragonal – are all back to try their luck in the more demanding and more lucrative Oaks.

The likely battle royale between United and Arklow in the Del Mar Handicap will be a fitting nitecap to a delicious day of racing. The pair of turf behemoths bring plenty of bragging rights to the race: United, a 6-year-old gelding by Giant's Causeway, has won nine races and $1,675,549. He was second, beaten a head, in this race last year. Arklow also has won nine races, but his bankroll goes past his chief rival at $2,755,746. The long-winded stretch kicker shipped to Del Mar last fall and made short work of the Hollywood Turf Cup at a mile and a half. Both runners will have their regular riders – Flavien Prat on United and Florent Geroux on Arklow.

The Del Mar Handicap is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge race that guarantees the winner all expenses paid admission into the $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at Del Mar on Saturday, Nov. 6.

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Saratoga, Del Mar Team Up For All-Graded Stakes Cross Country Pick 5

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 featuring all graded stakes action from Saratoga and Del Mar. The sequence will include three Grade 1s and a pair of Grade 2 contests.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Saratoga will host the first two legs of the sequence, starting with the Grade 2, $200,000 Lake Placid for 3-year-old fillies competing at 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon turf course in Race 9 at 5:39 p.m. Eastern. The Chad Brown-trained Technical Analysis will look to duplicate her effort from when she won the Grade 3 Lake George on July 23 over the Saratoga inner turf. Spanish Loveaffair, who faced top-flight competition last out in running eighth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in the opening leg of NYRA's Turf Triple series on July 10, will be sent out by Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. New York-bred Runaway Rumour won her first three starts for trainer Jorge Abreu, including an off-the-pace half-length victory in the Wild Applause in June at Belmont Park going one mile. After running fourth in the Lake George in her first run over the Saratoga grass, the Flintshire filly will return to the Spa.

The featured race at Saratoga, the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama, will see Malathaat out for revenge against Maracuja after the latter's last-out win in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 24 at Saratoga. Malathaat was a hard-fought winner of the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on April 30 at Churchill Downs and captured the Grade 1 Ashland on April 3 at Keeneland. A victory in the Alabama would make Malathaat the fifth filly in the past decade to capture the Kentucky Oaks-Alabama double. For Maracuja, a win in the Alabama would make her the fifth horse in the last decade to score the CCA Oaks-Alabama double. Crazy Beautiful, the winner of the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 27, ran 10th in the Kentucky Oaks. But the Kenneth McPeek trainee rebounded to win the Grade 3 Summertime Oaks on May 30 at Santa Anita ahead of a six-length romp in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks on July 3 at Delaware Park.

Del Mar will host the concluding three legs, starting with the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles on the turf in Race 9 at 9 p.m. Eastern. The Brown-trained Fluffy Socks, the Lake George runner-up last month, will be returning to the track where she won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante in November. Madone, a winner of 5-of-7 starts for trainer Simon Callaghan, enters from a rallying win in the Grade 2 San Clemente on July 24 at Del Mar. The Irish-bred Feathers, trained by Peter Miller, will make her graded stakes debut, while fellow Irish-bred Soaring Sky will make her North American debut for conditioner Jessica Harrington.

The Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic for 3-year-olds and up will be contested in Race 10 at 9:30 p.m. as a nine-horse field competes at 1 1/4 miles on the main track. Express Train, winner of the San Diego Handicap, was installed the 3-1 morning line favorite. The Union Rags colt, trained by John Shirreffs, has posted a 4-4-2 record in 12 career starts as he enters the “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Breeders' Cup Classic in November, also held at Del Mar. Royal Ship, trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, has won six of his 14 starts with earnings of $293,305 and will have the services of Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. Dr Post, the 2020 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes runner-up who last out won the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, will also look to make an impact shipping to the West Coast.

Concluding the Cross Country Pick 5 will be the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Handicap in Race 11 at 10 p.m. The 11-horse field for 3-year-olds and up running at 1 3/8 miles on the turf will see Shirreffs send out Astronaut, second in the Grade 3 San Jan Capistrano, square off with the Brad Cox-trained Arklow, who won the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup in November in his previous start at Del Mar.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, August 21:
Leg A: Saratoga – Race 9, G2 Lake Placid (5:39 p.m.)
Leg B: Saratoga – Race 10, G1 Alabama (6:13 p.m.)
Leg C: Del Mar – Race 9, G1 Del Mar Oaks (9:00 p.m.)
Leg D: Del Mar – Race 10, G1 Pacific Classic (9:30 p.m.)
Leg E: Del Mar– Race 11, G2 Del Mar Handicap (10:00 p.m.)

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CHRB’s Dr. Gregory Ferraro Named Laffit Pincay Award Recipient

Dr. Gregory Ferraro, the current chairman of the California Horse Racing Board and a veterinarian for over half a century who has made an enduring impact on California racing as a practicing veterinarian, an equine surgeon and a medical executive, has been named the 17th recipient of the Laffit Pincay, Jr. Award. He'll be honored in that role at Del Mar with ceremonies during this Saturday's TVG Pacific Classic Day program.

The Pincay Award, named for and presented by the Hall of Fame rider, goes to those who have served the sport “with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination and distinction.”

“I can think of few people who fit the requirements for this award better than Dr. Ferraro,” stated Pincay. “He has been a champion for horses and horse people throughout his life and his mark on our game will go on and on. He most certainly deserves this award and it will be my honor to salute him with it.”

Dr. Ferraro, 75, a native of San Francisco and a graduate of University of California, Davis and the renowned UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, was a working veterinarian and surgeon on the tracks of Southern California for 27 years. Subsequently, he accepted the position of Director of the Center for Equine Health at UC Davis where for 17 years he led efforts to promote research and education in equine medicine to the advantage and health of all breeds of horses.

His list of accomplishments across his stellar career is exceptional. It was Dr. Ferraro who designed and developed the horse ambulances that are used on North American tracks. Working in partnership, he also developed a splint that can be applied to stabilize lower leg injuries in horses.

Among his other innovations and insights, Dr. Ferraro was among the first to adapt human arthroscopic surgical techniques to horses. He also co-founded the Southern California Equine Foundation, a humane society whose goal was to stop animal suffering. Among other things, that group established equine hospitals on the backstretches of Hollywood Park and Santa Anita Park, the latter of which continues to provide diagnostic, surgical and medical services to injured horses.

One of his colleagues at the University of Davis' Center for Equine Health, Dr. Carrio Finno, DVM, PhD, spoke highly of Dr. Ferraro's leadership in that role:

“Dr. Ferraro's application of scientific studies to support critical decisions has revolutionized the industry's approach to Thoroughbred racing, health and safety,” she said. “Through advocating and facilitating collaborations between equine clinicians and basic science researchers, (he) set the stage for bringing the brightest minds together to advance equine health.”

Dr. Ferraro has lent his expertise to many industry organizations and boards and has held numerous leadership positions including those of the Racing Board Medication Committee, the Southern California Equine Foundation, the International Animal Welfare Training Institute and the Dolly Green Research Foundation. He is currently a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Pincay was at one point the world's winningest jockey with 9,530 victories. He rode for 39 seasons, including 27 summers at Del Mar, where he is still the leading rider with 1,011 firsts. The Panamanian native was voted five Eclipse Awards as the nation's foremost rider and led the country in earnings seven times. Now 74-years-old, he lives in Arcadia near Santa Anita Park and maintains a close connection to the game.

The list of previous Pincay Award winners follows:

2019 – Julie Krone

2018 – Martine Bellocq

2017 – Mike Smith

2016 – Chris McCarron

2015 – Victor Espinoza

2014 – Art Sherman

2013 – Eddie Delahoussaye

2012 – John Harris

2011 – Jerry/Ann Moss

2010 – Oak Tree Racing Assn.

2009 – Merlin Volzke

2008 – Pete Pedersen

2007 – Elwood (Bud) Johnston

2006 – Mel/Warren Stute

2005 – Noble Threewitt

2004 – Bob Benoit

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Del Mar: Thursday’s Pick Six Carryover At $1,645,118

Long-winded allowance horses will stretch out to a mile and three-eighths Thursday at Del Mar for a $74,000 allowance purse that will serve as the feature attraction on the day's eight-race card. It goes as Race 7 on the program and has lured eight runners to test their legs and lungs over the demanding 11-furlong distance.

Along with the feature, there will be an extra buzz to the day's card as the track's Pick Six Single Ticket Jackpot wager will be up for grabs once more this time with a $1,645,118 carryover to serve as extra incentive. The bet has carried forward for 16 straight racing days and its prize just grows more and more lucrative. If it is not “hit” on either Thursday or Friday of this upcoming week, it goes to TVG Pacific Classic Day on Saturday and that's a “mandatory” afternoon when all money in the pot gets paid out to those holding tickets with the highest number of winners.

The feature is an interesting betting affair with the likely favorite being an old pro named Ward 'n Jerry, a homebred 8-year-old gelding who races in the silks of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams. The Mike Puype-trained veteran has run the most races – 29 – won the most – 8 – and banked the most money — $474,759 – in the lineup.

There's little doubt that Ward 'n Jerry can get the trip. In eight of his last 12 outings he's run farther than the Thursday headliner, so the old boy has a lot of things in his corner. Leading rider Flavien Prat signs on the ride, so there's yet another thing in his favor.

Here's the full lineup for the feature from the rail out with riders: Bran Jam Stable and Firsthome Thoroughbreds' Big Buzz (Jessica Pyfer); Reddam Racing's Parsimony (Mario Gutierrez); Three Diamonds Farm's Ocean Atlantique (Trevor McCarthy); Alfred Pais' Margot's Boy (Juan Hernandez); Ward 'n Jerry; Karl Pergola's K P All Systems Go (Tyler Baze); Slam Dunk Racing or Nentwig's Rijeka (Joe Bravo), and Mr. and Mrs. W. K. Warren, Jr.'s Seven Charms (Kyle Frey).

First post on Thursday is at 2 p.m.

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