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Pacific Classic Purse Returns To $1 Million; Del Mar Derby Boosted To $250,000

Building on its pre-meet enhancements and the sparkling success of its current racing season, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club today announced a pair of major increases to key stakes races on its 2021 schedule.

The Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic, the shore track's centerpiece since it was introduced in 1991, has been raised back to its original level of $1,000,000 for its Aug. 21 renewal. Additionally, the track's conclusion to its 3-year-old grass series – the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby slated for September 4 – has had its purse increased to $250,000 for its 77th edition.

The TVG Pacific Classic was scheduled to be presented this year for the 31st time with a purse of $750,000, which was an increase from its COVID-affected 2020 running when the mile and one quarter was dropped to $500,000. The Del Mar Derby ran with a $200,000 purse in 2020 and was designated to do so again this year prior to this current boost for the nine-furlong turf test.

Both raises put the races on equal footing with their 2019 levels. Prior to the meet, Del Mar had increased the values of virtually all of its other stakes from 2020 to equivalent – or in some cases higher – purse standards than the ones that existed in 2019.

“We had fairly aggressive projections going into the meet and I'm pleased to say our business has exceeded those numbers,” said Tom Robbins, a Del Mar executive vice president and its director of racing and industry relations. “We are thrilled to restore our signature race back to its $1 million level, where it had been and certainly belongs.”

Since 2010, Del Mar has joined with its broadcast partner TVG to augment the TVG Pacific Classic and keep it at the forefront of major races nationally.

“We have a spectacular partnership with Del Mar and the TOC and our team at TVG is very excited that our sponsorship of the Pacific Classic is one of the reasons for this purse increase,” said Kevin Grigsby, SVP and executive producer of TVG & FanDuel. “Over the last decade TVG has become one of the largest sponsors of horse racing in the U.S. Along with our investments in distribution and technology, it is part of our commitment to reinvest in the sport.”

The track always works in accord with the Thoroughbred Owners of California in setting and maintaining both its stakes schedule and its overall purse structure. Their chairman of the board, Gary Fenton, addressed the stakes purse increases:

“Thanks to our members, horsemen and horsewomen and the hard work from DMTC we're off to a tremendous start. With added purse account funds we felt returning all stakes, such as Del Mar's signature race, back to their pre-COVID purse levels was appropriate. The momentum of continued purse increases in 2021 with hopefully more to come in 2022 is a great sign of the health of Southern California racing.”

The TVG Pacific Classic is a “Win and You're In” race entitling its champion a guaranteed spot in this year's $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic, a race that will be run at a mile and a quarter at Del Mar on Saturday, Nov. 6.

The Del Mar Derby follows the Oceanside Stakes and the Grade 3 La Jolla Stakes to make up the longstanding trio of turf test for soph runners at the seaside oval. The La Jolla will be run on Sunday, August 8.

Del Mar's 82nd season will continue to race on a Thursday-to-Sunday schedule through to its closing day, Labor Day Monday, Sept. 6.

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Glatt Goes Big Gunning For Back-To-Back Bings

Mark Glatt saddled Collusion Illusion and Law Abidin Citizen for the 2020 edition of the Bing Crosby Stakes and was rewarded with a 1-3 finish that provided him the first Grade 1 victory of his 16-year career as a Thoroughbred trainer.

And the resultant victory celebration was, as Glatt mildly puts it: “Kind of subdued, with no one around.

“We couldn't go out to dinner or anything, there weren't many restaurants even open, and we had to wake up early the next day.”

Blame COVID which, although racing went on, precluded crowds, winner's circle presentations or even close-contact celebrations by the connections of the victorious horses. So Glatt was relegated to socially distanced media interviews and loosely-posed pictures with family members and stable employees.

Not that it mattered all that much.

“A Grade 1 is a Grade 1, no matter where (or under what circumstances), you win,” Glatt said.

On Saturday, Glatt will be back for another Bing Crosby seeking the second Grade 1 score of his career. He entered the same two horses, Collusion Illusion and Law Abidin Citizen, from 2020 and one more, 3-year-old Dr. Schivel, to boot.

Late in the week he was still giving all three consideration. But Glatt indicated the most likely scenario would be that Collusion Illusion and Dr. Schivel would start and Law Abidin Citizen would be held out for another assignment.

Collusion Illusion and Law Abidin Citizen are both sons of Twirling Candy that Glatt picked out for clients from Kentucky sales.

“I was stabled next to John Sadler when Twirling Candy was running and just thought he was an amazing looking animal and certainly a very good racehorse,” Glatt said. “I thought that maybe when he went to stud I'd have an opportunity to pick up one or two of (Twirling Candy's progeny).”

He picked both Law Abidin Citizen and “Collusion” for a group based in his native state of Washington – Dan Agnew, Jerry Schneider, John Xitco and Dr. Rodney Orr.

In the 2020 Crosby, 6-year-old Law Abidin Citizen, ridden by Abel Cedillo, didn't wilt after being close to a fast early pace and held on for third as 3-year-old Collusion Illusion, given a heady ride by leading jockey Flavien Pratt, rallied along the rail in the final furlong to edge Lexitonian on the wire.

The horses are a year older. The riders are different. And there was not an ounce of nostalgia involved in Glatt's thoughts of doubling back to the cast of 2020.

“The race is different from one year to the next, the horses and the way they're coming into the race is different. That's what you base it on,” Glatt said.

Collusion Illusion earned an automatic berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint via last year's Bing Crosby victory. A traffic-troubled 12th of 14 result in the BC Sprint at Keeneland in November was sandwiched between a second in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship in September and third in the Grade 1 Malibu in December.

Collusion Illusion's six-race 2020 campaign ended with earnings of $317,800, boosting his career total to $474,751. The Bing Crosby will be his 2021 debut.

Law Abidin Citizen followed the Bing Crosby with a start in the seven-furlong Pat O'Brien, the second in Del Mar's summer sprint stakes series, and was third to C Z Rocket. He made his 2021 debut with a fourth-place result in the Grade 3 Daytona at Santa Anita on May 29 then won the Oak Tree Sprint at Pleasanton on July 3.

“He's a hard-trying horse and maybe he can pull a little bit of an upset,” Glatt said.

Dr. Schivel won the Del Mar Futurity last September for trainer Luis Mendez after it had been reported that the ownership partners — Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal — were soon to turn the Violence colt over to Glatt.

The media voted Dr. Schivel the top 2-year-old of the meeting and Collusion Illusion the top sprinter, giving Glatt two returning division champions to saddle in the Crosby.

Dr. Schivel started his 3-year-old campaign with a neck victory in an allowance sprint at Santa Anita in June. Prat, who has won five of the last six runnings of the Bing Crosby – missing only in 2019 – will be aboard.

“He had a very good comeback race and he has trained very well since,” Glatt said.

Collusion Illusion became Glatt's fifth Breeders' Cup starter and a Crosby victory with any of the horses would put him in the enviable position of “home track” advantage when the BC Sprint is held at Del Mar as part of the 14-race, $28 million, two-day fall championships on November 5-6.

Collusion Illusion joined Eddie Haskell (11th, 2019 Turf Sprint) and La Tee (10th, 2008 Filly & Mare Sprint) as short-distance race Breeders' Cup starters for Glatt. He also had Blackjackcat (3rd, 2017 Mile on turf) and Sharp Samurai (3rd, 2020 Dirt Mile).

The performances of Blackjackcat and Sharp Samurai should serve as a shield for Glatt, a 48-year-old native of Washington, from being typecast as a “sprint” trainer. Not that he's worried about that either.

“If that's the worst thing they call me, I'm doing all right,” Glatt said.

Equibase statistics show Glatt is No. 42 in North America for earnings in 2021. Entering the third week of Del Mar racing on Thursday, July 29, he had 34 wins from 160 starters with stable purse earnings of $1,739,366. His career numbers: 6,774 starters, 1,039 wins (No. 1,000 was recorded last November 20 at the Bing Crosby fall meeting with Zestful) and earnings of more than $34 million.

With one Grade 1 victory on the record, he has loaded up for another on Saturday.

And this one, if it happens, won't be so quiet.

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Brandothebartender First In California Dreamin’, Superstition Best In Daisycutter

The hard-knocking veteran Brandothebartender set 'em up and knocked 'em down late Sunday in capturing the $152,000 California Dreamin' Stakes by a half-length at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The 8-year-old gelding by Tribal Rule made the 46th start of his career a winner and took down the top share of $85,500 from the purse for California-breds. He now has total winnings of $772,864 after six seasons at the racetrack and a performance record that reads 46-9-7-15.

Umberto Rispoli was aboard the winner, the 12th time he's ridden him in a race. The bay veteran is trained by Craig Dollase, who got his owners to invest $40,000 in claiming him three years ago at Del Mar. The ownership group consists of Flawless Racing of Jerry Weseloh and Brian Flanagan, both of San Diego, and Michael Jarvis of Manhattan Beach, CA.

Finishing second in the mile and one-sixteenth on the turf was Barber or Wachtel Stable's Indian Peak and running third was Messineo or Sands' North County Guy.

Brandothebartender ran the distance in 1:42.55, and returned $11.40, $5.60, and $3.60 across the board. Indian Peak paid off at $6.40 and $4.20 and North County Guy paid $3.80 to show.

UMBERTO RISPOLI (Brandothebartender, winner) – “I love this horse. I know him better than my son (the rider has ridden him in 12 races). It's unbelievable. He's such a cool horse to ride. You can do anything with him – sprint, long, grass, in front, come from the back. He does it all. You just ask him and he does it. Somehow I knew Flavien (rider Flavien Prat on Indian Peak) was going to make that early lead (he went to the lead on the far turn), so I said 'I'm following him.' Then my horse did his thing. So much fun to win on him for his wonderful ownership group and to win here at Del Mar. It's all the best.”

CRAIG DOLLASE (Brandothebartender, winner) – “The owners are just a great bunch of people; we were so lucky to get this horse two years ago off the claim (for $40,000) and he has been a gem. He's such a fighter in the lane and he did it again. He's eight (years old) and he doesn't know it.”

FRACTIONS: :23.83 :48.78 1:13.85 1:36.77 1:42.55

The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Rispoli and his first in the California Dreamin'. He now has nine stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Dollase, but his second in the California Dreamin' (Rock Me Baby, 2014). He now has 12 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owners are Flawless Racing (Jerry Weseloh of San Diego), Brian Flanagan of San Diego, and Michael Jarvis of Manhattan Beach, Calif.

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Earlier on the card, the 4-year-old filly Superstition won as the race favorite in the $90,380 Daisycutter Handicap, running five furlongs on turf in :56.89 and paying $6 to win. The daughter of Ghostzapper is owned by Perry or Ramona Bass and is trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Richard Mandella. She was handled by Del Mar's leading rider, Flavien Prat, who was scoring his third win on the afternoon.

The track's Pick Six bet was not hit again Sunday meaning there will be a carryover of $328,081 into Thursday's return to racing. First post will be 2 p.m.

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Bing Crosby Nominations Promises Deep Field Of Sprinters At Del Mar

Seventeen horses, encompassing virtually all the top sprinters on the West Coast, have been nominated to Saturday's $300,000 Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes, assuring that the field will be a stellar one when it is set and post positions are drawn on Wednesday.

Trainer Mark Glatt finished first and third in the 2020 Crosby with Collusion Illusion and Law Abidin Citizen. He has those two plus Dr. Schivel nominated and said Sunday he might run all three.

Other marquee speedsters on the nomination list include 2020 Pat O'Brien winner C Z Rocket for Peter Miller; the trio of Ax Man, Eight Rings, and Gamine from the Bob Baffert barn; graded stakes winner Flagstaff from the John Sadler stable; and the double-quick Cal-bred Brickyard Ride out of the Craig Lewis barn.

Sadler said Flagstaff will skip the Bing Crosby and instead go in the seven-furlong Pat O'Brien here on August 28.

Baffert said the 4-year-old filly Gamine, a winner of six graded stakes in her last seven starts – four of them Grade 1s – is more likely to continue competing against her own gender elsewhere than take on males in the Bing Crosby.

But Gamine is one of 11 older fillies and mares nominated to next Sunday's Clement L. Hirsch, as is stablemate As Time Goes By. A 4-year-old daughter of Baffert-trained Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, As Time Goes By is one of three stakes winners at Santa Anita that are possibles for the Hirsch, a 1 1/16-mile main track event that usually determines the top older filly or mare of the meeting.

The others are Venetian Harbor and Warren's Showtime.

The 6-furlong Bing Crosby is a “Win & You're In” qualifier for the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar on November 6. The Clement L. Hirsch is likewise designated for the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff that same day.

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