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Betting the 2011 Pacific Classic from Del Mar

August 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The 2011 Pacific Classic from Del Mar is for three year olds and upward going 1 ¼ miles on the dirt for a purse of $1,000,000.

This looks like a strong race with 7 of 10 entrants having won a graded stakes race. The race includes 4 Grade 1 winners and 2 others that are Grade 1 placed.

Let’s take a look at the field.

Check out our Horse Betting page for information on how and where to bet the Travers Stakes online.

Don Cavallo (El Prado x Transcendental by Mt. Livermore) ships in after a win last out in the Dominion Day at Woodbine. He was on the muscle from the get go and entered the stretch with a 5 length lead before winning by 3 ¾ lengths. This is a horse that does his best running going long so this distance will work to his advantage. His latest work of :59 B as well as the fact that Luis Contreras is making the trip is quite encouraging. Plenty to like about the Roger Attfield trained colt.

Jeranimo (Congaree x Jera by Jeblar) couldn’t catch Acclamation last out in the Eddie Read. The last time he routed on a synthetic surface he finished fourth in the 2010 Santa Anita Handicap, but before that won the Grade 2 Strub Stakes. This distance may be a bit out of his range, but he is training well and possesses enough back class to win.

Stately Victor (Ghostzapper x Collect The Cash by Dynaformer) Winner of the 2010 Bluegrass Stakes chased a slow pace to be third beaten 6 lengths in the Dominion Day last out. He has a sharp five furlong work in :59 4/5 H over the track. I have to imagine Mike Maker has shipped in for a reason. Mike Smith will ride.

Tres Borrachos (Ecton Park x Pete’s Fancy by Peteski) Gelding has done a total 180 since trainer Martin Jones got him. In his first race since September the gelding finished third in an allowance race on Jun 10. That was a strong race and it served to tighten the bolts as he would win the San Diego Handicap in his next start. That victory means he automatically qualifies for the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile. The big difference for this gelding has been learning to come from off the pace. He fits with jockey Rafael Bejarano very well. Tres Borrachos got as good a shot as any horse to win the Pacific Classic.

Acclamation (Unusual Heat x Winning In Style by Silveyville) He got an easy lead in his last two races and kept going as a result. Those were Grade 1 races, but in name only. The fields were just plain bad. Moving to the main track where he is winless in six tries. That makes him hard to like. Patrick Valenzuela gets the mount for trainer Donald Warren.

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Setsuko (Pleasantly Perfect x Dance With Grace by Mr Prospector) Draw a line through that last race where he chased a slow pace and was going further than he should. Richard Mandella trained colt has just 1 win in 15 starts, but was second beaten only a nose after some bumping in the Santa Anita Handicap and was second behind Twirling Candy in the Californian. He looks live at a price with Victor Espinoza up.

Great Warrior (Leroidesanimaux x Esther Rose by Seeking The Gold) Three year old is working very well for trainer AC Avila and Omar Berrio gets the call to ride. The saddle slipped in his last race so forget that one. This will be his first true try on a synthetic track if you don’t count that last one. Has finished behind good horses like Burns and Cloud Man. Despite that, he’s going to have to step up big time to compete here. He could be an exotics possibility.

Game On Dude (Awesome Again x Worldly Pleasure by Devil His Due) It must be nice to be Bob Baffert. He will get to watch Coil in the Travers on Saturday and then this fast, fast gelding on Sunday. Game On Dude won the Santa Anita Handicap in March and has done well since with on the board finishes in the Charles Town Classic and Lone Star Park Handicap. After those tries he was second beaten just a nose in the Hollywood Gold Cup. He’s tactical enough to be on the lead or behind a few horses. The works are sharp and he has to be considered the favorite here even if the morning line maker didn’t see it.

Twirling Candy (Candy Ride x Danzing by Chester House) That final quarter of a mile has killed him in the Santa Anita Handicap and Hollywood Gold Cup. Can he get it done this time? Trainer John Sadler has been giving him longer works in what I have to assume is an attempt to get some stamina in him. He would handle this field with ease if he runs his best race, but the distance will always be a question until he wins going 1 ¼.

Quindici Man (Came Home x Humble by Valiant Nature) Love the way he came running to be third beaten half a length in the Santa Anita Handicap. He has raced on the turf twice since then. Getting off that surface should help him. Martin Garcia in the irons is a plus.

For information on how to get our picks for the Travers and Pacific Classic click here. Also, please check out our Twitter and Facebook pages.

 

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Twirling Candy prepares for Pacific Classic

August 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Twirling Candy is an incredibly fast horse. No sane person would deny that fact. The son of Candy Ride owns 7 wins from 10 starts including triumphs in the Malibu Stakes, Del Mar Derby, Strub Stakes and Californian Stakes.

He has had three chances to break through and prove himself as the top horse in the country. Those three races were the Goodwood Stakes, Santa Anita Handicap and Hollywood Gold Cup. Coincidentally, those races are also his only defeats.

Trainer John Sadler will now try to vindicate the colt he believes to be the best in America with a win in the Pacific Classic. He sent him out for a work Sunday morning in which he covered one mile in 1:37 4/5 and galloped out 1 ⅛ in 1:50.

Bettors are likely to focus attention on the filly Blind Luck after her triumph over Havre de Grace in the Delaware Handicap. She has been dominate against the girls, but asking her to go 10 furlongs against males is a tall order. Combine this with Twirling Candy falling short in the Hollywood Gold Cup and you are likely to get a very square price on a horse that is clearly best when he puts it all together.

I don’t make picks for races without seeing the PPs first, but Twirling Candy is an intriguing option. He is going to figure it out against Grade 1 older horses sooner or later. The Pacific Classic might be his time.

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Travers Weekend Picks & Plays

August 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

*****CLICK HERE TO GET OUR 2011 TRAVERS AND PACIFIC CLASSIC PICKS*****

The Midsummer Derby aka the Travers Stakes is finally here, along with tons of other important races. Among the big races that will be contested this weekend are the Pacific Classic, Pat O’Brien Handicap, Victory Ride Stakes, King’s Bishop Stakes, Personal Ensign Stakes, Ballerina Stakes, Ballston Spa Handicap, and many more. My free picks which were released here on Wednesday fared very well. From five races I had three winners ($4.50, $5.40, $12.20), and a 9-1 shot who ran second and paid $6.80 to place. Not bad, right?

I’ve done very well on the  big days at Saratoga. Just two weeks ago I had Blame as my best bet of the weekend in the Whitney Handicap. He keyed a $2,564 Pick 4 while returning $8.80 win. He nailed the heavily favored Quality Road on the wire. I’ve had countless winners in the everyday races at the Spa with the biggest price being Settle For Medal ($45.20). The maiden runner made perfect sense to me as the only one in the race with experience. He broke poorly in his first start before rallying to finish well behind a well regarded winner. The bettors let him off at a huge price in that race and he made them pay for it. My subscribers and I had him though!

I have big hopes for this weekend of racing. I do my best work on these big days and I have little doubt that I will have a huge day handicapping. I highly encourage you to play along. Below you will find several packages of picks. Choose the one that suits you best and find it on the drop down menu near the “Buy Now” button.

Travers Stakes & Pacific Classic Package ($5.99)

  • Unlike my Triple Crown packages you will get twice the value with this one as I’m throwing in the Pacific Classic which is later on the same day at Del Mar.
  • This package includes my top selection to WIN each of those two races.
  • Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta plays
  • Daily Double, Pick 3, Pick 4 plays

Stakes Selections ($10.99)

  • This package includes everything from the “Travers & Pacific Classic Package” plus:
  • Selections for the Pat O’Brien Handicap, Ballerina Stakes, Molly Pitcher Stakes, Personal Ensign Stakes, Victory Ride Stakes, Kings Bishop Stakes, and Del Mar Handicap.

Full Card Saratoga Selections ($15.99)

  • Purchasers of this package get everything listed in the “Travers & Pacific Classic Package” plus more:
  • Top Selections to win every race at Saratoga.
  • Assorted Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta plays
  • Daily Double, Pick 3, Pick 4, and Pick 6 plays

Saratoga Selections+More( ($55.99)

  • Buyers of this package will receive everything from the “Full Card Saratoga Selections” plus:
  • Selections for every day of racing left at Saratoga ($90 value).
  • Selections for the Pat O’Brien Handicap, Ballerina Stakes, Molly Pitcher Stakes, Personal Ensign Stakes, Victory Ride Stakes, Kings Bishop Stakes, Molly Pitcher, and Del Mar Handicap.
*****CLICK HERE TO GET OUR 2011 TRAVERS AND PACIFIC CLASSIC PICKS*****
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Rail Trip headlines big day at Del Mar in the Pacific Classic

September 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I love the place where the surf meets the turf. Del Mar is easily one of the best places on this planet, and Sunday will be its best day of racing. Some of the events include the Grade 1 Pat O’Brien Stakes, Grade 2 Del Mar Derby, and the Grade 1 Pacific Classic. It doesn’t get much better than that. The winners of each of these races will almost undoubtedly find a place in the upcoming Breeders Cup.

Battle of Hastings looks like the best horse in the Del Mar Derby. He is returning to California after a successful campaign on the east coast that included victories in the Colonial Turf Cup and the Virginia Derby. The son of a British sire named Royal Applause, he has a great turn of foot and doesn’t win by big margins. He got up by a head in each of his last two wins. Tyler Baze has done very well on him thus far. I really like his chances to win this.

Papa Clem also looks interesting in the Del Mar Derby. The Arkansas Derby winner has yet to make a start over the turf, and has been running poorly since peaking to run fourth in the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Gary Stute has given the mount to Garrett Gomez for the first time. Perhaps that can help the son of Smart Strike get out the current rut he is in. I really like his works of late, especially the four furlong move around the dogs in :45 4/5 H.

The Pat O’Brien Stakes produced last years Breeders Cup Sprint winner in Midnight Lute. It is likely to do the same again this year, but the horse is a three-year-old named Zensational. Trained by Bob Baffert, he is getting better with each start. He has already defeated older horses and jockey Victor Espinoza fits him very well. I highly doubt he loses this race. Bigbadleroybrown has been running better every time he races. I’ll look for him underneath.

I really like Rail Trip in the Pacific Classic at odds of 4-1. He ran exceptionally well to win the Hollywood Gold Cup last out by about 3 lengths. He proved his doubters wrong in that race after losing two races in a row. The son of Jump Start proved that distance wouldn’t be a problem last out going 10 furlongs. He will be going the same distance in today’s event. If Rail Trip is able to get a win here then he will be the early favorite for the Breeders Cup Classic.

Colonel John will hold a strong hand after winning his first start of the year over the turf in the Wicker Stakes. He won the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at this distance last year. Parading was the favorite in the Hollywood Gold Cup, but couldn’t get it done. Will he run better here? I think not. I didn’t like him at all last out, but I would probably include him on exotic tickets at a bigger price this time around.

Who do you like in the Pat O’Brien Stakes, Del Mar Derby, and the Pacific Classic? Leave a comment and let your voice be heard!

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