1) Europeans Unleashed As Santa Anita is Struck by Tragedy, by Emma Berry (96,627 views). TDN European Editor Emma Berry arrived at Santa Anita as the sport and the Breeders' Cup was dealing with another blow, the death of Practical Move (Practical Joke) and the injury suffered by Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}), who would eventually be euthanized. She marveled at the beauty of Santa Anita and watched the European contingent prepare for the races, but found it hard to forget that it had been another difficult week for the sport. “Even with such brilliant beauty close at hand, it was hard to revel in what should have been a joyful morning as the image of the prone Practical Move lingered on in the mind's eye,” she wrote.

2) Racing Word Mourns Death of Lady O'Reilly, by Emma Berry (96,536 views). Berry reported on the passing of highly successful and longstanding owner-breeder Lady Chryss O'Reilly, the owner of Haras de la Louviere in Normandy, who died at the age of 73.

3) Fatalities Mar Travers Saturday at Saratoga, by Bill Finley (51,660 views). The Saratoga meet saw an unusually high number of breakdowns, but two stood out. Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) broke down a jump or two before the finish of the GI Test S., a race she was well on her way to winning. In an eerily similar scenario that had occurred on the GI Travers S. card, New York Thunder (Nyquist) had the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. all but won before breaking down a few feet before the finish. On the same card, a horse named Nobel (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire} was also euthanized. Bill Finley wrote of a Travers Day that was supposed to be about everything that is great with the sport turning into one of the ugliest afternoons ever at Saratoga.

4) Everything Was Done to Save Him: Derby Hero Desert Crown Euthanized, Staff Report (50,946 views). The story reports on the death of Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), the brilliant winner of the 2022 Derby, who was euthanized at Newmarket Equine Hospital after failing to recover from an injury sustained on the gallops in August.

5) Jockey Alex Canchari Passes Away, by Bill Finley (50,438). In one of the sadder stories of the year, Midwest-based jockey Alex Canchari passed away in March at the age of 29 after taking his own life, sparking discussions about jockeys' mental health.

6) Horse of the Year Havre De Grace Passes Away, by Alan Carasso (48,136). Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), the 2011 Horse of the Year, passed away in April. Wayne Sweezey, who boarded Havre de Grace at his Timber Town Farm, confirmed that the 16-year-old mare hemorrhaged multiple times and died after producing a colt by Into Mischief the afternoon of Apr. 28.

7) Pretty Mischievous Wins Test; Maple Leaf Mel Breaks Down at Wire, is Euthanized, Staff Report (41,426). Like the breakdown of New York Thunder later on in the meet, the breakdown of Maple Leaf Mel in the Test S. shook Saratoga and cast a pall over the meet.

8) HIWU Descends Upon a Shedrow, Upending Life For a Mom-and-Pop Stable, by TD Thornton (30,863). John Pimental is a small-time trainer who was well-liked, worked hard and had never been in any trouble during his long career. That all changed when agents for the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) descended upon John's stable and upended his world: one of his horses had tested positive for 193 picograms per milliliter of methamphetamine, a street drug of abuse that is classified as a “banned” substance in racing. The story details Pimental's fight to clear his name and takes a look at the tactics HIWU used to make the case that Pimental had violated its rules.

9) Sire Of Sires, WinStar Farm's Champion Speightstown Euthanized, Staff Report (30,066). The story reports on the passing of WinStar Farm's top sire Speightstown (Gone West) and his remarkable career as a sire.

10) The Week in Review: With Forte Non-DQ, NYRA Stewards Owe Public an Explanation, by Bill Finley (29,977). The Saratoga stewards decided not to disqualify Forte (Violence) from his win in the GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga, despite what appeared to be rough-riding tactics by Irad Ortiz Jr. that caused Forte to bump Angel of Empire (Classic Empire). But writer Bill Finley thought the bigger story was that there is next to no transparency in racing when it comes to stewards' decisions and that the bettors deserved an explanation over why there was no disqualification.

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Pin Oak gave a final update on X, formerly known as Twitter, late Wednesday, saying, “Our hearts are broken but Geaux Rocket Ride is at peace. We will miss you forever, Rocket.”

Pin Oak's official statement said: “It is with very heavy hearts that we report that, at the recommendation of the medical team, Geaux Rocket Ride has finally reached peace. His mind and his spirit never quit, but his body never recovered from surgery. He had a very rare response post-op and he wasn't able to stand up again. He fought hard and our team of vets tried everything they could.

“We are grateful for Dr. Bramlage, Dr. Carpenter, Dr. Slovis, Dr. Klohnen and all of the other doctors and medical staff who helped Rocket. We are appreciative of all of the support that we've received from everyone. We made sure he knew how loved he was. Geaux Rocket Ride was the first member of our Pin Oak family and he will never be forgotten. We will miss you forever, Rocket.”

Our hearts are broken but Geaux Rocket Ride is at peace. We will miss you forever, Rocket pic.twitter.com/RINqzRcoEw

— Pin Oak Stud (@PinOakStud) November 1, 2023

Bred by OXO Equine LLC in Kentucky, Geaux Rocket Ride was a $350,000 purchase on behalf of the Pin Oak team at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale in 2021. Sent to Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, he burst onto the scene this January with a 5 3/4-length maiden special weight win at Santa Anita. After winning the Affirmed S. in June, he shipped across the country to Monmouth Park and won the TVG.com Haskell S. He also placed in both the GI Fanduel Racing Pacific Classic and the GII San Felipe S. His final record was 5-3-2-0 with earnings of $980,200.

The Breeders' Cup also released a statement late Wednesday, saying: “The immense effort that went into Geaux Rocket Ride's medical care following Saturday's injury is a testament to his team's deep commitment to his wellbeing. Our thoughts are with Pin Oak Stud LLC, Richard Mandella, and everyone affected by his loss.”

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“Rocket is having an unexpected response to the surgery and isn't recovering as we hoped,” the tweet stated. “He appears to be in no pain and is eating. Our boy is still fighting hard, so we will keep fighting for him. Under Dr. Carpenter's recommendation, he is moving to another facility better equipped to handle his post-op recovery.”

Trained by Richard Mandella, Geaux Rocket Ride won the GI Haskell S. at Monmouth Park in July and was most recently a narrowly beaten second in the Sept. 2 GI Pacific Classic.

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The decision by the connections of Practical Move (Practical Joke) to aim for the GI Dirt Mile instead of the GI Classic tops the list. The Classic, which lost Mage (Good Magic) and Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) to illness and injury, respectively, over the weekend, lacks a standout favorite, and you'd have to think Practical Move (4-for-4 at Santa Anita) would have stood a decent shot had he also been pre-entered for that spot.

But considering the colt has had only one race (an Oct. 6 allowance romp at a mile) since winning the GI Santa Anita Derby, trainer Tim Yakteen thought it best not to dive into the deeper end of the pool, distance-wise.

“Ultimately, it boiled down to we only had the one race, and I wasn't confident in myself that I'd have him ready to go a mile and a quarter,” Yakteen told FanDuel TV's Christina Blacker on Friday.

“So we opted for the tougher race of the two,” Yakteen added with a slight laugh.

Yakteen was referring to “tough” in the sense that the Dirt Mile will be headed by defending champ Cody's Wish (Curlin), who projects as a formidable favorite.

“I think we sort of ran out of time, and I wanted to make sure that we were going to take on a distance that we had already proven ourselves at,” Yakteen continued. “The mile and a quarter was still an unknown, so we'll go the Gun Runner route, go in the [Dirt] Mile, and then hopefully come back in the Classic next year.”

Gun Runner, in 2016, ran second in the Dirt Mile when the championships were also held at Santa Anita. In 2017, he won the Classic. But Gun Runner didn't have to deal with a half-year layoff at age three. His connections had opted for the Dirt Mile after competing in the 10-furlong GI Kentucky Derby and then going 1-for-4 in other stakes through the summer.

The decision on where to run Practical Move more closely resembles that of Omaha Beach in 2019. In fact, the comparison is strikingly similar.

Four years ago, that Richard Mandella trainee won his final Derby prep at nine furlongs (the GI Arkansas Derby). Omaha Beach then was installed as the imposing morning-line favorite for the GI Kentucky Derby, but had to scratch several days before the race with an entrapped epiglottis.

It took Omaha Beach six months to get back to the races. Four weeks before the Breeders' Cup, Mandella spotted him in the GI Santa Anita Sprint Championship S. at six furlongs, which he won. Mandella then targeted the Dirt Mile instead of the Classic because of concerns over the colt's ability to be ready for a 10-furlong test off that single prep sprint. The Breeders' Cup was also at Santa Anita that year, where Omaha Beach was 2-for-2. He ended up second in the Dirt Mile as the even-money favorite.

Practical Move's sophomore season aligns with Omaha Beach's in that he, too, won his final Derby prep at nine furlongs (the Santa Anita Derby). And although he wasn't the morning-line fave for this past May's Kentucky Derby, he was among the top contenders, and also had to scratch just days before the Derby after spiking a temperature.

After a similar six-month layoff, like Omaha Beach, his trainer picked a Santa Anita race four weeks out from the Breeders' Cup. And like Omaha Beach, Practical Move won that prep.

Now he, too, will try the Dirt Mile instead of the Classic. Practical Move's connections will be hoping the similarities stop there and result in a win, which is something that neither Gun Runner nor Omaha Beach could deliver at Santa Anita after being entered in the shorter (but not necessarily easier) Breeders' Cup spot.

Also of note…

Undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) figures to be the heaviest favorite on the Friday card of Breeders' Cup races for 2-year-olds. The GI Juvenile Fillies, however, hasn't been kind to the betting public's choice in recent runnings: The chalk has lost six of the last seven editions.

Trainer John Ortiz hedged a bit by pre-entering Brightwork (Outwork) in both the Juvenile Fillies and the GI Juvenile Turf Sprint. The thinking was that she's 4-for-4 around one turn on dirt, and the Juvenile Turf Sprint would keep her within her distance comfort zone, even though she's never tried the grass. As of Saturday though, Ortiz said he was leaning toward running on dirt in the two-turn Juvenile Fillies. It wasn't surprising that Ortiz gave Brightwork that dual option. But it did catch the eye how many other trainers of fillies were attracted to the Juvenile Turf Sprint: Fillies (13) actually outnumbered colts and geldings (11) in the pre-entries.

The Wine Steward (Vino Rosso) could end up as an overlaid sleeper in the GI Juvenile. Given the betting public's propensity for discounting New York-breds in major, open stakes, he could go off at double-digit odds even though he ran one of the more visually appealing 2-year-old stakes efforts in a losing try. The Oct. 7 GI Breeders' Futurity S. was The Wine Steward's first go around two turns, and he drew the rail while entering the race off a 3-for-3 record. He saved ground, advanced on the pacemakers to lead a quarter-mile out (over a short-stretch configuration), got accosted by the odds-on favorite, Locked (Gun Runner), then gamely snatched back the lead for a sixteenth of a mile in deep stretch before Locked re-rallied to nail The Wine Steward by half a length at the wire. Since The Wine Steward's two moves to the lead happened between chart calling points, they aren't evident in his running line. In addition, that Keeneland stakes was initially clocked in 1:45.06 for 1 1/16 miles, but was subsequently re-adjusted to 1:44.62, boosting every horse's initially assigned Beyer Speed Figure by as many as six points.

Speaking of Beyers, I still do a double-take every time I glance at the past performances for defending GI Filly and Mare Sprint victress Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper). Yes, she really earned a 108 despite being beaten 2 1/2 lengths in the Aug. 26 Ballerina H. at Saratoga when second behind the now-injured Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), who ran a 112. It's not every day that you see a triple-digit Beyer that high in a losing effort, and it's an even rarer accomplishment for a filly or mare.

Four weeks ago in this column, I wrote about the devastating late run uncorked by More Than Looks (More Than Ready), who earned a 101 Beyer when throttling the field in the $200,000 Jefferson Cup at Churchill Downs. At that time, the 3-year-old colt's connections indicated they'd likely bypass the Breeders' Cup and instead point toward the Oct. 28 GIII Bryan Station S. at Keeneland, with a late-season goal of shipping west for the GI Hollywood Derby at Del Mar Dec. 2. Those plans changed Friday when More Than Looks scratched out of Saturday's Bryan Station as the 9-5 morning-line favorite, and instead worked a half-mile with the intent of heading to Santa Anita for the GI Mile once it became clear he wasn't still stuck on the alternates list. This upstart contender for trainer Cherie DeVaux could be getting scary-good at just the right time. Although short on experience, he has the right off-the-tailgate style for a Breeders' Cup race that historically eats up front-runners. Joel Rosario, who was aboard for Friday's work (and previously rode for this colt's maiden-breaking win in the spring) has reportedly committed to the mount in the Mile.

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An update from the Breeders' Cup read: “Geaux Rocket Ride sustained an open condylar fracture with intersesmoidian ligament damage to his right front leg during a workout this morning under Mike Smith, who was uninjured, dismounted, and tended to the horse. Geaux Rocket Ride was taken via equine ambulance to the Southern California Equine Foundation (SCEF) equine hospital at Santa Anita Park and has since been transferred to his barn to undergo additional evaluation and diagnostics to determine the appropriate course of action. Our thoughts, along with those of the entire racing community, are with trainer Richard Mandella, the Pin Oak Stud LLC team, and all those who care for him during this difficult time.

Mandella said Geaux Rocket Ride has condylar fracture that broke through skin. While no sesamoid fracture, ligaments are stretched. Plan is for arthrodesis Sunday. “It's going to be a delicate situation, it's going to be lucky to make it, but we're going to do everything we can.”

— David Grening (@DRFGrening) October 28, 2023

Leading up to the World Championships, the Breeders' Cup has been working closely with Santa Anita Park, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), and our veterinary team to ensure every Breeders' Cup runner is fit to race. The Breeders' Cup Veterinary Team also coordinated with regulatory and track veterinarians across the country to thoroughly review the veterinary records associated with all potential Breeders' Cup runners starting in early October. This expanded veterinary review protocol is designed to ensure, to the extent possible, every horse that made the trip to Santa Anita Park for the World Championships was sound to race and train. We have faith in these processes, which include expanded veterinary exam protocols, increased testing, 24-hour equine surveillance starting Tuesday, Oct. 31 for domestic runners and Sunday, Oct. 29 for international runners, and enhanced reporting requirements.

Safety always comes first, which is why Breeders' Cup and industry leaders like the CHRB and 1/ST Racing have been longtime advocates for the uniform safety and integrity reforms that eventually became part of HISA. We are constantly evaluating and updating our safety and screening measures so we can continue to provide the safest possible racing environment.”

Veterinarian Will Farmer issued an update about the condition of GEAUX ROCKET RIDE. pic.twitter.com/TkUs5tSkA7

— TVG (@TVG) October 28, 2023

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With trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. in from New York to observe, White Abarrio (Race Day) worked five furlongs in 1:00.20. About an hour later, Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) went to the track to work with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith up. Due to the fog, Equibase clockers were unable to determine a final time and distance.

Geaux Rocket Ride's trainer, Richard Mandella, said the Candy Ride colt worked six furlongs.

“We'd liked to have seen it,” the Hall of Famer said. “I saw him come through the finish line, that was it. He worked six furlongs. Mike rode him and said he went well. We'll go with that.”

The official Santa Anita Park Workout Tab for Monday notes “dense fog from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.”

White Abarrio's work was his third since arriving at Santa Anita from New York. Jockey Emily Ellingwood was in the irons.

“He did his business,” said Chip Dutrow, Rick Dutrow's brother and assistant. “He does everything so easy. Just a very smart, classy horse. We thought he nailed it and Emily was happy. It looked like he got just enough out of the breeze.”

Also working Monday towards a potential start in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint was Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) for trainer Bob Baffert. He went three furlongs in 36.40 seconds.

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The 4-year-old led at every call (101 Beyer Speed Figure) in a “Win and You're In” chance for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, and this year that nine-furlong prep carries extra emphasis because it was run over the same Santa Anita Park surface that will host the Breeders' Cup championships Nov. 3-4.

“He's becoming better with age. You can see it on his record. His last few races he's just given us his all. Right now, he's fit, he's ready to run in the Breeders' Cup,” Gutierrez said.

Slow Down Andy's win also shifts the balance of power in the Classic division ever so slightly more toward the Left Coast.

A pair of Grade I-winning sophomores, 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) and Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}), the one-two finishers from the GI Pacific Classic (in which Slow Down Andy ran third), already call Santa Anita home. And even though their campaigns this year were not based in California, two other top Classic contenders-the GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. winner Arcangelo (Arrogate) and MGISW White Abarrio (Race Day)-have already shipped to Santa Anita well in advance of other Eastern-based divisional rivals.

Winning a race over the track theoretically should have a little more significance for Slow Down Andy. But the obvious question moving forward for him (and other possible Breeders' Cup starters who raced on the Sept. 30 Santa Anita card) is whether or not the “wet-fast” main track from that afternoon will be a useful barometer in trying to prognosticate the championships.

Friday's opening day at Santa Anita produced fairly uniform results on a dirt surface labeled “fast.” Of four main-track races, one was won in wire-to-wire fashion, one by a speed horse who pressed the pace, one by a stalker, and one by an off-pace closer.

Rain prior to Saturday produced the wet-fast designation. In eight main track races, four horses wired their fields and four others scored by forcing the issue close up to the frontrunners. Stalkers and closers got completely shut out.

More Than…Impressive

While a triple-digit Beyer performance in a stakes at this stage of the season usually invokes aspirations of running in the Breeders' Cup, the connections of More Than Looks (More Than Ready) indicated they'll likely stay on a late-season course that bypasses Santa Anita and the championships, even after the 3-year-old son of More Than Ready uncorked a devastating late kick and a 101 Beyer when dismantling the field in Saturday's $200,000 Jefferson Cup at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Cristian Torres and trained by Cherie DeVaux for owner Anthony Bartolo's Victory Racing Partners, More Than Looks rated three wide at the back of the pack into the clubhouse turn and had one horse beaten turning for home as the 1.63-1 favorite in the mile turfer over “firm” ground.

Tipping widest into the lane under a full head of steam out in the seven path, More Than Looks inhaled his eight rivals while responding to rousing between the quarter and sixteenth poles, eventually drawing off by his lonesome late in the lane to score by 2 3/4 lengths

As Churchill announcer Travis Stone articulated with admiration in his call, the colt “looked hopeless with three furlongs to go” before out-torqueing the field in a visually impressive effort.

Now 4-1-1 from seven starts, More Than looks won the GIII Manila S. at Belmont Park on July 7 and ran third in the GII Hall of Fame S. at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 11.

“This was one of the first times he really put his head down and ran through the wire,” De Vaux said. “Sometimes he got a little green and would hang a little bit once he got in front.”

DeVaux said More Than Looks would likely be aimed at the GIII Bryan Station S. at Keeneland Race Course Oct. 28 and could then attempt the GI Hollywood Derby (GI) at Del Mar Dec. 2.

Landing Spot TBD

Numbers aren't everything when considering the Breeders' Cup, especially when it comes to younger horses.

A case in point is Air Recruit (Air Force Blue), who won the $150,000 Laurel Futurity on Saturday over 1 1/16 miles on a “good” turf course at Laurel Park.

His win only registered a 67 on the Beyer scale. But the 2-year-old colt caught the eye by breaking well, conceding the lead, and rating midpack at the fence while covered up before tipping his big, white blaze out to the three path and wearing down the frontrunners with a determined effort.

Jockey Charlie Marquez rode for trainer Arnaud Delacour and owner Mark Grier.

Air Recruit won his Aug. 5 debut over 5 1/2 furlongs at Colonial Downs, beating a pair of next-out winners. He then finished third behind three-time stakes winner No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never) over the same course and distance in the $125,000 Rosie's S. Sept. 9.

“He went short the first two times out and the first time he really surprised us. We sat right behind the speed [in the colt's debut] and came flying and [were] able to win,” Marquez said. “We put him back in the stake at Colonial and he ran a huge race [behind a] very nice horse. We knew that he wanted to go longer so we stretched him out today and you guys saw what he did.”

Added Delacour: “He always showed a lot of speed. His first breeze from the gate he went like 47 [seconds] in hand, so we knew we had something. I didn't know about the distance, to be honest. That was kind of an experiment, but it was the right time to do it after two races.”

The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf is a possible option, but it's annually a race that gets oversubscribed.

“We'll look at our options,” Delacour said. “Depending on how he comes back, if we can get in the Breeders' Cup it could be an option. He did it impressively enough that we could give him a shot-if we get in.”

Maryland Dates Reduction?

Craig Fravel, the chief executive officer for 1/ST Racing, which owns Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, told the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority on Friday that a reduced racing schedule is one option that could be considered as the circuit grapples with numerous near- and longer-term issues related to viability and relevancy.

Frank Vespe of The Racing Biz broke the story, reporting that when Authority member and Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (MTHA) general counsel Alan Foreman asked 1/ST Racing executives to better define what the company meant by an allusion to “realigning the racing calendar,” Fravel responded this way:

“We've made a proposal [to the MTHA] about taking a break in the calendar and shifting racing, the focus of racing, to Colonial during the summer months because they're paying $600,000 or $700,000 today in purse money.”

Vespe reported that 1/ST Racing's analysis “envisions a much shorter Maryland racing season,” but that “fewer days of racing would mean larger per-race purses,” noting that Maryland hosted 175 days of live racing in 2022 and has hosted as many as 187 days in recent years.

“We think that 80 to 90 days can be a very viable racing calendar,” Fravel said. “Even with that, though, operationally there needs to be some reconsideration of the distribution of revenues. But we also think that those days can be run with purses in excess of $500,000, maybe even $600,000 a day, which is highly competitive in the local, regional marketplace.”

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Bob Baffert was in the grandstand Sunday morning watching some of his horses work. Back at the barn, his Pacific Classic winner, Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) was resting-up from his race; Baffert indicating the 'TDN Rising Star' came out of the race fine.

“That was a good race for him,” Baffert says. “He ran hard.”

Arabian Knight punched his ticket to the Breeders' Cup Classic with his wire-to-wire win Saturday and time will tell as to whether or not he'll run in a prep before the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita in November.

“We don't know what we're going to do there yet,” Baffert says. “We'll give him a couple weeks.”

Same could be said for his rival Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}), who came up a neck short. It was a winning effort and for that he got to sleep in.

“We haven't had him out of bed yet,” trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday morning, “but he looked good last night. I think he'll be all right.”

The third-place finisher in the Pacific Classic also came out of his race in good order. Trainer Doug O'Neill says Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) will be pointed to the Breeders' Cup but he did not mention a prep race.

O'Neill's assistant, Leandro Mora, was very proud of  Andy'.

“He just needs a little change in luck,” Mora says with a smile. “We need Baffert to go somewhere else. He sure can do those big races.”

On the East Coast, all was well with the runners from Saturday's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said he was pleased with the effort from Bright Future (Curlin) and that he emerged from the race in good order.

“He looks excellent and came out of the race well,” said Pletcher. “Happy guy.”

Trainer Michael Stidham expressed a strong sense of pride in Godolphin's homebred Proxy (Tapit) who, despite lacking racing room down the backstretch, was able to launch a strong stretch drive to come up a nose shy of the victory.

“He certainly stamped himself in that top group to go to the Breeders' Cup,” Stidham said. “I would say right now, we're looking at just going straight to the Breeders' Cup.”

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The 5-2 morning-line favorite Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) leads the way for the 3-year-olds after defeating GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) by 1 3/4 lengths in Monmouth Park's GI TVG.com Haskell S. July 22. He will look to follow in the hoofprints of his leading sire Candy Ride, who won the Pacific Classic in 2003.

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella has won the Pacific Classic four times–Beholder (2015), Pleasantly Perfect (2004), Gentlemen (Arg) (1997) and Dare and Go (1996).

“He had us dreaming pretty high and still does,” Mandella said of the Pin Oak Stud colorbearer.

Geaux Rocket Ride has drawn the rail for the second straight race. “Just happy to be there,” Mandella said.

The Bob Baffert-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) was the beaten favorite in the Haskell, finishing third while making his first start since capturing Oaklawn's GIII Southwest S. Jan. 28.

Skinner (Curlin), a strong third in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Apr. 8, was forced to sit out the Kentucky Derby with an elevated temperature. He resurfaced with a useful second-place finish in the Los Alamitos Derby July 8.

The field of 11 also includes: 2021 Pacific Classic winner Tripoli (Kitten's Joy); this year's GI Santa Anita H. winner Stilleto Boy (Shackleford); and four runners out of the local prep GII San Diego H.–Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) (1st), Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) (2nd), Defunded (Dialed In) (4th) and Tripoli (fifth).

“It's an evenly matched, highly competitive field,” Tripoli's trainer John Sadler said. “You can make a case for a lot of different horses, so it should be a good race; nice mix of 3-year-olds and older horses.”

Del Mar's stacked 11-race program also includes: the 'Win and You're In' GII Del Mar H. (Longines Turf) and GIII Green Flash H. (Turf Sprint); the GII Del Mar Mile S., led by the streaking GI Shoemaker Mile S. winner Exaulted (Twirling Candy); and the GIII Torrey Pines S., highlighted by the return of GISW 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza (Girvin).

Jockey Club Gold Cup Day at the Spa…

A field of eight will line up for Saratoga's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S., a 'Win and You're In' for the Classic.

Rattle N Roll (Connect), a winner of three straight graded races earlier this term, was freshened following a second-place finish in the GI Stephen Foster S. July 1. The 9-5 morning-line favorite has posted five straight triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures.

Despite a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Stephen Foster, Proxy (Tapit)'s 5-year-old campaign also includes wins in the GII Oaklawn H. Apr. 22 and GIII Monmouth Cup S. July 22 and a close second in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 4. The Godolphin homebred has drawn the rail in the 1 1/4-mile feature.

“We knew from early on that he had a lot of talent and that's why we were so ready to give him all the time he needed and let him mature mentally and physically to where he's at now and it's really paying off,” trainer Mike Stidham said.

McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), winner of Saratoga's GII Glens Falls S. Aug. 3, headlines a field of four entered for the 'Win and You're In' GII Flower Bowl S.

Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief), second behind the ill-fated Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) in the GIII Victory Ride S. July 8, is the one to beat in the five-deep GII Prioress S.

Saturday's graded stakes action also includes a pair of deep fields for the GIII Big Ass Fans Music City S. and GIII Mint Millions S., both held at Kentucky Downs.

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